I think most of us can agree that it’s important to properly store your lawnmower. This will help to protect it from all of the elements and can ensure that it does not rust and degrade over time.
You have a few options you can choose from when it comes to storing your lawn mower and keeping it safe, such as storing your lawn mower in a shed.
But what about when you don’t have a shed? Should you store it outside? Some homeowners wonder if they should store their lawnmower in the crawl space that is under their home to save space, especially if they do not have a shed for the machine.
Is It Safe to Store a Lawnmower In the Crawl Space?
It is generally not a good idea to place the mower in an under the house crawl space. The fumes from the gas can seep into your home and may make you and others sick over the winter. If you do decide to add the mower to that crawl space, then you need to take care to remove all the oil and gas ahead of time so that this is not a concern.
There are other great places where you can store the mower and keep it safe during the winter months when you are not using it.
Let’s take a closer look at why storing the mower in the under the house crawl space is not the best idea and see a few other storage options that you can consider.
Storing A Lawnmower In the Crawl Space
It’s often a bad idea to store the lawn mower in any spot that is confined and near the home. This means leaving it under the house, in a basement, or in the garage are often not the best storage solutions.
This is because the fumes from the gas tank can get out and may really start to affect the whole home in no time. These fumes are not fun to have around once they go into your home and the gas fumes can be difficult to get out of the house too. And since crawl spaces contribute to the air inside the home, this is not a safe thing. It is usually best to leave the mower somewhere else.
If you do decide to place your lawnmower in a crawl space or somewhere similar, the best option is to empty out the gas tank ahead of time. This can allow you to keep the mower in these tighter areas during the winter when you do not plan to use the mower.
Where to Store My Lawnmower?
While a crawl space can be used if you’re careful about removing the gas and the oil from your mower before you store it, it’s generally not recommended because it can cause some health issues when the gas fumes seep into your home. But where should you store your mower when it is not in use? Some good ideas to consider include:
Storage Shed
The best place to put your mower, especially if you plan to bring it in and out a bunch and keep gas in it to use during the summer, is a storage shed. This will keep the mower safe from all of the elements, keeps the mower safe and out of site and since the storage is not attached to your home, you do not need to worry about the fumes from the gas getting into your home.
There are a bunch of different options when it comes to making a storage shed for your lawn mower. It does not need to be very large, just big enough to put the mower in. If you plan to use it for a few other items in the yard in that storage shed, then you should consider getting a shed that is a little bit bigger to accommodate those tools as well.
Outside with a Cover
If you plan to keep the lawn mower outside, then you should consider getting a cover for it. This will ensure that the mower is not going to get ruined from the rain and exposure to the elements.
There are a variety of different covers that you can choose based on your own needs and the type of lawn mower that you have. Most of them are quite affordable as well.
Leaving the mower out in the elements is never a good idea, which is probably why you are considering placing it in the crawl space. A cover is a good solution that will help protect the mower without harming you.
Should You Store Your Mower In The Garage?
The garage is similar to using the crawl space that we talked about before. Generally speaking, the lawn mower shouldn’t be kept not be in an area that small and contained as long as the tank has gas in it.
If you plan to store it there for the winter because you don’t have a shed and you want to keep it safe in the winter, then you need to completely empty out the gas tank and even consider draining the oil for the winter. This will help prevent those chemicals from getting old and will protect you inside of your home, especially if the garage is attached. It is a little safer to place the lawnmower in an unattached garage, but still use the same precautions.
Storing Your Lawnmower
Finding the right place to store your lawnmower can be tough. It would be ideal if everyone had their own shed and could use that. But if you don’t have a lot of money to purchase a shed and your home did not come with one, you may need to get creative to make sure the mower is stored properly.
If you’re going to choose to store your lawn mower in the crawl space of you home, only do so after emptying out the gas and preferably the oil too. This will keep the fumes and smells to a minimum, will allow you to store the mower all while keeping everyone inside the home safe.
