Lawn Mower on Fire: Causes, Extinguishing and Preventing

A lawn mower on fire is a situation that no one would like to see. If you don’t know what to do when this happens to you unexpectedly, learn from this article. We’ll be giving you all the necessary information that could help you address this problem when it arises.

Can a lawn mower explode or just catch fire if we do not pay attention and learn how to deal with it? Continue reading through this article, and you will find the answer.

What Are the Possible Reasons Why a Lawn Mower Catches Fire?

A lawn mower can catch fire because of the following reasons: fuel hazards, grasses blocking the lawn mower deck, the lawn mower metal blades hitting the rocks, the grasses being too tall, the wrong way of refilling gasoline, a gas leakage coming from the machine, and a short circuit.

All of these conditions can cause a lawn mower to catch fire. You must always be aware and alert at all times while using or storing your lawn mower.

– Fuel Danger

This can be one of the primary reasons why your lawn mower catches fire. If you put fuel into an active engine, an ignition will most likely occur, and this will lead to a fire. Always pay attention to the oil and fuel levels of your lawnmower before activating it.

– Grass Blocking the Lawn Mower Deck

Who could imagine that dry grass can cause fire to your lawn mower? It could happen if the dry grass blocks your lawn mower deck as it becomes stuck and full inside. This way, grasses will directly go to the mower’s muffler and trigger a fire.

– Metal Blades Hitting the Rocks

Always remember that your lawn mower moves and rotates very fast while you are using it, so be careful. When the mower’s blade strikes any part rock or debris, it can spark and ignite the dried grass and cause a fire in the mower and the affected area.

– The Grass Is Too Tall

A lawn mower is not that effective when you use it to cut high grasses; it can create clippings that will eventually move up the lawn mower deck and create fire when it hits the muffler. The grasses go directly to the cooling fans or the engine, and this will cause the igniting of a fire.

– Wrong Way of Refueling the Gas Engine

Even if the mower is deactivated, the heat temperature of gasoline remains at 200 degrees Fahrenheit because of its low flash point. If you’re going to refuel your mower right after turning it off, you are putting splashes of fuel directly on the engine’s head. This will cause a spark that can lead to ignition and set the mower on fire.

– Gas Leakage

You need to be strictly observant of whether there is any gas leak in your lawn mower. A leaky gas tank is one of the main reasons why mowers catch fire. The mower’s engine that is in such condition will make the mower perform badly when the fuel leaks.

 

If there’s a gas leak from your mower, there will be more chances of a low oil level. A low oil level is one of the causes of overheating in lawn mowers. It is possible that a mower will catch fire if oil leaks in the fuel while the mower is activated.

– Short Circuit

Short circuits are often caused by using frayed electric wires. An abnormal connection between the wires will be a result of you using frayed electric wires. This will most likely lead to damage in the circuit, ignition, fire, and explosion. Electric lawn mowers are more prone to having the choke inside the carburetor damaged.

If you use your lawn mower in this condition, the engine will be flooded because of the closed choke despite the engine starting. Overheating and fire ignition can be caused by a flooded engine because of the low dissipation of heat. It is of utmost importance to pay close attention to the temperature monitor attached to the mower to avoid fire ignition.

How Do You Extinguish a Lawn Mower on Fire?

Let’s hope it doesn’t happen, but what if you were not able prevent your lawn mower from catching fire? What should you do?

Remember several things to kill the fire and prevent it from getting bigger. This includes turning off the mower to smothering the flames with dry chemicals.

1. Turn off the lawn mower engine immediately.
2. Kill the fire by using a lawn mower fire extinguisher or garden hose.
3. Smother the flame with any dry chemical or baking soda.
4. If possible, open the lawn mower fuel line to avoid further damage.
5. Discontinue the supply of oxygen from the engine machine to prevent the reignition of flames.
6. Get rid of flammable objects that can be a source of fire and other damage like gasoline containers, old mower blades, and grass clippings.
7. Unplug the spark plug wire, but make sure that the fire was extinguished effectively before unplugging the wire from the engine.

