Ways to have an efficiently running irrigation system!
Irrigation systems can be incredible water savers for your property by helping regulate when and how water is distributed to the landscape. An effective irrigation system promotes plant and turf health. A well-working irrigation system also protects your investment in your landscape. Properly caring for plants is far more cost-effective than paying to replace them.
Water management is financially and environmentally responsible, and an updated irrigation system will give you all of the benefits you should expect like conserving water, promoting plant and turf health, reduce water waste, and preserving your landscape investment.
So, how do you know if your irrigation system needs a tune up or a complete renovation? Here are 5 signs that your irrigation system is draining your budget and what you can do to update it today.
#1 Reduce Water waste
If you walk your property after the irrigation system runs, you should not find puddles and over-saturated areas. If you do see puddles, then your irrigation system should be audited and may need renovating to prevent water waste. Those pools of water and wet spots indicate that those areas are getting too much water. It could be that your irrigation system is running when it’s not necessary, and a weather station and or smart controller will solve the problem.
#2 Stop Over-Watering Mature Landscaping
Your landscape evolves over time and the irrigation system should be modified to accommodate mature plantings. Young, establishing plants require more frequent watering than mature shrubs. For example, you’ll know a system needs updated if sprinkler heads are positioned to close or under mature trees or large shrubbery, making it hard to effectively water your turf. Also, if your shrubs are on a drip zone, those run times will need to be reduced. Mature plants/trees do not require extra moisture because they are established. The irrigation system can be renovated to exclude mature landscaping if needed and therefore conserving water use.
#3 Update Spray Heads
Older fixed spray heads are prone to breakage during routine landscape maintenance. Updated spray heads come in various configurations to efficiently water commercial and residential landscapes, including pop-up heads, high-efficiency rotary heads, and drip nozzles that deliver water to shrubbery and landscape plantings. You know an older system by its spray heads, and updating them is a wise idea for water savings.
#4 Add a Smart Irrigation Controller
The irrigation controller will hint at the system’s age. Modern irrigation system controllers are “smart” and allow you to input information such as ZIP code, plant/soil type and allowed watering days to regulate system use. Smart controllers with rain sensors also help with water management. There are several different types of sensors, some are located on the ground and test the moisture in the soil and will tell your controller if the ground is dry enough to operate, while others are located near the roof line, and test the moisture in the air. If it detects to much moisture, it will tell the controller not to run, saving you water.
#5 Increase the Longevity of Your Irrigation System
Irrigation system renovation is a lot like taking your car in for a tune-up. If your vehicle gets worn out from use and is not properly maintained or repaired, you’ll be turning it in for a newer model sooner than you might want. Older irrigation systems can begin to fail—even from basic issues like broken nozzles, leaks, or damaged spray heads. They need some TLC so they can work efficiently and last longer. By renovating your irrigation system and updating controllers, valves, spray heads and other key components, you’ll get more life out of the system.
The problem is, you gain the benefits of irrigation only when your system is running efficiently and is mechanically in good condition. If your system has a leak or break, you might not see the issue on the surface, but your water bill will clue you in that there’s a problem. Also, with all of the technology advances in irrigation systems in the past years, an older system that’s working just fine could be costing you more than you should pay to water your property. Call Taussig Landscape today and talk to our irrigation supervisor about getting a tune up or a renovation today
