Start & Run a Landscaping Business. Joel LaRusic

that has them. Foam air filters should be saturated with clean oil after cleaning. Pleated paper filters can be tapped gently to remove loose dirt. If either type is damaged, replace it. It’s a good idea to buy extra filters and keep them in your shop.

      • Change spark plugs periodically. Check manufacturers’ recommendations for frequency of replacement.

      • Grease all the nipples. Check the manual to see how often you should do this, but generally it doesn’t hurt to pump a little grease in. If it’s full, it’ll leak out. Hopefully you’ll see it leaking out and stop pumping. If not, keep on pumping until you finally see it leaking out somewhere. Next time you’ll know where to look to see if it’s leaking out.

      • Keep key components such as carburetors and drive mechanisms clean. Use a clean rag to remove heavy buildup of oil and grease (remember — don’t use a degreaser).

      • Tighten parts periodically. Check all nuts and screws, and keep them tight. A few loose nuts can cause increased vibration, which in turn will loosen other nuts — until one day your blower bursts into 100 pieces.

      • Check starter ropes for wear. This probably won’t prolong your equipment, but it will help you avoid the agony of watching your pull cord disappear inside the engine while you are on site one day. Your downtime will be 15 to 30 minutes depending on how handy you are with tools (add an hour if you don’t have the spare parts or tools to fix it).

      • Have a special fuel container for mixed gas. Do not mix oil and gas in the gas tank of the equipment you are using. Mixtures that are too rich or too lean will harm the engine in the long run. Make sure your mixed gas tank is easily distinguishable from your straight gas tank. Putting non-mixed gas in a two-cycle engine will wreck it.

      • Don’t pressure wash your equipment. There are seals, bearings, and other sensitive parts that will be obliterated by 2,000 lbs. of water pressure.

      • Store your equipment properly at night. Do not store it in the truck in puddles of water or underneath a half-ton of debris. Improper storage is the most common reason equipment ends up in the shop.

      • Properly store your equipment for the winter (see sidebar).

       How to Winterize Your Equipment

      Improper storage is a leading cause of downed equipment. Here are some steps, ideas, and suggestions for winterizing your equipment.

      • Store your equipment in a dry place. If you have heated accommodation, that is best. Moisture wreaks havoc on all equipment.

      • For four-cycle engines (with straight gas), add gasoline stabilizer to the tank and then fill it up (or mix it up a little if it was already full). Start the engine and run it for 5 to 10 minutes so that the stabilized gas circulates through the engine. The stabilizer will prevent gummy deposits from forming as the gas deteriorates.

      • For two-cycle engines (with mixed gas), do not use stabilizer. Instead, empty out the gas (you can use it in your car; that little bit of oil won’t hurt a thing). Run the piece of equipment until it dies.

      • Change the oil and oil filter in your four-cycle equipment.

      • Remove air filters and spark plugs, and spray fogging oil into both the carburetor and the cylinders (about five-second blasts should do). Pull the starter rope a few times to lubricate the pistons and rings.

      • If your equipment has a battery, remove it, clean it, and store it in a cool, dry place.

      • Clean off any large deposits of oil and dirt, as well as excess grass, in the engine area.

      • Lubricate any parts that need lubrication.

      • Spray exposed metal parts with WD-40 to protect against rust.

      Part 2

      RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS

      Well done! You have made it through the planning stages of your business and you are still raring to go. Now it’s time to consider a few business basics that will be invaluable in the successful operation of your business. Here we look at how to make marketing your business fun and creative, what you need to know about record keeping, and some secrets to hiring and managing employees. After that, I’ll show you how to plan the workflow of a job, from first contact to job completion. Good luck!