Lawn Sprinkler Tips

Spring Irrigation Tune Ups & Maintenance

2010-02-07T21:53:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know that we are officially in the middle of Winter, but here in Florida our seasons are really as clearly defined. We may have a few more cold spells, but Spring time and warmer weather are right around the corner and it is time to start getting those irrigation systems in good running shape.

Don't be like everyone else and wait until March or April to take care of your lawn sprinkler system issues! Get ahead of the crowd and get your maintenance issues fixed before the spring rush hits and you'll enjoy quicker service and better prices. Not every irrigation contractor will tell you this, but we do tend to charge more once we get busy for a couple of different reasons. First of all the basics of supply and demand come into play.

Secondly, as it gets hotter outside, the actual labor or work becomes more difficult because of dealing with the high temperatures. In hot weather you have to take more breaks to help prevent heat exhaustion and this makes the jobs take longer. We still have to earn a living and if the job takes longer we have to charge more!

Even though we may be getting some cold nights of 35 to 40 degrees, it has been warming up to 50 to 60 degrees during the day which is very pleasant weather to work in. When you get wet, it does make it a little bit chilly but nothing that is unbearable.

You should have your landscape sprinklers checked out at the very least once per year. I recommend up to 4 times, once every three months in order to keep your system in top shape. A spring tune up normally includes a full system inspection of each zone, as well as the unclogging of spray nozzles and adjusting of heads and timer adjustment. While doing the inspection we can identify problems such as broken sprinkler heads, lack of proper coverage, nozzles that need to be replaced, and also timer & electric valve functions.

Another thing we check for is for the presence of and correct operation of a rain sensor. It has been law in the State of Florida since 1991 for all automatic irrigation systems to be installed with rain sensors, but in certain areas this law has not been heavily enforced. I run into systems quite frequently that don't even have a rain sensor at all!

Now if your system uses water from a well or lake you may not be worried about a rain sensor, but if your sprinkler use city water and you have to pay for it, you'd be crazy to not have one! It can save you tons of cash on your bill over the course of a year. Besides the monetary savings, you can help prevent over-watering of your lawn and landscape by having an operating rain sensor.

Actually the State of Florida just recently made it mandatory for irrigation contractors to check for rain sensors and make sure that they are properly working on every system that we do a hired maintenance job for. The law used to state that we have to install one on new sprinkler systems that we build, but not I must make sure to check for and test the sensor on each job that I do. This is something that I pretty much always did anyway to inform the customer, but I never forced the issue if the customer wasn't concerned...but now I must do my part in helping conserve and manage our valuable water resources.

If it has been a few years since you've done any maintenance to your landscape irrigation, then now is the time. My phone calls have started to pick up the past two weeks and I can tell that we're about to move into to busy season before you know it. Even though new construction and new systems have been slow the last 1&1/2 years, the maintenance is always there.

Taking care of and maintaining your sprinklers is just like taking care of anything else you have to take of to keep running efficiently. Think about it like a car. You have to keep up with changing the oil & fluids, check your tire pressure, rotate & balance the tires, get an alignment, service your breaks, etc... If you neglect it, what's going to happen to it? The longer it goes without being serviced, the more problems that can occur and can end up leading to bigger problems.

On the other hand if you keep up with it, it will perform better. Both a vehicle and sprinkler system provide value for many years to come after the initial purchase. I have another quick comparison between cars and irrigation systems that I'd like to make here: With a car, truck, SUV, or whatever you drive you end up paying something like $20,000 to $40,000. You drive the car for 5 or maybe 10 years and then end up getting another. During the life of the car you may spend thousands of dollars maintaining it. A car does provide you much value and in turn is worth the money spent.

A sprinkler system may cost you $2,500 to $5,000 upfront. It may not get you places like a car, but it provides value by keeping your lawn & landscape green and healthy which helps the property value of your home. It also provides enjoyment and the satisfaction of having a beautiful yard. for Most sprinkler systems can last 20 to 30 years or even longer before needing to be replaced. You will end up spending thousands of dollars over the years maintaining it, but it keeps providing value over & over again. Most people wouldn't think twice about buying a new car after 6 or 7 years, but complain about having to purchase a new lawn pump, timer, or electric valves after the same amount of time. Just something to think about...

The reason I make this analogy is to help explain to people the importance of keeping up with your sprinkler system. Also to help people realize the actual value that the system is providing them with. Most of you reading this probably already realize this or you wouldn't be here reading this, but it's just something that I had to get off my chest!

Okay, I'm done rambling for tonight. I'm looking forward to a great week and ready to go fix some sprinkler systems! If you live in my service area, give me a call! Get your Spring tune-up done today. The main areas I provide service in are Niceville, Valparaiso, Bluewater Bay, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Crestview, Santa Rosa Beach, and Navarre. Contact me now, my number is listed below.

Scott Young
850-729-7110
Advanced Irrigation Systems
DIY Sprinklers!

When Should I Start Watering My Lawn?

2010-01-22T11:55:00.000-08:00

Another common question that comes up from my customers is, "When should I start watering my lawn?" The answer depends on a few different things. First of all your climate and local weather conditions have the biggest part to play in deciding when you should begin normal watering after the winter or off-season. The next factor would be the type of landscape such as what type of grass and/or shrubs you have.

