Is it Safe to Use an Electric Lawn Mower?

By Desmond J.

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Before switching to an electric lawn mower, it’s most important to know its safety features first. You, not the only person who is doing yard work. Considering your family member sometimes yard work might be done by your kids, daughter, or wife. That’s why safety comes first when you buy any type of electric mower whether it is battery-powered (cordless) or corded. 

The comparatively electric mower comes with its own advanced safety features than the gas-powered mower. 

There are 5 safety features you look at deeply when you choose an electric lawn mower. The first concern is the risk of overheating the battery issue. The second concern risk of electric shock, the third concern risk of rolling over when you going uphill and 4th concern risk of debris on the lawn, and the last concern risk of operational risk. 

Let’s know more about it. 

Electric Lawn Mower: Corded vs. Battery

There are two types of electric mowers filled out in the market. 

Corded Lawn Mower

It’s the lightweight version of an electric mower. It’s powered by an electric outlet in your house. 

Note: Always use a separator electric outlet for the lawn mower.

When you use a corded mower, always be careful about your extension cord. Never roll out the mower on the electric power cord. It will cut the cord and make a shock. 

For the safety features use an extension cord hook that you will find in the lawn mower handlebar. 

Advantage of corded mower: 

  1. Lightweight
  2. Easy to start and operate
  3. Unlimited running time
  4. Require low maintenance

2. Battery-powered (Cordless) – Battery-powered mower is litter heavier than the corded mower. The battery adds some extra weight to the lawn mower. They have limited running time and are suitable for small yards. But some of them come with longer running time and you can use them for small to mid-sized yards. Ego power+ one of them. 

Advantage of cordless mower: 

  1. Variable speed
  2. Eco-friendly – no gas or oil required
  3. Easy to operated
  4. Required lower maintenance.

Further Reading

The most common dangers of using the electric lawn mower

Below are listed the top 5 risks for your electric mower. Be careful about your electric mower when you mow the yard. 

1. Overheating battery issue

We all know the lithium-ion battery has overheating issues. In 2017 Samsung note 7 mobile battery burnout lots of times and injured lots of people. The lawn mower also using the same lithium-ion battery. Make sure that when you mowing the lawn in a hot summer season, your mower battery is not overheated. 

But if you find this issue, stop the mower and go to the service center for fixing it. 

2. Electric shock

Battery-powered or Electric mowers have enough power to electrocute and pose serious health risks and even death. So that’s why when you need to maintain your mower, hire an electrician. It is safe. But you take a general attempt to do basic troubleshooting when the machine doesn’t run, or power drops. 

However, doing only basic things. If you find any major technical issue, hire an electrician to fix it. 

3. Rolling over when going uphill

Electric mowers are ideal for flat terrain. While you want to mow in the hilly yards or sloper might be dangerous. There is the possibility of rolling your mower. For a battery-powered mower, the battery adds some extra weight for better traction and maneuver. But if you’re not strong enough to maintain a machine on the hill side then please don’t do it. Electric mower rolling over it’s more dangerous than the other mowers. 

4. Debris risks

Before mowing the la, please inspect it carefully and always remove the stone and other hard obstacles from your lawn. Hard debris or big stones easily break your mower deck and it’s too much danger in mowing time. 

So before mowing make sure that there is no debris. 

5. Quiet operation risks

Relatively the electric mowers emit less noise and no fumes than the gas-powered mower. For less noise, your curious child may want to start the mower and mowing your lawn without your permission. It’s really dangerous. Your child may don’t know how to mower. So that Keep it far away from your child. 

Electric Lawn Mower Safety Tips

The following safety tips help you keep around safe.  Follow these simple necessary tips and prevent yourself from unnecessary injuries. 

1. Lawn Mowers Shouldn’t Be Operated By Kids

Operate a lawn mower with your kids, it’s not a good decision. In the USA there are almost 13 children injured by a mower on a daily basis. As a result, you should be careful about it. MowersLab highly suggested you always drive a mower with an adult person.

Might be your child curious about how to drive a lawn mower. But you won’t be giving them mower operating access. Also if you want to teach them. But not at their early 10 age. We recommend you teach your child how to operate a mower when they are 15-18 years older. 

2. Wear Appropriate Cloth with mowing boots

Warning and long pants and boots while your mowing. Long pants and mowing boots prevent your legs from the fly debris of small stones. 

On the contrary, wear a tight-fitting long shirt. Because loose-fitting shirts easily suck by mower and it’s dangerous. 

3. Wear Protective Eye-wear

Protective eyewear safe your eyes from the flying grass. According to the Occupation Health and Safety Administration, over 1 million eye injuries occur at home, and most of them happen in the lawn and garden.  

Protective eyewear always seems you overlooked but when it comes from the safety features it’s very essential for your health. 

4. Use highlighted rated gauge extension cord

A highlighted orange color cord is always visible in the green grass. Conversely, a black or green-rated power cord isn’t too visible in your eyes. There is always the possibility you mow the lawn on the power cord and make electric shocks. 

5. A batter power source maintained by an electrician

For an electric cord or a battery-powered model, you have to always use a separate board for it and maintain the right voltage. If your electric outlet has more voltage than the mower needs, it will damage your mower. So that, you have to hire an electrician to maintain the right power source.

6. Never mow the wet grass

Mowing on the wet grass is too dangerous. Sometimes mowers clogged on the wet grass and blades stop propelling when the motor is running.

Also, the wet condition introduce slipping and falling

Make sense of how dangerous it is?

So, you have to wait to dry the grass and enjoy mowing time. 

7. Disconnected the power source before cleaning

After the end of every season before storage the mower, you have to clean the mower deck and body of the mower.  Before cleaning your mower, disconnect the electric power or remove the battery from the mower. This will prevent the accidental start.

Don’t use the electric mower with water. Because water and electricity never mix. It will damage your mower’s internal parts.

Conclusion

Every electric mower has its own advantages or disadvantages. You have to be careful about it. If you see any damage or any technical issue don’t be panicked. Take time and go to the nearest service center. 

So, Are electric lawn mowers Safe?

Our answer is yes!

If you follow tips, there should be no cause for concern. Electric mowers are ideal for a small flat lawn. They are less powerful than the gas-powered lawn mower. On the contrary, they are environment, eco-friendly and affordable.

Overall the electric mowers are well worth the money. 

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Written By
Desmond J.
I'm a lawn mowing expert and gardening enthusiast. I started my own lawn care business in college and have been doing it ever since. I love taking care of lawns and gardens, and I'm always looking for new ways to improve my skills. I'm also a big fan of composting and using natural fertilizers.

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