Unlike electric or cordless string trimmers, the gas powered tools require some additional maintenance and upkeep to function properly.

But don’t worry, there is only a handful of pretty easy tasks and the rewards are substantial – your trimmer would work better, last longer and will not break down.

Let’s start with a quick video – you can find most of the "technical" tasks I’ll be talking about shown there so feel free to come back to it at any time and replay the actual part.

At the beginning of the season

All right, you just pulled your weed whacker out of the storage place and want to start the first trimming of a new year. What to do before?

• Check the overall state of the unit – retighten any screws or nuts that are loose, check out for any broken parts (the protection guard for example) and take a look at the string whether it needs to be replaced.
• Check the air filter and clean or replace if it’s dirty or damaged. A classical foam filter can be washed easily in warm soapy water.
• Check the condition of the spark plug and replace it if needed – a bad one can cause the trimmer not to start.

Also, let the machine warm up for a few minutes, don’t start trimming immediately.

During the season

Now let’s focus on the routines done periodically through the year:

• Clean the unit from dirt and debris frequently, particularly the intake vents near air filter.
• Clean the air filter frequently as well, for example every 5 hours of work and even more often when working in dry and dusty environments.
• Don’t forget to check also the tank, fuel tubes and filter occasionally (see the video above).
• Before adding fuel to the tank, let the engine cool down to prevent fire.
• And if you own a 4-cycle machine, check the oil level frequently and also change the oil when it becomes dirty (once a season if you don’t use it very often). You can get an idea how to do that in the following video, for exact instructions please follow your manual.
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Changing the oil on a Husqvarna 224l/4-stroke Trimmer

If you plan not to use your string trimmer for more than a month, it’s also a good idea to add stabilizer to the fuel – see the next section:

Before winter storage

Finally, the season has ended and your trimmer goes to sleep. So how to prepare it to prevent rust or clogging the fuel system?

• Clean the unit thoroughly of debris and dirt
• Instead of draining the fuel, add a stabilizer to a full tank of fresh gas and run the engine for a few minutes to distribute the mix through the fuel lines and carburetor.
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The quality of the fuel deteriorates after one or two months and it starts to form a varnish-like substance, clogging the fuel system. Draining the fuel also isn’t ideal as some of it will still remain in the lines – we recommend adding a stabilizer to a full tank instead to prevent the buildup of varnish, gum and rust.
Make sure to use fresh gas (it does nor restore fuel that is already bad) and mix it well with the stabilizer.
STA-BIL® Fuel Stabilizer – How It Works
• If you own a 4-cycle machine, change the oil to help prevent rusting.
• Store it in a clean, dry area.