Where we live in Florida we don't really experience that long or harsh of a winter. The grass does go dormant and turn brown, but it still has a living root system underneath, which many people fail to realize. In our climate I advise people that should never really stop watering, only cut-back the amount of time and frequency that they do water their lawn.

Of course if their are freezing conditions, you obviously don't want to water. But I would say that in this type of climate that a person should water their lawn and landscape at least once per week during the winter months.

If you do turn your system off for a few months, I would recommend turning it back on whenever the weather warms up slightly. You don't need to set it back to automatic watering if you don't want to, but can choose to water once or twice per week on the warmer days. For example, just recently in the Fort Walton, Niceville, Navarre, Destin, Crestview area we experienced several nights of hard freezes. This was about a week and two weeks ago, but today it is 65 degrees and I feel like having a bar-b-q!

Our weather tends to fluctuate like this during the winter. The lows have only been in the 50's, but next week the lows will dip down into the mid 30's and low 40's and night. However there will still be some 60 degree days that feel great and a nice condition to water your landscape.

Watering at least once weekly during the off-season has other advantages than keeping your lawn and shrubs root systems healthy. It also keeps the many working parts of your irrigation system moving. Just like a car, if your system sits too long certain problems are bound to occur. This is especially true on sprinkler systems tied to well water. The iron and other debris tends to cake or gunk up the longer it sits and dries out. This causes problems such as stuck check valves and foot valves, heads getting stuck down or stuck up, nozzles clogging up, and other problems.

If you live in a more northern or colder climate than your irrigation system was most likely designed to be drained and/or blown out in the off-season so you obviously can't water until your system is primed back up again. In the south and warmer climates we do not build sprinkler systems to be completely drained out. Many pumps can be drained, but I would recommend insulating them rather than draining them so that you can activate your sprinklers at least once per week.

Scott
Do It Yourself Sprinklers
Florida Irrigation Company

Freezing Florida Weather - Protect Your Pipes

2010-01-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

We are a little bit spoiled here in Florida as we aren't use too used to cold weather. While we do experience the cold a little every winter, it's usually not too harsh. We may see some 40 - 50 degree days, with lows in the 30's, but normally we don't experience too many hard-freezes. Well this week is a different story down here.

I live in Niceville, Florida which is located in the Northwest part of Florida. We are near Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Navarre. I provide irrigation service to all of these areas and this week I have seen an increase in what I call my "freeze-calls". When the temperature dips down into the mid to high twenties for the course of the night, this hard-freeze can cause many irrigation system problems.

I know that water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit but it normally takes a couple night in a row of hard freezes to start effecting the system. The things most likely to break on your irrigation system when it freezes are: Exposed pipes, back-flow prevention devices (PVB, DCVA), and certain types of pumps or their metal pump housings.

The best thing to do for exposed pipes and backflow prevention valves that stick out of the ground is to wrap them with foil insulation tape. You can also get foam wraps and tape them on. For above ground pumps, you can drain them or you can wrap them with some type of insulation as well. If you choose to insulate, just make sure you are only wrapping the metal housing and not the pump motor! The pump motor has to have ventilation and could catch fire if you activate it and have it wrapped up. Another option to help protect your pump is to build a small enclosure around it or 'pump house'. This will protect it from the weather and help your pump last longer.

Some type of pumps are more prone to freeze than others. Horizontal, centrifugal pumps or shallow well pumps normally have a very thin cast iron housing which tends to split at the seams when they freeze crack. The jet pumps have a lot thicker metal housing Back-flow's either break at the freeze plug, or somewhere on the brass itself.

If you are from up north and wondering why we don't drain our entire systems here in Florida it is because many people still use their systems in the winter. If you have winter-rye grass you still need to water a few times a week. Even if your grass is dormant, it is good to water it once per week for a couple reasons. First of all, you are still giving water to the root system, which is good for your lawn, and second it helps keep your system and parts from 'gunking-up'. Systems hooked up to wells with high iron content tend to have a lot of problems after sitting several months without running.

So, as much as I hate this cold, I must go out and fix pipes, pumps, and back-flow's for my customers so that they keep their irrigation system in proper shape. Plus, if a mainline pipe busts, it's got to be fixed quick! Let's not whine too much about this cold weather here because before you know it spring will be here and then we'll be complaining that it's too hot! Have a happy winter for now!

Scott
Irrigation System Freeze

What is Average Cost of City Water For Irrigation System?

2009-12-16T06:38:00.001-08:00

In certain areas today, many residential irrigation systems are hooked up to a city water supply which is metered and the water has to be paid for. If you are lucky enough to have a well and pump then you don't have to worry about this. The downside to having a well and pump are the maintenance costs associated with it, but normally the cost of maintaining a well and pump will still be lower than the cost of running a sprinkler system on city water.

Some people have no choice but to go to city water because the area they live in will not allow wells drilled below a certain depth or there is just no good strata layer to be able to get the water from. Systems that are connected to city water need a back-flow prevention device to protect our potable water from being contaminated with dirt and containment such as fertilizers applied to the lawn that can creep back in the system when the pop-up heads retract.

