As spring approaches, ensuring your irrigation system works well is crucial in preparing your lawn for the green season. While inspecting your sprinklers, you might observe leaks, inconsistent spray patterns, or areas with brown patches despite regular watering. These are all common signs that your irrigation system needs attention.
Our guide walks you through the significance of having regular irrigation maintenance, from making sure your sprinklers work more efficiently to saving water and utility expenses. We also discuss how frequently you should perform irrigation maintenance to keep it working longer.
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How Often Should You Maintain an Irrigation System?
Ideally, your irrigation system should be inspected and serviced at least twice a year. You should schedule maintenance before winter to winterize your irrigation system and protect it from damage. The next maintenance should be done just before spring, when you’ll need it most for lawn care. You can also do a visual inspection every month to check your sprinkler’s components and stay on top of repairs.
What Is a Good Irrigation Schedule?
A good irrigation schedule balances your lawn’s water needs while promoting healthy growth. Lawns generally need watering once every two to four days for the grass to stay healthy. By applying water deeply and less frequently, grass roots grow deeper, fostering stronger, more well-hydrated plants.
In contrast, watering daily for short periods can result in shallow roots, while running the water for too long wastes it and increases your utility bills. To ensure efficient hydration, you can adjust the watering duration based on your irrigation system’s flow rate, wind, and evaporation rates. Watering too often also inhibits your turfs ability to promote root growth well below the surface which hurts it when the droughts arrive late in the summer.
The Benefits of Regular Irrigation System Maintenance
Below are the advantages of following a routine irrigation maintenance schedule for your home or commercial property:
1. Efficient Operation
Regular irrigation maintenance maximizes watering efficiency by evenly hydrating grass and plants across lawns. This prevents issues like overwatering and inadequate sprinkling, which both make plants more prone to pests and disease. It keeps water from pooling in certain areas where it’s not needed and ensures other areas receive proper hydration to prevent brown patches.
Outdoor water use accounts for about 30% of household water consumption, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Routine maintenance helps homeowners calibrate their irrigation system to distribute the right amount of water evenly throughout lawns. Proper calibration saves water while helping decrease your sprinkler’s energy consumption.
2. Prevents and Detects Damage
Regular residential and commercial irrigation maintenance helps prevent potential problems that could lead to expensive repairs. Likewise, it enables you to identify existing irrigation issues so you can properly address them. Maintenance also helps prolong your irrigation system’s life, so you don’t have to pay for new sprinkler systems frequently.
Here are several common sprinkler system issues you should watch out for:
- Leaks: Over the years, your irrigation system can develop leaks in different parts, such as pipes, valves, and loose or damaged fittings. They waste water, ruin your lawn, and increase your property’s water expenses. A thorough checkup can catch these issues early so you can get them fixed.
- Broken sprinkler heads: The sprinkler head is the entire assembly that distributes water. If your sprinkler sprays water in the wrong direction, you might have damaged sprinkler heads. Replacing the sprinkler heads right away can resolve this issue.
- Clogged nozzles: A clogged nozzle weakens water pressure and causes uneven water distribution on your lawn. Clogs are typically caused by the buildup of sediments and dirt in the nozzle, which is the interchangeable part of the sprinkler head. Regularly cleaning the sprinkler’s nozzle can address this.
3. Water Conservation
Performing regular irrigation system maintenance significantly helps save water and improve sprinkler efficiency. By frequently checking and repairing your system, you can address leaks and damaged components that contribute to water waste.
Irrigation maintenance includes proper system adjustments, such as fine-tuning sprinkler coverage, installing rain sensors, and calibrating your system to work during optimal times. These help ensure that water is used only when needed, reducing water consumption and decreasing your utility bills. From a wider perspective, taking care of your irrigation system also actively supports water conservation efforts that benefit your community and the overall environment.
4. Cost Savings
As we mentioned earlier, routine irrigation system maintenance can significantly decrease your water bills. Beyond this, here are two other ways regular irrigation maintenance helps save money:
- Reduced maintenance expenses: Over time, lack of maintenance can cause a host of problems that can damage your property and increase your maintenance costs. For example, overwater can lead to soil erosion, root rot, and insect infestations. By calibrating your system to meet your landscape’s specific needs, you can avoid these problems. This ultimately reduces expensive maintenance treatments on your lawn, improving your landscape’s health and the longevity of your irrigation system.
- Preserve your landscape: A well-maintained irrigation system is key to protecting your landscaping investment, such as a green and healthy lawn or a lush and inviting picnic space. Things like irregular or inadequate water distribution can damage plants, develop brown patches, and reduce the curb appeal and value of your property. Adhering to regular irrigation maintenance allows you to maintain a beautiful outdoor space. This safeguards your landscaping investments and ensures vibrant and healthy growth, all while keeping your property’s lasting appeal.
5. Property Maintenance Consistency
Regular irrigation maintenance allows property owners to consistently maintain their outdoor grounds. Here are several ways well-maintained sprinklers keep lawns and backyards green and healthy:
- Reduces plant stress: Balanced watering promotes strong plants, which are more resilient to drastic weather changes and disease.
- Reduces weed growth: Well-maintained sprinklers provide proper irrigation that reduces excess moisture and dry patches, which deters weeds and pests.
- Prevents water runoff: Routine irrigation maintenance prevents water from spilling onto sidewalks, reducing waste and helping your lawn stay green.
- Consistent soil moisture: Consistent water distribution maintains soil moisture and health, helping it retain nutrients for healthier lawns and gardens.
Hire a Professional for Regular Irrigation Maintenance
Prepare your lawn for spring and keep it green throughout summer with complete irrigation maintenance from a trusted property maintenance company. Rely on Green & Black LLC for professional residential and commercial irrigation maintenance services, including leak detection, spring system startup, seasonal run time adjustments, and watering zone realignments. Our inspection and maintenance will keep your sprinkler system working efficiently, saving you money and extending its life span.
Green & Black LLC offers several property maintenance services all year round for homes and businesses in several cities across the Minnesota South Metro area. Our team has all the knowledge and expertise to properly treat soil and foliage to keep lawns healthy and well-maintained.
Contact us online today or request a free quote. Let our team take the hassle out of irrigation maintenance for you!