How to make a riding lawnmower quieter. (And reasons why your mower is noisy)

There’s nothing better than having a well-manicured lawn, but any time you think about mowing your lawn, you get frustrated. Lawnmowers make a lot of noise and mowing isn’t the best time for your family, neighbors, or your eardrums.

The engine and the blades are often fairly loud since they only have a small muffler attached to the engine exhaust port. With time the muffler might crack or the gasket seal will stop muffling the air coming out of the engine’s exhaust and this will make the engine louder. So, how do you make a riding lawnmower quieter? You’ll need to first check if the muffler is cracked and get it repaired, quiet the deck using auto sound deadening material, use ear protectors, or buy a quieter lawnmower.

 

How to make your riding mower quieter

Repair or replace the defective muffler	Check for cracks and corrosion for an easy replacement. Clean debris from the gasket.
Soundproof the deck	Soundproofing material is light, affordable, and effective and the self-adhesive mat is attached to a clean deck very easily.
Ear protection	Earmuffs cover your entire ear and are very comfortable and effective at reducing the noise considerably.
Buy a quiet electric mower	Electric mowers are quieter than gas mowers and also those with small engines produce less noise.

Check for muffler defects

Most mowers already have an installed muffler on their engine exhaust port. The muffler can get worn down, dirty, or crack after some time and the gasket seal between the muffler exhaust and exhaust pipe can also get worn out, which will make it hard to cancel the noise.

First, allow the engine to cool down, then locate the exhaust pipe and use a wrench to unscrew the bolts and remove the exhaust pipe to reach the muffler. Check the muffler for cracks and rust so you can replace it with a new one. Remove the old gasket from the exhaust port and remove any debris and carbon buildup, then place a new gasket on the exhaust port. Slide back the exhaust pipe into the muffler and tighten it to the exhaust port. Your mower should be quieter now.

Quiet the deck

If you want to reduce the noise coming from the deck that includes the blades, vibrations, and rock pings, you should cover the deck with soundproofing material that is mostly used in cars and other vehicles. Choose a soundproofing material that is light, effective, and flexible. The material is most affordable and thick and is available in sheets and because they’re light they won’t add weight to your mower. Remove any dirt and debris from the deck to make sure you attach the material effectively. The self-adhesive mats are quicker and easier to install.

Protect your ears

Even after you manage to quiet your mower, it will still produce a significant amount of noise that will bother you when operating the mower. The noise from the mower isn’t good for your eardrums because it can permanently damage your eardrums. To avoid having ear problems and partial deafness, you should wear earplugs or earmuffs to protect your hearing. This will muffle the sound considerably. Earmuffs are better since they’ll cover your entire ear, are affordable, easy to use, and provide greater noise reduction results.

Buy a quiet electric lawnmower

Some mowers are quieter than others and electric mowers are quieter than gas mowers and those with smaller engines tend to produce less noise. This is a better option if it’s going to be expensive in the long run to soundproof and maintain your noisy mower. If you have a small lawn, an electric mower would be more effective and powerful enough than if you have a large yard.

Reasons why your lawnmower is noisy

Although the engine is the cause of most of the noise that comes from your mower, there are other reasons why your mower could be making so much noise.

Muffler

The muffler and exhaust can get very hot which makes them prone to cracks and corrosion. The bafflers inside the muffler can come loose and cause a thin metallic rattling sound. If the muffler is cracked, get it repaired or replaced and tighten any loose gaskets or replace them if necessary.

Blades

Loose blades can make loud rattling noises as the mower runs. Dented or damaged blades can also cause a lot of noise and also put a huge strain on the drive shaft. Before fixing the blades make sure you remove the spark plug and turn off all the power. Tighten any loose screws and replace any damaged blades.

Grass and debris buildup under the deck

If you frequently mow wet grass, with time it will accumulate under the deck and on the blades leaving very little room for the grass to circulate. This grass buildup will also deflect the blades as they spin and this will lead to a clunking noise. To repair this first, remove the spark plug then tip the mower on its side to clean the grass and debris under the deck using a scrapping tool, then apply WD-40 to prevent any grass buildup again.

Conclusion

There are many ways you can make your riding mower quiet and the methods above will give you the best results. Lawnmowers are naturally loud machines so, you must wear ear protection when mowing the grass to protect your eardrums. To avoid having problems with your mower, proper cleaning and maintenance after use will allow you to notice, repair or replace some of the defective parts.

FAQ

Can you run a lawnmower without a muffler?

Yes, you can but it’s not a very good idea lawnmowers make an unbearable noise without a muffler and the motor needs some back pressure to operate properly.

Is an electric mower loud?

Electric mowers produce about 75 decibels which are unlikely to cause any kind of damage to your eardrums. Although it’s pretty loud, it’s significantly less noise compared to the noise gas-powered mowers produce.