So, how much does running an irrigation system on city water cost? Well it really depends on several different things. First of all, how large is your yard? How large is the system? How many heads, what's their flow rate? Also, how often do you run the sprinklers? How does your city or county charge you for the water used? Is there a separate meter for the system?

All the above factors will determine how much it's going to cost you. For example, in our city and county they no longer have separate meters for irrigation systems. The older houses that do are grand-fathered in. Those systems connected to city water that are on the same meter as the house will get charged for sewer fees on top of water fees (except houses with septic tanks). The yards that have a separate meter will get charged for water consumption, but not sewer. Getting charged extra for sewer really doesn't seem fair when you are applying it to the lawn, not flushing it down the toilet, but that is how it works in some places. What makes it even worse here is that sewer is charged at 110% of the water usage!

So, sorry to answer a question with a bunch of questions, but all of those things are important in determining the cost. Just to give you an average, I would say that having a lawn sprinkler system hooked up to city water can cost you about an extra $120 per month during the summer. Like I said, that is just an average or ball-park based on an average sized yard and system. Your price could vary up or down obviously.

Those are the prices some must pay in order to maintain a healthy lawn and beautiful landscape. You can save money in the Fall & Winter by cutting down the cycle run-time on your system. In many areas you can completely shut it off in certain months because of freezing conditions. In warmer climates it is good to run the sprinklers at least once per week because even though the grass and shrubs may go dormant, they still have a root system that needs water. If your system is on a well and pump, another benefit of running your sprinklers at least once per week would be to keep the parts moving and working. With systems connected to wells with a lot of debris, especially iron, the insides of the pump, pipes, and heads tend to dry out and cake up with 'crud' which can cause multiple problems when you turn the sprinklers back on in the Spring.

Is the cost of using city water worth it for you? Well, that depends on how badly you want to have and maintain a good lawn and nice landscape. If you can get a well in your area, then I would recommend doing so, especially if you have a large yard. Well water has more nutrients and not all that chlorine like city water. However you may have no choice but to use city water and if that's the case then just consider it one of the maintenance costs associated with maintaining a beautiful home.

Scott Young
Irrigation Systems

Adjusting Hydrotech 2120 Timer Controller

2009-12-13T22:06:00.000-08:00

The latest in my video series that I'm releasing on this blog below, is about how to adjust a Hydrotech 2120 irrigation, lawn sprinkler pump controller or timer (same thing). This is the most common type of controllers that go together in conjunction with the index valve type of irrigation system setup like shown in my previous blog post.

The Hydrotech 2120 has a built-in pump start relay which relays 220 volts to the landscape irrigation pump when the timer tells it to. You program the timer and tell it when you want the pump to run. In the video I show how to program and set the cycle run times. This type of timer is not used for an electric valve system.

Other Hydrotech models such as the 2110, 2114 and 1100 series controllers all work the same way, they just vary in their voltage input and output, which is determined by the voltage output of your power source and the voltage requirement of your sprinkler pump.

Most sprinkler pumps (around 90% in my area of Florida) run on approximately 220 volts (seeing a 215v - 240v range is common). The other 10% run on approx. 110 volts - 120volts. The only fairly unique model in this set of controllers is the 2114, which takes in 220v and only relays 24 volts to control typical sprinkler system electric valve

Scott
Irrigation Systems

Replace Stem Disc Index Valve

2009-12-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

I dug up another video for a very common repair task that you may run into. Not all automatic irrigation systems use electric valves to separate zones. Some systems use a part called an "index valve." This video shows how to replace the stem and disc in a common type of index valve.

In very first part of this clip I show you a typical stem and disc. Then we cut to my old business partner Sean describing and showing the entire process of replacing the stem and disc. It really is very simple and the material cost about $20. However, when you call a professional irrigation company they have to charge you for the service to help cover their business overhead and make profit. So, if you choose to do this repair yourself, you should save some good money.

An index valve is a fairly simple mechanical part that allows sprinkler operation to send water to one certain zone or section at a time, while blocking off the flow of water to the other zones. This type of system setup is different from electric valves in a couple different ways.

First of all they contain no electrical components, unlike an electric valve which has a 24 volt solenoid. The stop and start of the flow of water is what causes the stem and disc to switch between the different zones. On an irrigation system like this the pump is normally activated by a pump start relay contained inside the controller or timer. Some simpler setups may just have a switch to turn the lawn pump on and off.

Scott
Irrigation Systems

Replace Spray Nozzle on Pop-up Sprinkler Head

2009-11-25T11:53:00.000-08:00

In this short video clip I show two example of how to replace a nozzle on a typical spray head. Sprays or spray heads are the type of sprinklers that pop up and stay stationary or don't move.

I am in the first example, which shows a lot closer view of the process because my old partner Sean was recording the video and did a great job. The second example shows a farther away view with a different angle for you to see and Sean is in this video.

So that's not so hard, is it? Replacing a nozzle on an irrigation head is fairly simple, but can be tedious and time consuming if you have to do it to 50 heads! Part of routine system maintenance includes replacing the screens and nozzles because they get clogged over time, especially for irrigation systems on well water or other water sources which contain a lot of debris.

Sean was a great irrigation partner, but has since left the company to move on to new and better things after 7 years of working with us. We wish him the best of luck. Also I need to give a shout out to Sean's friend, Louie who is responsible for doing the editing of these video clips, Thank You Louie!

