March 2004

Electric Mowers Reduce Pollution

Finding the perfect lawn mower can be more of a hassle than mowing the lawn itself. When it comes to cutting the grass, the truth is somebody has to do it.

But what if you could mow the lawn with a push of a button? What if you could mow the lawn without worrying about running out of gas, the loud noise and without polluting the air?

Yes, you’re still reading about lawn mowers. But what kind of lawn mower provides you with these solutions? Electric.

Electric mowers have been around for several years. With pollution issues, it’s no wonder manufacturers have developed products better for the environment. Discover what an electric mower could do for you.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), gas lawn mowers cause about 5 percent of the nation’s air pollution. Why? Unlike cars, gas mowers don’t have pollution controls.

Replacing your gas mower with an electric mower has the potential to reduce air pollution by 99 percent! Electric mowers help decrease amounts of carbon monoxide,
nitrogen oxide and methane from the air you breathe. Some electric mowers don’t give off any air pollution.

With these facts, you can see how the EPA determined that electric lawn and garden
equipment is cleaner to the environment than gasoline powered equipment. Electric equipment doesn’t produce any exhaust, but the power generated to run the equipment does produce pollution in some cases.

Consider this–if you had an electric mower, you wouldn’t have to worry about changing the oil, cleaning oil or gas spills, exhaust fumes or even noise. Not all electric mowers require electricity directly from an outlet. The ones requiring an outlet are similar to using a vacuum cleaner, but instead on your yard!

Not all electric mowers require cords. Electric mowers can be classified as corded or cordless. Cordless mowers run by a battery. However, the battery causes cordless models to weigh more.

When you’re shopping for a cordless model, find out what size battery it has and its recharging time. Most electric mowers offer two sizes of batteries, a 24-volt and and 36-volt.

Keep in mind that the more powerful motors usually require longer charging times. It depends on the size of the battery. A 24-volt battery may run between 45 to 75 minutes. Batteries can take three to 12 hours to recharge.

If you’re thinking about purchasing an electric mower, consider the size of your yard. This helps determine what type mower will suit your needs best. If you have a large yard, a corded mower is not the solution.

If you always dread cutting the grass, then a robot electric lawn mower is the solution. Robot electric mowers are also cordless. Your only job is to steer the mower to your lawn and press GO! It takes care of the rest.

Robot mowers actually provide nutrients to your lawn by cutting grass through mulching. In basic terms, mulching involves cutting and re-cutting the grass clippings.

A robot electric mower mows the grass automatically. It can detect when its battery is low, find its charging station, charge itself and then continue mowing the lawn again without your assistance!

Aside from the many advantages to using an electric mower, they have some disadvantages. Electric mowers are most suitable for consumers with small yards,
typically less than one-quarter acre. Electric brands also have diffi culties cutting tall or
thick grass.

Now that you’re convinced, you’re probably wondering how much electric mowers cost. This is one more advantage to electric mowers; they’re inexpensive. Corded electric mowers cost between $125 and $250. Cordless models cost between $300 and $400.

But if you’re in the market for a reliable, aff ordable product, then you need an electric mower.

Manufacturers that produce electric lawn mowers include Craftsman, Black & Decker
and Husqvarna. For more information on electric mowers, visit the manufacturers’
websites.

So what are you waiting for? See a dealer near you and discover what an electric mower can do for you and your lawn.

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