If a beautiful lawn and landscape are important to you, then you know you need to keep your irrigation system functioning optimally. Here in North Texas, where extreme heat and drought conditions are common, there’s just no way around it. After all, water is the lifeblood of all living things. Without water, your lawn and landscape are never going to perform their best.
The last thing that you want is to watch your lawn and landscape begin to turn yellow or shrivel up. You want to see it lush and thriving. That’s why investing in a sprinkler system makes a lot of sense. In fact, you likely already have one.
Unfortunately, it’s not enough to just have a sprinkler system. It also needs to be functioning optimally in order for you to reap the benefits. That’s why it’s so important to find an irrigation company that truly understands the latest irrigation technology as well as your property’s specific needs.
That all being said, you might not know what to look for in irrigation services. You want to be able to feel confident your property is being watered efficiently and that you aren’t wasting any of this precious resource.
Because we understand irrigation is complicated and there’s a lot to know, we’ve put together this guide. It’s all part of our effort to help set you up for success.
In this guide, we’ll cover the following topics. Feel free to click on the links below and in each section, you’ll find convenient links to return here.
1. Importance of Irrigation Systems
2. Common Irrigation Problems
3. Irrigation Repair
4. Irrigation Maintenance Services
5. Smart Irrigation
6. Sprinkler System Costs
7. Hiring an Irrigation Company
Manually watering can be exhausting, even if you’re using a sprinkler attached to a hose. You still need to set a timer and make sure you’re moving the sprinkler around.
Of course, as we’ve said before, simply having an irrigation system doesn’t automatically set you up for success. If you have an outdated irrigation system, your property might also be suffering as a result of inefficient or ineffective watering. Irrigation technology has advanced tremendously and older systems simply aren’t as effective. Similarly, systems that haven’t been regularly serviced might have leaks or drainage concerns that could be causing you problems.
You’re spending a lot of time, money, and energy on watering that might not be getting your lawn or landscape everything that it needs.
That’s why a professional, up-to-date irrigation system makes a lot of sense.
What surprises a lot of people is that with an efficient professional sprinkler system that utilizes smart irrigation technology, you could actually start saving money. An aging or outdated system (or your attempt to manually water), could be inadequately distributing water. It might also be wasting this precious resource if it isn’t set up for optimal output. If your irrigation system is distributing water on your hardscaping or coming on in the middle of a rainstorm, then you’re definitely sending water (and money) down the drain
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Here in North Texas, where water is particularly precious, irrigation woes are a major hassle and headache. Unfortunately, there are a number of common irrigation problems that you need to be on the lookout for so that you can avoid them.
We’ve written on signs you’re in need of a sprinkler system repair before and you can read that article for more in-depth information.
But we’ll summarize some of the most common problems here.
The same is true for landscaping plants. If you are noticing standing water in your plant beds and your plants are receiving an excess amount, it could start to harm them. You’ll want to make sure that you don’t have a leak in one of your sprinkler heads that is putting out an excessive amount of water.
A sudden spike in your water bill should also raise a red flag that perhaps you have an irrigation system leak. Of course, it might not be the sprinkler system that winds up being the problem. It could also be a leak in an appliance.
If you have water that you can visibly see on your hardscaping or you notice that moss is growing in places like your sidewalk or driveway, then your sprinkler system may have a leak, be putting out too much water, or by distributing it inappropriately.
Another sign that you have an irrigation problem is if your property is struggling in some way. We talked about leaks and excess water above, but sometimes the problem is that your lawn or landscape is not receiving enough water. If your lawn or landscape is not receiving ample water, then it might be turning yellow or maybe even brown if it’s really not getting what it needs.
Of course, even if your lawn or landscape hasn’t experienced any discoloration, they might just be struggling. Plants might look wilted or dull. Or perhaps you’re noticing that your ornamental tree leaves seem to be falling off early. It’s possible that it has to do with a lack of water.
Sometimes this happens because your landscape evolved and the irrigation system was never updated. Plants grow over time and their watering needs can change. Similarly, you might have added or taken away from your landscaping over time. You need to make sure that your irrigation system is evolving with your property.
We’ll get into smart irrigation a bit more in another section but it’s also worth mentioning that sometimes the problem is simply outdated irrigation technology. The technology these days has come incredibly far and if you’re still operating an aging irrigation system, you’re likely not getting all of the benefits that you could be getting.
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Keeping your sprinkler system in the best possible shape includes irrigation repair when it’s needed. This means fixing leaks and breaks when they occur. You might be shocked to learn that a typical sprinkler head can waste up to 7,800 gallons of water during a typical month of watering. These breaks and leaks may sometimes be difficult to detect which is why it’s important that a professional is periodically checking your system for problems.
It’s also why it’s important to promptly connect with a professional if you notice one of the problems discussed above.
Here’s a tip that might be helpful if you think you’re experiencing an irrigation system leak. Your system has a doublecheck valve that can be incredibly handy in the event of a potential irrigation problem.
From the water meter that you have by the street, there is an underground pipe that runs a few feet and then T’s off. One line goes to the doublecheck valve (the beginning of your underground irrigation system in the yard) and one goes directly to the house.