Scott
Irrigation Systems

Repair Broken PVC Pipe With Slip Fix Fitting

2009-11-24T23:13:00.001-08:00

In this video below, I explain how to use a pvc fitting known as a slip fix, or quick fix (same thing) to repair a broke pvc pipe. Some people also call these "expansion fittings." I feel that these fittings are better than compression couplings (for pipes under 3") and you do use pvc glue and a coupling in addition to the slip fix pvc .

When I first discovered these types of fittings I though I had died and gone to heaven! No more digging up 3 feet on each side of the break and trying to bend or bow the pipe to make it fit into the pvc coupling! The old way without a slip fix was a lot harder and often times you would end up breaking the pipe in a separate place while trying to fix the original break...aghhh!

This type of fitting has a telescoping end which allows you to cut out a section of the pvc, then fit the slip fix between the two ends of pipe, then expand it out to make the connection. These are especially great when you are working in a tight area around multiple pipes or tree roots which give you very little room to work with.

I'm sure this will help many of you who are trying to repair a broke sprinkler pipe on your own. Good luck!

Scott
Irrigation Systems

Video - Replace Rotor Sprinkler Head

2009-11-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

Today I wanted to share with you a short video clip that shows how to replace a sprinkler head. Actually it is a rotor sprinkler head to be specific, the type of irrigation head that pops up and rotates to cover large areas of grass.

I hope you like this video, even though I've been writing articles about lawn sprinklers and irrigation repair info on this site for over five years, but haven't really published many videos. I realize that many people would rather see, than just read, which I clearly understand so I hope to start sharing more videos as I can do them, in addition to all of my "how to" sprinkler articles.

As always, happy watering!

Scott
Irrigation Systems

Website Design and Marketing

2009-11-17T14:13:00.000-08:00

Okay, let me go ahead and get this out of the way...You are probably wondering what the heck does website design and website marketing have to do with lawn sprinkler systems...well nothing! I know that it is a little of topic for this blog, but I thought that it would actually be a good place to introduce my readers to a new website/company started by my good friend and myself.

I'll be the first to admit that my website design skills are not up to par, but my long-time friend and partner Fritz Conroy is amazing with this stuff. I actually need his help to give Autolawnsprinklers a modern makeover! Where my talent comes into play is on the marketing side. Over the years I've developed a talent for being able to create or work with big and small websites to attain high search engine rankings, especially in good old Google.

SEO or search engine optimization is the process in website marketing that involves writing and adjusting or "tweaking" web pages to get them ranked on the first page of the natural search engine results. This is done through several different factors and what makes it even more difficult is that the rules tend to change. The 'Big 3' (Google, Yahoo, and Bing) like to keep webmasters on their toes by continually adjusting their search algorithms. They are doing this to try and keep the garbage out and the quality stuff in, so that the users have a good search experience in finding quality content.

So my buddy Fritz and I started this new company and like any new business, we need work! Fritz has been working for an Internet Marketing firm for the past five years doing website design, graphic design, and other things such as printing business cards and brochures. So even though our business is new, we are not new to the business if you get what I mean. We both would love to work with big companies and small companies. We know that we can provide great results for anyone in any task that we take on.

If you have been an avid reader of my blog for the past several years, or just happen to be a web visitor passing through, I ask of you your help in bringing us your business. If you, a family member, a co-worker, or a friend need any kind of website services, please give us a shot! The name of our new business is called Teknek Web Services and our website is http://www.teknekwebservices.com.

We can do anything related to websites and online or offline marketing for your business. Our main specialties are website design, website marketing, graphic design, article writing/marketing, copy-writing, direct mail, website hosting, SEO consulting and more. Our aim here is to cater to business, whether they are big or small. We'd also love to work with any individual who requires any of these services. We give custom tailored quotes for your project and all you have to do is fill out our Free E-Quote from at our site.

The main reason we started this business is because we love websites, Internet marketing, and anything to do with this industry and we know that we can make good money with it. What is better than earning a good living at something that you love? Our passion shows in our work and you can be someone who benefits from our talents. If you or anyone you know needs this type of work, please visit our website and contact us. Mention that you read about us at "Scott's Sprinkler Blog" and we'll gladly give 15% off of any service.

With the holidays quickly approaching there couldn't be a better time to help jump-start our new business. Maybe you have a friend or relative who needs one or more of our web services and you can get it for them as a present! Or maybe your own business needs a website, a new design, or more search engine exposure. Whatever the case may be, we our here to help! Please visit us. Thanks!

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Neighbor's Sprinkler Head Is On My Property

2009-11-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

Occasionally I will get a phone call from a person stating something like "My neighbor's sprinkler head is on my property, what do I do?" My answer to this depends on a few things. First of all, how far over on your property is the sprinkler head? Second, is this really bothering you or your neighbor that much? Third, do you plan on doing anything to the landscape such as re-designing or adding hard-scape to the yard?

If the head is on a few inches over on your neighbor's property (or vice-versa), it is not bothering you or them, and you don't foresee anything causing the sprinkler head to be in the way of any projects (such as adding a fence) then I really wouldn't worry about it. However, this type of thing can really bother some people and if that is the case, then you and your neighbor need to work out a simple agreement and move the sprinkler head. If one or both of you have irrigation knowledge, than this can be a fairly simple task. If not, just call a professional and agree to split the cost (unless you feel that you shouldn't be responsible for the cost).