– How to Prevent Your Lawn Mower From Catching Fire

Why face the issue if you can prevent it from happening?

As many people believe, prevention is better than cure, so before your lawn mower catches on fire, remember these tips and steps for prevention:

• Remove dry grass and all the debris from the lawn mower

After using the lawn mower, it should always be kept clean and rinsed immediately. Remove all the grasses left and all the debris that might get stuck in the machine because if you do not, all these grasses and other debris can be a cause of problems the next time you’ll be using the mower. All this debris can directly go to the muffler.

You have to remember that the use of the muffler on the machine is very important because it makes the mower produce fewer sounds and prevents any sparks. So, in other words, dry grass or any debris that can clog the muffler can lead to a lawn mower fire.

• Pay attention to rocks and debris as they can cause a fire

Your lawn mower should be well maintained, and make sure that the blade is not bent, cracked, or broken because it can cause damage to the area and injuries to you.

Always take care that your lawn mower does not hit any rocks, as not being careful to do so might cause a lot of danger. An in-depth inspection of the area or lawn where you would be doing the mowing is ideal because it can save you from any risk and fire. Make sure to remove nails, rocks, wires, stones, branches, and all the scattered debris in the area.

• Do not allow your grass to grow high

Your grass does not need to grow high. Tall grass can be scary, tricky, and dangerous. Growing tall grasses will make it hard for you to check your lawn and clear up every piece of scattered stone or any debris before you start mowing.

If the grasses are tall, clippings or trimmings will fly all over the place and can possibly come into contact with your hot lawn mower engine, thus causing a fire.

• Do not refuel in the middle of the mow

While mowing your lawn and you suddenly run out of gas, the first thing that may come to your mind is to refuel with gas. Yes, that is correct, but there are proper ways to do it. Don’t refuel immediately. No matter what happens, always remember to let the machine sit or cool before refueling.

Ideally, you should let the mower’s engine to cool for 30 minutes. Leave it, go take a rest, and relax. Give your machine some time before using it again.

It is very important for the lawn mower operator to keep in mind to never start using the machine without inspecting it. It is also beneficial if the lawn mower operator could refill with a full tank of gasoline so that there will be no need for refilling the gas while using the lawn mower the next time.

If there is really a need to refill the gas, that will be fine as long as you will be refueling it when it’s not hot.

• Choose the best day to do your mow

Some experts recommend that you wet the whole area when you are about to mow during the sunny days and ideally do the mowing in the morning where humidity is at a high level. The windy season is not the perfect time to mow your lawn for it will blow all the grasses and other debris away to other places.

• Gas leakage

Keep the lawn mower as clean as possible without any gasoline spills, and wipe any leaks and messes. It would be better if your mower could be placed outside, in a place far from any hot part of the house. Also, never leave the lawn mower beside or near the gasoline as it can possibly cause a fire.

Do not attempt to light even a single cigarette while you are refilling the lawn mower. It would also be better to have a warning sign so if anyone should attempt to light a cigarette, they will be warned as soon as possible.

Conclusion

Now that you understand all the possible reasons why your lawn mower catches on fire and how to prevent them, let’s sum up everything and check your knowledge to determine if you are ready to resolve this situation if ever you encounter it.

• You can read the manual to become familiar with some parts of the lawn mower and how to use it properly.
• You need to remember every warning and sign that there is something wrong with your lawn mower to prevent it from catching fire.
• If your lawn mower ever catches on fire, you already know how to kill the fire and ensure your safety.

Now that you understand everything you need to do when your lawn mower catches on fire, you are ready to face this situation with calmness and clarity of mind.

So, would you choose to ride used riding lawn mowers or pick the best cheap lawn mower to buy? Whatever the case, you can now maintain your lawn mower for it to be in top working condition