How Often You Should Be Changing Your Lawn Mower's Air Filter

With the price of today's cars approaching what it cost our parents to buy their first house, most people find ways to keep track of their car's maintenance schedule. Their lawn mowers, on the other hand, often do not enjoy the same level of care until there's a problem. Failing to perform proper maintenance is one of the mistakes people commonly make with their lawn mowers.

Some lawn mower owners rely on the annual maintenance method, which typically occurs once per year. The process usually coincides with the first warm days of spring as the lawn begins to emerge from the dormant state that kept it safe through the winter months. After an application of pre-emergent lawn treatment and maybe the first round of fertilizer, the trusty mower is taken in for service, or perhaps the DIY-inclined will tackle the chore in their attached garage.

This annual service usually includes an oil change, sharpening or replacing the mower blade or blades, and a fresh spark plug or two depending on the mower's design. It could also include changing the lawn mower's air filter, but should it?

There's certainly no harm in changing the air filter in your lawn mower at the beginning of the mowing season. However, depending on your mower's recommended maintenance schedule and how much you use it, changing the air filter once per year could be more often than required, or it may not be enough.

It all depends on the type of air filter your lawn mower uses, the conditions surrounding its use, and the number of hours the engine runs during the year. First, some lawn mowers use an air filter that can be cleaned to prolong its use or an oil-saturated foam air filter that can be cleaned and reused. You'll want to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, but foam filters can often be reused until they become damaged, usually during the cleaning process, before they need to be replaced.

For any lawn mower, the best source for a maintenance schedule that includes when to check, clean, and change the air filter is the owner's or service manual for that lawn mower. A manual comes with the mower when you buy it new, but if you don't have one, they can be found online with a little searching.

Air filter replacement frequency varies between mower brands and types. For example, A Gravely Zero Turn powered by a Kohler CV742 engine recommends an air filter change at every 250 hours of operation. A Honda-powered push mower requires a filter change every 50 hours, and both brands recommend more frequent changes if the mower is used in dusty conditions.