This can be fairly simple and done in a couple different ways. If the head is attached to funny pipe (pe - flex pipe) you may just be able to dig up the head, expose the swing assembly (pe-flex pipe) and shorten it by cutting to the size needed for the head to lay down on the correct side of the property line. Another way is to dig up the head, dig around the pvc, and then either re-route the pvc pipe, or shorten the pvc pipe.

I must admit that my company has been guilty of accidentally installing a sprinkler head or two slightly on the wrong side of the property line. This was done when clear survey or mark-out stakes were not available and we were going by the customer's approximate point. Even if you think you know exactly where the property line is because a fence or something has marked it out for several years, you may be surprised one day when you get a new neighbor who decides to get a fresh survey done for whatever reason and then you learn that your property is actually 3 inches to the right than you always thought it was!

Believe it or not, these types of things do happen. If you find yourself on one side or the other of this, do not freak out or get all worried. There is always a solution and it is usually easier than you think. The best way to handle the situation is to be calm and friendly. There is no need to start a war with the neighbor's over a little sprinkler head. Good luck!

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Happy Halloween - Thanks Niceville

2009-10-31T16:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, nothing related to lawn sprinklers or irrigation systems today. I just wanted to tell everyone who reads my blog regularly Happy Halloween! We just got back from the "Trunk or Treat" up at the local church here in Niceville, Florida. It is a huge event now; I believe this is the third year.

People come from many local cities such as Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, and more. The local police and many church volunteers do a great job blocking off several streets and controlling traffic flow so that the kids and their families can have a fun, but safe time. The local Niceville Police, The Okaloosa Sheriffs, and the Niceville Fire Fighters were all helping out to manage the scene.

The Niceville First United Methodist Church as well as the Baptist Church down the block participated in the event, as well as the Niceville Rocky Bayou Christian High School Band. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped put on the event. My wife, two boys, and our parents had a great time again this year.

It seems as if the days of trick-or-treating are gone as the holiday has evolved to having these huge social events thrown by different organizations. My two little boys may never experience the days of knocking door to door like we use to do, but I do not mind so much as the way it is done now is much safer and you get to meet and see a lot of local people. Plus, the kids get a ton of candy for a lot less work!

If any of you local folks need help with your lawn sprinkler system, irrigation system, or pump give me a call and I'll see what I can do.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Difference Between Rotors and Sprays

2009-10-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

So what is the difference between rotor sprinkler heads and spray sprinkler heads, other than the obvious fact that one turns and the other does not?

Well, rotors do turn and also cover a larger area. Since they rotate, they have a lower precipitation rate than sprays which means they apply water slower than a sprays. Generally a rotor will take three times (3X) as long to water the same square footage as a spray head. So basically it would take 45 minutes to put down the same amount of water that a spray head would put out in 15 minutes. Rotors are great for larger lawn areas.

With that being said, spray heads have a higher precipitation rate than rotors. This is mainly because they stay fixed and do not rotate or move. However they generally do not cover as big of an area as rotor heads do. Sprays are great for smaller lawn areas and shrub/flower beds.

Rotors will put out water an average of thirty feet (30ft) which can very a few few feet either way depending on nozzle type and system pressure. Spray heads throw water a range from four feet (4ft) to fifteen feet (15ft). There are nozzles that throw eighteen feet (18ft) but are not used as often as the others. The most common nozzle sizes used are probably 10', 12', and 15'. The footage refers to the radius of the throw. So a 15' full circle would actually project water a 30 foot diameter.

Rotors are usually adjustable from 0 to 360 degrees. Sprays have nozzles that come in fixed patterns such as 1/4 (90 degree), 1/2 circle (180 degree), 3/4 circle (270 degree), and full circle (360 degree). There are also nozzles that are adjustable from 0 to 360 degrees which are good for certain situations such as on driveways along curves. However I don't really care too much for the adjustable pattern nozzles because they always seem to get clogged easily and their spray pattern is not as nice and neat as fixed patter nozzles.

Both spray heads and rotor sprinkler heads have their place. A properly and professionally designed irrigation system will normally have a combination of both (not on the same zone) to provide adequate, even water coverage.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Stuck Valve

2009-10-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

The electric valves in your automatic lawn sprinkler system have to open and close each time they are turned on and off by either the timer or manually. There is a mechanical, rubber part called a diaphragm that stops or allows the flow of water to go through a particular zone. This part does eventually wear out over time and has to be replaced.

The average life span of an electric valve's diaphragm is 7 - 10 years. Now this time frame may vary based on a few different factors. If your irrigation system's water source is a well then you may have more dirt and debris compared to systems hooked up to a city or municipal water supply. The dirt and debris will cause the diaphragm the wear out sooner.

When this part goes bad, your valve will normally do one of three things: It will stick in the full open position and run the whole time that the system is activated no matter which zone is supposed to be on, or constantly run if it is on a pressurized system like city water or a well system that utilizes a pressure tank and pressure switch.

