YARDWORK Lawn care: Sow it, grow it, mow it

Since safety is an issue, Phil Lucik, lawn and garden associate at The Home Depot in Niles, recommends choosing a chain saw with a safety brake. "If you're cutting wood and you're hand comes forward toward the bar, the safety brake will stop the engine," Lucik said.
Joe Svarny, manager of Dean's Outdoor Power Equipment in Niles, recommends investing in a face mask.
"We sell a helmet face mask with built-in ear muffs for about $50. Ear muffs are very important since chain saw noise is deafening and can cause rapid hearing loss," Svarny said.
Svarny also recommends wearing gloves, steel-toed boots and chaps made of wound Kevlar. People with shoulder and back injuries should be careful when starting a chain saw.
"Short, rapid pulls are required to start a chain saw, and this can be difficult for someone without enough strength or for someone with injuries," Svarny said.
Some larger chain saws come with a compression-release button that makes starting easier. And since chain saws can be dangerous even when they aren't running, it's also a good idea to invest in a blade guard.