Fall Irrigation System Maintenance
As you already know, your irrigation system requires routine maintenance to keep running in prime condition. While once or twice a year may be sufficient for many systems, I recommend to service your system four times a year, pretty much in line with the seasons. As we are now in the beginning of Fall or Autumn, now is the time for a check-up.
The maintenance duties of your fall sprinkler system check-up are identical to what you do in the spring, unless you live in a northern, freezing climate. In southern and warm climates your lawn and landscape can stay growing year round. Your lawn may go slightly dormant once we get into the winter months, but it still needs water.
No matter where you live, you should decrease the watering time and amount of water that you apply to your lawn and landscape in the fall. The sun is not as intense, thus your landscape will require less water. The amount of time that you can decrease your watering schedule will vary depending on several different factors, but a good rule of thumb is to decrease it about 30%. You can add or subtract from this depending on your individual situation. If you're not sure than I would start out at decreasing it 25% and then monitor your lawn and adjust as needed.
As you do with any other maintenance check-up you will check for breaks, adjust sprinkler heads, unclog nozzles, replace broken heads, and adjust the watering time. Other than just decreasing the run-time you will want to start your system to start an hour or two later than in the summer because of Daylight Savings and because the sun is coming up later naturally. Remember, a little bit of maintenance can go a long way in the efficiency of your sprinkler system.
Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com
The maintenance duties of your fall sprinkler system check-up are identical to what you do in the spring, unless you live in a northern, freezing climate. In southern and warm climates your lawn and landscape can stay growing year round. Your lawn may go slightly dormant once we get into the winter months, but it still needs water.
No matter where you live, you should decrease the watering time and amount of water that you apply to your lawn and landscape in the fall. The sun is not as intense, thus your landscape will require less water. The amount of time that you can decrease your watering schedule will vary depending on several different factors, but a good rule of thumb is to decrease it about 30%. You can add or subtract from this depending on your individual situation. If you're not sure than I would start out at decreasing it 25% and then monitor your lawn and adjust as needed.
As you do with any other maintenance check-up you will check for breaks, adjust sprinkler heads, unclog nozzles, replace broken heads, and adjust the watering time. Other than just decreasing the run-time you will want to start your system to start an hour or two later than in the summer because of Daylight Savings and because the sun is coming up later naturally. Remember, a little bit of maintenance can go a long way in the efficiency of your sprinkler system.
Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com
posted by Irrigationman at
11:25 AM
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