Secondly the valve could stick completely shut, so that when the zone is supposed to come on, nothing happens. This shouldn't be confused with a bad solenoid or a bad wire that just will not activate the valve at all. You can confirm that it is indeed the diaphragm that is bad and not the wire or solenoid by attempting to activate (turn on) the valve manually. If you cannot turn it on manually, then you have a bad diaphragm.

Third, the valve could stick partially open. When the zone comes on, the diaphragm only opens part of the way. If this happens your zone will have lower pressure than normal and you can actually here restriction of water moving through the valve.

The solution for this problem is to either replace the diaphragm or replace the entire valve. If your electric valve is a modern and widely used valve it will be easy to find a valve repair kit for it. You just need to identify the make and model of the valve and go to the hardware store or to an irrigation wholesale supplier.

If the valve is an older model or less common brand it may be very hard to find a repair kit or replacement diaphragm. If this is the case you will need to replace the whole valve. This can be done by digging a pit around the existing valve and cutting the PVC where you can replace the valve. If you think you have this problem and are not comfortable doing it yourself, please feel free to call or email me. I can explain more detail to you or I can come out and do the job for you if you live in my service area of Northwest Florida.

My email address and phone number are on the bottom of the home page of my website listed below.

Thanks and have a great day!

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Automatic Timers or Controllers

2009-10-16T18:54:00.001-07:00

The 'brains' of an automatic irrigation system is known as the timer or controller. We'll stick to calling it a controller because it does more than just keep time. Of course not all controllers are created equally, but all of them serve at least the basic function of keeping the time, date, and activating the sprinkler system at a time programmed by the user.

There are many different models and grades of irrigation controllers available for homeowner and irrigation professionals to use. So how do you choose one that's suitable for you? Well if you already have an automatic lawn sprinkler system than you obviously already have a controller installed. If this controller goes bad than I will usually recommend that you replace it with the same make and model for a couple different reasons.

If you try replacing your controller with a different type than you will most likely run into complications such as the new timer being a slightly different size and shape which may require you to drill new holes and possible do several wire splices at some undesirable places. If you replace your old controller with the same type, then you should not have to drill new holes in the wall or side of house, and you should not have to do any wire splices as everything should match up nice.

Now there are cases where I will recommend installing a different model controller. For example, if I believe the timer or controller to be an inferior brand or model then I would recommend replacing it with a higher-grade model. While the commercial grade controllers that most irrigation contractors use are higher priced than the hardware store and Lowes/Home depot timers, they are worth the extra money because they are more durable and last longer.

The top controllers that I use and recommend are as follows:
Rain Bird ESP Modular Timer: Residential and light commercial applications
Rain Bird ESP-LX Modular: Medium Commercial, Larger Residential, and more complex water systems such as those containing two or more water sources.
Hunter Pro-C: Residential
Hunter ICC: Commercial

I still love Rain Bird products over Hunter, Nelson, or Toro, but the two Hunter controllers that I listed are not too bad and pretty much equal in features and capabilities to their Rain Bird counter-parts.

All of these timers/controllers have a 120volt input and a 24volt output to the master-valve (or pump-start relay) and each zone's electric valve. A 9 volt battery is utilized as a program memory backup, so that the program is not lost due to a short power outage, but the battery will not operate the system.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Different Types Of Valves

2009-10-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

In the wonderful world of lawn sprinklers there are several different moving parts that each serve a specific function but all work together to provide the same end result, a fully functioning irrigation system. It's hard to say that one particular part is more important than another because they are all necessary, but one important part that acts kind of like a 'gate keeper' or entrance way is called a valve.

Valves come in all different shapes, sizes and models. There are three main types of valves that are common among lawn and landscape irrigation systems. They are electric valves, ball valves, and gate valves. A valves main job (and only job) is to stop and start the flow of water. Actually is doesn't physically make the water move, that is the job of pumps and pressure tanks, it just basically allows water to flow through a certain section if open or stops the flow of water if it's closed.

Electric valves are the main ones used in automatic sprinkler systems. That is because they can be controlled eclectically though wire and from a timer or controller. A solenoid contains a small magnet which lifts a plunger up when magnetized. When the plunger lifts, the diaphragm opens and allows water to move through. When the electricity is stopped the solenoid looses its' magnetic properties and in turn the diaphragm closes and the water stops moving.

Both ball valves and gate valves are manual, meaning that you have to open or close it yourself directly at the valve. A ball valve is called that because it has a ball shaped object inside that is attached to the handle which closes and opens the flow of water. The handle to a ball valve is kind of like a flat edged handle. A gate valve's handle is more like a circle. Inside of the gate valve is a device that lowers and raises when you tighten or loosen the handle, which resembles a 'gate like' action.

Ball valves and gate valves are used in manual (non-automatic) irrigation systems or used in automatic lawn sprinkler systems to provide a way to shut off or isolate a certain section or the mainline. A good example where a ball or gate valve may be used is at the tie-in connection where the system connects to city-water, before the back-flow preventer.

I could go into slightly more detail about manual valves and electric valves such as globe or angle valve configurations, but that is beyond the scope of this article. The main thing you need to know here has been said. A valve either allows or doesn't allow water to move through a certain area or section. Each zone on an automatic irrigation system has its' own electric valve. Get the picture now?

