Other than city or community noise ordinances, there’s probably no set of rules in your neighborhood to guard the activities of homeowners.
If Sunday is the only free day you have in a week – for whichever reason – then chances are you have been thinking of mowing your lawn and completing other few tasks on that day.
So, Is It Rude To Mow Your Lawn On Sunday?
It depends on where you live and the kind of neighbors you have. While Sunday is considered to be a day of worship among many Christians, some of them prefer Saturday, some are indifferent, while others revere it with all honor. So it’s going to depend on which of these three groups lives close to you.
Generally, Yes It’s Rude
The majority of the U.S. population views Sunday as the end of the week – the last day of the week before another working week begins.
The Monday that follows starts a whole new week of being at the workplace you are supposed to be, at the time you are needed, executing what is expected of you, to afford a decent living.
Saturday is viewed as the day you should work for yourself, i.e., do laundry, do the shopping, clean the house, start or finish your projects as well as those you’ve been working on the entire week, etc.
So Sunday is regarded as a ‘buffer day’ between your endeavors and Monday when you are likely to operate by other people’s rules.
For that reason, a slow and peaceful Sunday is all an average overworked American rely on to ‘recharge’ themselves for the following week.
Grabbing your lawnmower on Sunday morning to mow your lawn may come across as a clear violation of this flow, and may give your neighbors a good reason to dislike you.
Most Americans are Christians
Chances are you live close to several Christians. America was founded mostly by Christians.
A big part of the U.S. population still identifies as Christian (over 70.6% but declining).
This means you are more likely to find yourself living close to an ardent Christian neighbor anywhere in the country.
Most Christians set aside Sunday as the Sabbath day or day of worship and fellowship with their Christian acquaintances.
Not just lawn work but most tasks that require effort are typically frowned upon because of Sunday’s status as the ‘Lords Day.’
For that reason, your Christian neighbors may have a problem with you if they hear those lawnmower sounds in your yard on a Sunday.
If you have Christian neighbors and you don’t share their beliefs, try to pretend to focus on “Him” or “God” and avoid working outdoors.
Better yet, you can prioritize lawn work on Saturday and avoid creating friction with your believer neighbors.
Regardless of your religion or creed, the common belief shared by many Americans is peace and freedom.
Americans of all religions, races, and creeds, can agree to this one thing.
Mowing from 9.a.m onwards may be OK
As mentioned earlier, it is going to depend on where you live and how seriously your neighbors take Sunday, whether they are or aren’t Christians.
If your neighbors are moderates, you may mow the lawn from 9 a.m. onwards.
This way, you will avoid annoying the neighbors.
Mowing while your neighbors prepare for the church is straight rude. At 9 a.m. and beyond, they are less likely to be still around – you honestly don’t expect a religious person to be still at home at 11 a.m. telling you how inappropriate it is to mow the lawn on Sunday. But that’s only okay if they approve it even if they don’t go to church.
The Trick Is To Get To Know Your Neighbors
Getting to understand your neighbors can help you customize mowing sessions without being too general.
If, for example, the next-door neighbor prefers to work at night, you will be justified to mow your lawn deep in the evening instead of daytime.
Neighbors with babies or small children will appreciate it if you mow early in the morning instead of 7 p.m. because that’s the time they are getting their children ready for bed.
Even better, open communication between neighbors can help prevent disagreements regarding when to work on the lawn.
If you talk often with each other, you will know whether the neighbor is against mowing on Sundays or if they are having special events or get-togethers at which time you will avoid mowing. on those days and interrupting their time with guests.
Also, find out with your HOA if it is OK to tend the lawn during the churchgoing day. Some housing authorities forbid it.
So… It’s Not Rude To Mow Your Lawn On Sunday, Right?
“Yes” and “no” – it just depends on where you are. In rural places, more so in America’s south, the Church is the most integral part of the family’s social life.
It is even in their Ten Commandments: “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy”.
According to the scriptures, that is the “day of rest”. This group of Christians thinks it is rude to do anything productive on Sunday and that includes mowing the lawn. Be respectful and keep the day holy.
Then some think Saturday is the true Sabbath day – they are the SDAs (Seventh Day Adventists).
Whether that’s a historical fact or yet another schism is beyond anyone’s understanding, but they may have a problem with anyone tending their lawn on a Saturday as well.
The best thing is to know what your neighbor likes and dislikes and abide in the spirit of good neighborliness.
Alternatively, you can put up a sign in front of your home indicating to everyone that you don’t recognize these beliefs (it is allowed).
What Is the Etiquette Around Using A Lawnmower?
If you have ever lived in the suburbs you might have noticed that much of the lawnmower whiz occurs on the weekends from Saturday morning to Sunday evening.
Whether you choose to do it during “respectable hours” can depend on when you will be free and how respectful you want to be.
Unless your HOA touches on this topic (in which case they are likely to forbid lawn mowing on Sunday), the etiquette around this issue goes unsaid but is widely understood.
For instance, it just goes unsaid that you shouldn’t do loud gardening.
So, whether it is leaf blowing or lawn moving, you are expected to do it between usual dinnertime, and the typical person’s breakfast time (not early bird’s time).
You will never find this etiquette pinned anywhere on the wall for you to read.
On a Saturday, 9 a.m. is widely accepted as the right time to do almost anything in your home provided the noise and disturbances are kept to a minimum.
The same thing may apply on a Sunday although you might want to wait until it’s 10 a.m.
Still, you will need to understand your neighbors and whether they approve it.
Regarding the cut-off point, 6 p.m. on either night (weekend nights) is about it.
You have had eight or nine full hours to complete your garden chores – do not torment your neighbors for your own bad planning.
If you are thinking. “It is my lawn, and I will mow how I want when I want, including Sunday,” you aren’t wrong. In fact, some neighbors might let you trim your lawn any time you wish.
But for the sake of observing the etiquette or being passionate about the rest of the community just as you are with your property, stick to the respectful hours mentioned above.
Related: When Should You Use Your Leaf Blower?
Conclusion
Some of the biggest disagreements in most neighborhoods are never about walkways or who’s car should be parked where, but how much noise you can produce at what time.
Lawnmowers produce noise, and you might want to confirm with your neighbors if it would be OK to work on your lawn on Sundays.
