Q: My lawnmower has been running sluggishly lately and is harder and harder to start. I replaced the gas and there was no improvement. Any idea on what could be wrong?

A: The first thing I would check is your air filter. It is common this time of year for air filters to become clogged with dust particles thus preventing appropriate air flow. This can gradually make your lawnmower sluggish and difficult to start. You will also want to check your spark plug to make sure the dirty air filter has not fouled (a thick varnish-like coating) the spark plug.