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Fall Irrigation System Maintenance

2009-10-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

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

Best Time To Install Sprinkler System

2009-10-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

A question that I get asked sometimes is "When is the best time to install a sprinkler system?" My answer to this is that it really depends on where you live. In a warm climate you can install a lawn sprinkler system just about anytime of the year. Of course it's going to be a little bit tougher and more uncomfortable during the middle of summer. If you live where it snows, then you obviously shouldn't do it in the winter if there is snow on the ground!

Her in Florida, other than the brutal summer heat and ungodly humidity we do have to look out for rainfall during the summer months. There is nothing worse than opening up a couple hundred feet of trench and then having all the dirt either washed away or washed back into the trenches that you just opened up.

So you obviously want to keep an eye on the weather. If we have a possibility of rain we will only open up or dig the trenches that we know we will get pipe in and covered up within the next few hours. This way we will avoid extra work.

Other than looking out for rain, having snow on the ground , or any other natural weather condition you can pretty much install a lawn/landscape sprinkler system year-round. If you are doing the project for yourself and can choose when you want to do it, I would say that either spring or fall is the most comfortable time of the year to install one.

I actually prefer the Fall when it is just starting to get cooler nights. For example, right now is a great time here in Northwest Florida. It is October and the nights are getting down to around 60 degrees and the days are staying around 75 -80 degrees.

Actually I love working outside during a clear, sunny 70 degree day! Those are the days I really enjoy working outside. However when you do this job full-time you really don't have the choice to only do it on perfect days. If you are installing your own and can wait, you should plan your system for the most comfortable time of the year where you live. You can get everything like the design and materials ready and then just pay attention to the Weather Channel or your favorite weather report and make sure you have ample time to start and complete the installation.

Another tip; always block out more time than you think will be necessary. If you think you'll need three days to install your system, then actually give yourself 5 or 6 days. I'm telling you this from experience. There is a good chance that you will get it done in the time you think, but you never know what situation or complication that you may run into. For example, when trenching you may run across an old tree stump that was hidden underground directly in your pipe path. You will either need to re-route the pipe(s) or take the time to remove the stump. Either way this will cause a delay. That is just one out of many things that could cause you to go over your time estimate.

Good Luck and Happy Watering!

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

P.S. Give me a call to get a free estimate for your automatic lawn sprinkler system. Do it now, it's a great time of year to have one installed!
850-729-7110

Unclogging Spray Head Nozzles

2009-09-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

Okay this is a topic that I know I've talked about before and is even one of the 7 tips in my email series, but since I have not blogged about it recently it is worth touching on again. Remember that in a residential lawn irrigation system there are usually two main types of sprinkler heads; rotors and sprays. Sprays are the heads that tend to get clogged nozzles more frequently and need to be unclogged.

Rotor heads rotate and cover a larger area. An average spray distance for a rotor is about thirty feet (30ft). The nozzles come in 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 sizes. The number stands for gallons per minute being delivered out of that sprinkler head's nozzle. 3.0 is a typical nozzle size, although they are also laid out, placed, and matched accordingly to try and get even precipitation over the lawn and/or landscape. The nozzles on the rotor heads usually do not get clogged up.

Spray heads pop up and stay still, they do not rotate. A spray head's nozzle is the part that determines the distance and spray pattern that the sprinkler head will put out. Spray nozzles come in varying sizes ranging from four feet (4') to eighteen feet (18'). The footage measurement stands for the diameter of the throw.

The most common patterns for spray heads are 1/4 circle or 90 degrees, 1/2 circle or 180 degrees, 3/4 circle or 270 degrees and a full circle or 360 degrees. You can get special pattern nozzles or even adjustable nozzles that can adjust from 0 to 360 degrees, but these types of nozzles tend to clog up even more than the fixed pattern spray nozzles.

Just below the spray nozzle, inside the stem of the spray head is a screen. This screen is usually what gets clogged up first. It gets clogged with dirt and debris from your water supply. Well water, especially shallow wells tend to have a lot of debris such as minerals like iron and other sand deposits that will ruin spray heads, spray nozzles, and clog up screens very frequently.

Often you can just wash or replace the screen and the nozzle is good, but sometimes some debris gets past the screen and ends up clogging up the actual nozzle. In this case you can try to remove the debris with a small flat head screwdriver, but normally it is best just to replace the spray nozzle with a new one.

When you're ready to check for clogged nozzles, get yourself some small mark-out flags ready. Go through your system, one zone at a time, and put a flag by any clogged nozzles. If the head is gunked up pretty bad, you may want to go ahead and flush that head out. To do this you can just remove the nozzle and leave it off, or put a flush cap on and then go turn that zone back on. Water will flow freely through the sprinkler head, flushing out any remaining dirt in the head. You may notice a lot of clogged nozzles if you recently repaired a break and got dirt in the line.

When changing a nozzle or replacing a screen on a spray head, you must hold the riser or stem of the spray head up. If you let it go, it will pop back down because of the tension on the pop-up spring. If you do manage to let it go it can be hard to get your fingers around the stem and pull it back up. It works best to use a nozzle without a screen or use one of those flush-out caps that come with the spray heads to screw on the male threads(female threaded if dealing with TORO sprinkler heads) of the riser and pull it back up.

