Record Snowfall, Wet Spring Threaten to Repeat Back-Up of Lawn Mower Repairs

Last year's unusually wet weather created soggy soil conditions and fueled grass growth that caused overworked lawn mowers to break down in droves. Service and repair facilities were overrun by traffic jams of push and riding mowers. For many cities, it was front-page news.

The potential for yet another wet spring is a recipe for repeat "mower jams." To combat the possibility of repair pile-ups, Sears HomeCentral® is putting out a call-to-action to America's army of hibernating lawn mowers. "With the combined strain of last summer's heavy growth and owners often neglecting vital end-of-season maintenance, many lawn mowers are likely to not start on that all-important first weekend of spring. To avoid getting stuck watching the grass grow, Sears is encouraging owners to try starting their equipment now," said Dan Colbert, vice president of Performance Engineering & Carry-In Services for Sears HomeCentral. "If the mower does not work properly, bring it into a local Sears Parts & Repair Center right away. By getting an early start on spring, owners can have their mower repaired and ready to go for their first spin around the yard."

This call to action features state-of-the-art repairs at Sears newly redesigned centralized repair facilities. Products dropped off at more than 1,000 locations nationwide are serviced by specially trained Sears technicians. Sears HomeCentral has set a repair time benchmark of seven days or less for the entire process, from product drop-off to return.

In addition to lawn and garden equipment, Sears services a wide range of gas-powered products, including snow blowers, pressure washers and compressors. Sears shop technicians also are trained to repair small household appliances, such as vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, microwaves and televisions.

"We have thousands of specially-trained, small-engine repair technicians across the country with the capacity to service 3 million pieces of lawn and garden equipment each year. Through our service technicians and repair facilities, Sears offers customers faster and more consistent repairs than ever before," Colbert said.

These capabilities complement Sears well-known, in-home repair and maintenance services, which handle household items such as major appliances, heating and cooling systems and recreational equipment. Sears technicians are trained to service most major brands of lawn equipment, regardless of where they were purchased.

Sears HomeCentral is the nation's largest home repair provider in terms of the number of home repair specialists, with more than 12,000 trained technicians making approximately 14 million repairs annually. Sears repair specialists are trained through the Sears Technological Institute, the first fully accredited educational institution of its kind in the U.S. Technicians make over 200,000 in-home repair visits per week and service most major brands no matter where the customer purchased the product.

To schedule an at-home riding mower tune-up or to inquire about push mower or other items Sears repairs, as well as the nearest Sears Parts & Repairs center, customers may call 1-800-4-MY-HOME® (1-800-469-4663) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The entire array of Sears in-home repair services also may be scheduled by accessing Sears real-time online scheduling network through the home services Web site, http://www.sears.com/homeservices .

Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE: S) is a leading U.S. retailer of apparel, home and automotive products and services, with annual revenue of more than $40 billion. The company serves families across the country through approximately 860 department stores, more than 2,100 specialized retail locations, and a variety of online offerings accessible through the company's Web site, www.sears.com .

SOURCE: Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Contact: Edgar P. McDougal of Sears, Roebuck and Co., 847-286-9669

Website: http://www.sears.com/homeservices

Website: http://www.sears.com/