Choose outdoor power equipment for the home that suits your needs
MetroCreative
Choose outdoor power equipment for the home that suits your needs
MetroCreative
Choose outdoor power equipment for the home that suits your needs
While July means summer is in full swing, it’s not too late to determine what tools you need for yard work, including outdoor power equipment.
“Our winter wouldn’t go away and it’s rained every day for two weeks. Folks are just starting to catch up,” remarked Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, an international trade association based in Alexandria, Virginia, which represents more than 100 power equipment, engine and utility vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.
Kiser suggested taking a good look at your yard: Do you have a garden, a place for children to play, an area for dogs?
“What are your needs?” asked Kiser.
A press release issued by OPEI suggested: “Draw a sketch of your yard. Include any major features like trees, bushes, an herb or vegetable garden, flower beds, lawn furniture, play or sports equipment, an outdoor patio, or bird bath.”
Think about what you have, such as bushes that need to be trimmed back from your home or garage. Think about what you might be adding, such as expanding a place for entertaining, adding a play area for children or a special area for your dog.
Kiser said of your yard: “It’s a shared environment for family and pets.”
Then make a list of tools and equipment you need to care for your yard.
OPEI advised in the release: “If you have a large vegetable garden, you need a cultivator or tiller. If you have a large lawn, an upgrade to a riding lawn mower might make mowing easier. A string trimmer might make caring for bushes or trimming grass near a fence line easier. A pole pruner can help trim back limbs that are too high to reach safely with a saw, and a leaf blower can clear leaves faster than a rake.”
OPEI suggests visiting your garage or shed to find forgotten lawn and garden tools: “Repair anything that needs attention or identify where a newer or other machine is required.”
If you are purchasing new tools, Kiser recommends doing research. You can find machines that are powered by gasoline, electricity or battery. Robotics are also entering this field with Kiser noting, “Robotics are here to stay and we see them becoming a significant part of the market.”
So which do you choose?
“Each has their benefits and their challenges,” said Kiser, adding, “There’s a wide variety.”
Kiser advises taking your property into consideration: “Your yard can be hilly or flat. You can have a long driveway.”
Some equipment is made to handle a smaller job while others handle larger projects.
“There are different price points and weight classes. There’s a wide diversity of power equipment and we encourage homeowners to know what’s right for them,” said Kiser, pointing out, “If you have a piece of equipment that’s a challenge to use, it doesn’t serve a purpose.”
OPEI advises talking about equipment with staff either at the store or online.
“In the store, ask to pick up and hold equipment to determine its ‘fit’ for you. Discuss safety features and ask about manufacturer fueling and care instructions. Find out how often equipment may need to be serviced,” the release noted.
Kiser added, “Equipment manufacturers are making fuel for their products to eliminate any challenges related to storing fuel and its use.”
You also need to think about storage and maintenance of your equipment with OPEI recommending keeping it in a cool and dry place. Power equipment should be serviced at the end of fall and the beginning of spring.
And when using equipment, remember safety.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends these tips:
n Dress appropriately for the task. Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts (to avoid injuries from thrown objects like rocks or sticks), close-fitting clothes and no jewelry (to avoid getting anything caught in moving parts), sturdy shoes with slip-resistant rubber soles, eye protection, heavy gloves (protects hands when changing, sharpening, or cleaning blades), and hearing protection such as ear plugs when using motor-driven equipment.
n Before starting up machinery, remove objects from the area in which you are working that can cause injury or damage equipment, such as sticks, glass, metal, wire, and stones.
n Make sure that safety devices on the equipment are in place and functioning properly before starting work.
n Never let a child ride or operate a garden tractor or riding mower, even if the child is supervised. Teenagers should only be allowed to operate outdoor power equipment if they possess adequate strength and maturity to do so safely. They also should be supervised by a responsible adult.
n Never assume children will remain where you last saw them. Be alert and turn off the mower if children enter the mowing area. Use extra care when backing up or when approaching corners, shrubs, and trees.
n Unplug electric tools and disconnect spark plug wires on gasoline-powered tools before making adjustments or clearing jams near moving parts.
n Be sure power tools are turned off and made inoperable if they must be left unattended to prevent use by children.
n Handle gas carefully. Never fill gasoline tanks while machinery is on or when equipment is still hot. Wipe up spills. Store gas in an approved container away from the house. Finally, never smoke or use any type of flame around gasoline or any gasoline-powered equipment.
n Never work with electric power tools in wet or damp conditions. For protection against electrocution, use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). GFCIs come in several models, including a portable plug-in type.
n Be sure that extension cords are in good condition, are rated for outdoor use, and are the proper gauge for the electrical current capacity of the tool.
With research to choose the correct tools and caution to make sure you’re using them safely, power tools can be a big help to get the job done.