When your riding mower gets wet, what should you do?

In the midst of a big rainstorm, you forgot your lawn mower outside because you were busy with other things. There’s a possibility that it might be damaged now that you’re worried about it. Lawn mowers are significant investments that need to be protected if they are to last for a long time. Keeping a lawn tidy and clean is easy when one uses a lawnmower in order to trim tall grass. Experts recommend that lawn mowers should not be used in wet conditions, despite the fact that they are designed for outdoor use. What are the chances of a lawn mower getting wet if you let it sit in the rain?

Your electric lawn mower may be wondering if it is waterproof if it gets soaked in the rain. There is also a point as to just how dangerous it may be to mow wet grass with a gas or electric mower. This is how long you should wait before you mow your lawn after it has rained.

It is inevitable that everyone will make a mistake from time to time. We may rush into the house before realizing hours later that the lawn mower was left out in the rain without being protected by an umbrella. If your lawn mower stops working due to getting wet, there are a number of ways you can troubleshoot the problem.

Steps to Complete When Your Riding Lawn Mower Gets Wet

Wet lawn mowers: what causes them?

There are several different reasons why your lawn mower may get wet and you may not even realize it. You may have left it out in the rain or left it out overnight. However, even if the weather does not cooperate, the morning dew can make it wet as well, especially when there is no rain.

When mowing your lawn after a heavy downpour, some parts of your lawn mower can also get saturated with water. In the past, I have written a piece about the possible dangers of mowing wet grass – if you are interested, you can read the article here.

Also, even if you store your lawn mower for the off-season and cover it with plastic sheets or another non-porous cover, a lawnmower can become exposed to condensation due to the moisture that collects underneath, especially if it has been stored for the off-season.

The deck of the mower as well as the fuel tank can be exposed to water. This is the result of cracks or dents in the deck or the fuel tank. Fuel that has been stored for a long period of time without being stabilized can become water-contaminated if no fuel stabilizers are added.

Mowers damaged by moisture?

My first point of discussion is going to be your lawn mower. Obviously, lawn mowers are not among the cheapest items on the market; therefore, if you are concerned, please do not be. They are in fact quite well made and are very reliable.

It is critical to realize that you are not about to damage your lawn mower just because it appears to be wet.

Throughout the past several decades, lawn mowers have caused a lot of damage to people in every corner of the world. The lawnmower is a tough and sturdy device that is engineered to last for a long time, to be able to stand all sorts of gruelling conditions.

If your lawn mower is wet, here is what you need to do in order to keep it running smoothly.

How Do You Mow Your Lawn When It’s Wet?

There is no doubt that this will be a very simple process.

If it has rained a small amount and the rain has passed, all you need to do is start your lawn mower after the rain has passed. You can let it run for a few minutes. So long as the engine produces enough heat in order to dry it on its own, the clothes will be able to dry on their own. Besides preventing it from rusting, this will also make sure that it lasts for a long time.

The alternative is to let it dry in the sun for several hours before you run it for a few minutes, as shown in the above instructions. Then, place it back in the sun to dry for several hours.

It would be a good idea to cover the deck and handle of the lawn mower with a rug if necessary. This is to store it somewhere protected from the elements so that it doesn’t get damaged.

If, however, your lawnmower fails to start after heavy rain falls, this does not necessarily mean that the mower has been damaged; however, you will need to perform some maintenance on it.

A lawn mower with water contamination

It is a fairly common issue to have lawn mower gas contaminated with water. The problem of contaminated gas is not only caused by leaving the lawn mower outside in the rain. It can also be caused by gas accumulating with water through condensation if the mower has not been used for a long time.

As soon as you notice bubbles in the gasoline in your lawn mower, you will know that the gas has been contaminated. A gas tank that has been drained will need to be topped off in this situation.

The fuel line should be disconnected and then the fuel tank should be emptied of all fuel. As a next step, dry the tank by wiping it down with a cloth, using WD-40, or letting it dry by air.

You will need to do this after you have confirmed that the tank is dry before you connect the fuel line and add new gas to it.

As Bob Vila said in the video, once you have changed the gas, be sure to take the old gas to a designated disposal center. This will enable you to dispose of it properly as soon as possible.

Check your engine oil for water

You can damage the oil in your engine when water drips into it during a severe rainstorm. There may be a milky appearance to your oil when there is water in it, and this appears when there is a buildup of water in it. Check the oil with the help of a flashlight if you find it necessary to do so.

It is critical to perform a routine change of your engine oil, which should be performed if your engine oil appears milky. This riding mower maintenance guide will show you how to change the oil in your riding mower.

Electrical components of your riding mower

If electrical components collect water, they can cause your mower to run improperly.

Make your ignition switch water-resistant by spraying it with WD-40. It is then necessary to clean your spark plug wires, ignition switch, and spark plug boot as well.

Maintain Your Riding Mower Cables

The cable conduit for riding mowers will corrode and become stiff if they are not sprayed with WD-40 to prevent moisture from entering the conduit and causing the conduit to rust up. If there are any other wires on your mower that have collected water in the past, please follow the same procedure.

Storage Options for Riding Mowers

Riding mowers should be stored indoors, away from the elements, and away from the rain and sun. If the storage shed or garage is large enough, this could be placed there. The mower should never be stored in a home, basement, or near anything that can catch fire.

To keep your riding mower protected from hard rains and sun exposure when you store it outdoors, you can use a marine grade cover if you are unable to store it indoors.

Does a lawnmower get wet?

There is no waterproof feature on lawn mowers, which is a real shame. In order to prevent water from easily getting into the sensitive parts of the engine, they have put down some protective plastic covers. This prevents water from easily reaching them. However, these covers are not able to protect the engine completely.

I believe it will be next to impossible to make lawn mowers waterproof because they are complicated devices.

There is a problem with the term waterproof and the term water-resistant often being used interchangeably and being mistaken for one another. If water is exposed to the device for a prolonged period of time, it can cause damage to it, even though it is water-resistant.

As far as I am aware, cutting wet grass won’t damage your lawn mower – the reason for avoiding cutting wet grass is not the fact that it will damage your mower – it is the fact that cutting wet grass will ruin it

• As a result, the motor is put under more strain;
• As a result, there is a higher risk of creating ruts in the soil;
• It is apparent that the cuts have not been made cleanly;
• The harder it is to cut, the more difficult it is.
• There are a number of problems that can occur as a result of it, including dull blades.

Final Thought

Lawn mowers can be severely damaged by the presence of water. Whenever you are done using a tool, make sure that you store it in a shed or garage. Please allow the lawn mower to dry completely if you accidentally left it in the rain, then replace the fuel in it and begin to run it. In the event this does not work, you should seek the assistance of a professional service provider or dealer.