If you believe that you are in need of irrigation repair (and that you’re experiencing a leak), you do not have to shut the whole meter off. You can just turn the double-check valve off to isolate the problem and reduce water waste while you wait for your irrigation repair service to come out.
If you are unsure where this valve is located or how to turn it off, make sure that you ask your irrigation pro next time that they’re out to service your property. At Grassperson, we are always happy to demonstrate how to shut this off so that homeowners have some peace of mind that they can act quickly in the event of a leak.
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There are a lot of important questions that a periodic check-up will answer.
A checkup will answer all of these questions and more. It also involves running tests to ensure that the system isn’t wasting water (which is also wasting money). We’ll also look at each sprinkler head and the controller to ensure it’s all working as it should.
You might also be wondering how often you should have your irrigation system serviced. When it comes to something as important as ample water for your lawn and landscape, this is not an area where you can let it go for too long.
At Grassperson, we recommend at least bi-annual irrigation checks in the spring and the fall to ensure that your system is running optimally.
In the spring, we’re making sure that everything is working its best before heading into the hottest months of summer. We’re also making any adjustments that need to be made so that you’re getting the most out of your system in the summer months.
In the fall, we’re making sure that the system is set up for the winter when the lawn and landscaping needs will once again change dramatically. Your lawn and landscape are not going to require nearly as much water during this time period so you want to make sure that any appropriate adjustments are made.
While bi-annual should cover your most important needs, some homeowners do want more regular checks. During the active growing system, it’s not uncommon for us to perform irrigation checks each month to ensure that our clients’ sprinkler systems are giving them the best results.
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Smart irrigation refers to the newest systems which tailor their watering schedules and run times to the actual conditions (as opposed to just blindly following a preset schedule). This is achieved with a smart irrigation controller which makes adjustments and significantly improves water efficiency as a result.
Some of the technology utilized in smart irrigation systems include sensor technology. This includes sensors for soil moisture, rain, and freeze conditions, all of which allow for real-time changes.
Many smart irrigation systems also use data from local weather stations to make changes based on the weather.
The answer is an easy yes. We think that all homeowners could benefit from upgrading outdated and inefficient irrigation systems to the latest technology.
But don’t just take our word for it. We’ll explain a few reasons why we think you’d find an upgrade to smart irrigation beneficial.
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There are obviously the costs associated with upgrading a system if you’re incorporating smart irrigation technology. Depending upon the system size and complexity, installing an upgraded controller could start around $300 to $500 for a very basic upgrade.
Of course, if you’re looking for all of the technological advances and you have multiple zones, you could be looking at $2,500 or more. When we help homeowners upgrade to the “best,” they typically do recognize the long-term value that they’ll receive (including saving money and water).
There’s also a cost of maintaining the irrigation system over time. This is important as you only get the true value out of your system if it is performing optimally. It will help to have an understanding of what goes into irrigation maintenance costs so that you know what you’re investing in.
Pricing starts with the number of zones that you have. But the complexity and the size of the system are also factored into that cost. That means even if you and your neighbor have the same number of zones, your price could be different based on the type of system that you have.
Who is performing your irrigation maintenance will also impact the cost.
At Grassperson, we have Certified Irrigation Technicians performing this work. A trained irrigation professional may cost a little bit more than having someone without any licensure performing the work. But you’ll get better results, too.
At the end of the day, as with most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for with a professional irrigation system. If you’re investing in a high-quality, smart irrigation system and have it regularly maintained by a Licensed Irrigation Contractor, you may pay a bit more at the onset, but you’ll get the most out of it.
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One of the biggest differences is a company that uses Certified Irrigation Technicians. Irrigation work is a specialty and you really shouldn’t allow “just anyone” to make adjustments to your sprinkler system.
At Grassperson, we are licensed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Our Certified Irrigation Technicians are well-trained and solely focused on system tune-ups, audits, and repairs. In other words, it’s not like your lawn care technician is out there mowing and also performing irrigation work...but that’s how some companies operate.
Another differentiator is hiring an irrigation company that is keeping up with the latest technology. This means choosing a company that understands smart irrigation.
At Grassperson, we are keeping up with all of the different smart irrigation choices out there so that you can choose the one that is right for you. This is an industry that is continuing to evolve so it means keeping up with a company that is committed to keeping up.
All of this boils down to gaining peace of mind that you’re getting the most out of your investment. Every company is going to be a bit different in terms of the level of service and the results that you get, and you want to make sure that you feel confident you’re in good hands.
When it comes to ensuring that you aren’t wasting water and that your lawn and landscape are getting everything they need to perform as the “best on the block,” you can settle for anything less than the best!
That’s why so many homeowners in North Texas are interested in Grassperson’s Total Maintenance Package, which covers all of their property’s maintenance needs (including irrigation).
We understand that you don’t have time to be worrying about the nuances associated with your irrigation system or how to get it to perform the best (just like you don’t want to be worrying about weeds in your lawn or pests like grubs or fire ants). You just want to know that you’ve chosen a company that can handle it.
At the end that boils down to letting go of your worries and just getting back to enjoying your yard. When you make a wise choice, that’s exactly what you get to do.
You deserve the best lawn and landscape on the block—and you’re making a choice to enlist in a professional so you can get the results you want. Find out how our Total Maintenance services, including irrigation, can make your life easier and give you the lawn and landscape you have always dreamed of.
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