Cleaning or unclogging your spray head nozzles is a little bit of maintenance that can make a huge difference in the efficiency and performance of your lawn sprinkler or lawn irrigation system. Clogged nozzles will block or distort the spray pattern leaving your lawn with dry spots or ugly patches. You should do this maintenance once at the beginning of Spring, and at least once during the Summer. It will take

Scott
Lawn Sprinklers

Changing a Sprinkler Head

2009-09-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

There will be routine maintenance that must be performed on your sprinkler system in order to keep it running up to par. Just like an automobile requires maintenance, so does your irrigation system. This could be as simple as making minor adjustments and unclogging nozzles to replacing or changing a sprinkler head.

Replacing a sprinkler head is usually quite easy. Just remember '4 turns left and 4 turns right.' 4 turns left will remove the head from the threaded fitting of which it is attached to. 4 turn right will tighten the new sprinkler head to the threaded fitting.

One thing you have to be careful of is to not get dirt in the system when replacing the head. You can avoid this by digging out around the sprinkler head and clearing a circular spot around the head. Another method is to slightly wiggle the head and pack the dirt in around the head so loose dirt won't fall in the exposed or open fitting.

It's kind of like a game of 'Operation' if you remember that game when you were a kid. You have to careful remove and replace parts without touching the sides. Remember that if you touched the sides a loud annoying buzz would sound and a red light would light up! Well in irrigation if you touch the sides while replacing dirt will fall into the system and then you'll have to flush out the line.

The sprinkler heads have either a 1/2" or 3/4" female threaded spot. Spray heads (the heads that pop up and don't move) usually have the 1/2" opening and rotor heads (the ones that pop up and rotate) normally have the 3/4" opening. The male threaded fitting coming from the PVC pipe that the sprinkler head attaches to does not require Teflon tape or paste. Actually most brands of heads specifically say 'use no pipe dope' which means do not put any Teflon paste on the threads because they can clog up the heads.

Changing a sprinkler head is probably the easiest maintenance task of repairing a lawn irrigation system. If you have a broken sprinkler head the chances are you can replace it yourself as long as you can bend up & down and don't mind getting a little dirty. I understand that the mechanics of it are not too difficult but it is the physical part that many people can not or do not want to do. That's why I'm in business.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Pump Running No Water Coming Out

2009-08-25T19:29:00.001-07:00

It's been a little while since I've written an article about this topic, but it is a very common symptom/maintenance issue that a lot of people deal with. If your lawn pump sound like it is running, but no water is coming out then your pump has most likely lost prime.

It is very common to have to prime your pump after it not running for a while (like being off for the winter) but if you have a good check valve or foot valve it should hold the prime regardless of how long the system has been off.

If you have a shallow well with a horizontal, centrifugal pump then you should have a check valve which is usually installed above ground. The most common place for the check valve to be on this kind of pump is usually right before the intake or suction side of the pump mounted horizontally. Some irrigation contractors install it on the well vertically before the well 90's (a 90 degree fitting) or turns to go to the intake of the pump.

If your well is a little bit deeper and it is further than 20 feet to water then you may have a vertical jet pump. This kind of pump requires a drop pipe (pipe inside of the well casing) and a foot valve mounted on the bottom of the drop pipe. In my area of Northwest Florida I would say that the average depth of the foot valve on the drop pipe is usually 40' to 60' (feet) down in the ground, depending on the depth of the well and the water table.

If you have a submersible pump, you may not even have a check valve or foot valve. It is common to have a check valve mounted near the bottom of the well with a submersible and actually many sub pumps come with a check valve installed. The chances are that if your submersible pump does have one, you may not even notice if it goes bad because this kind of pump is obviously submerged in the water and basically primes itself.

For a shallow well with a horizontal, centrifugal pump the check valve replacement is fairly easy as long as you are comfortable with a little bit of plumbing. Many time the most difficult part of this is wrestling old rusty metal fittings off.

Replacing a foot valve requires a lot more work than replacing a foot valve. This is mainly due to the process of extracting the drop pipe out of the well, which can be a pain in the a** sometimes. Once you get the drop pipe out, replacing the foot valve is usually not that hard. If you have never done this, you will definitely want to hire someone to do it, or have a friend with you to help who has done it before.

Keep an eye on your sprinkler system when it is supposed to be running because it the check valve or foot valve does go bad, the pump will be running 'dry'. This is not good because it can burn up the shaft seal(s) or just burn up the motor completely. If this happens then you will be buying a new pump motor or a complete pump depending on the damage.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Professional vs. DIY Irrigation System Installation

2009-07-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

When planning to have an automatic irrigation system installed in your property you have the choice to go with a professionally installed system or a do-it-yourself (DIY) installation. I sometimes get questions as to what is the difference between the two and there really is no straight answer for this due to the several varying factors that come into play.

In theory a professionally installed lawn/landscape sprinkler system should be superior to a DIY system, but this is not always the case. For example, what if you hire a company that is supposed to be professional, but their designer and installers do crappy work? A poorly designed irrigation system installed by "professionals" will never produce the same end results that a properly designed irrigation system installed by a do-it-yourselfer will.

Now I will say that in most cases a good, reputable irrigation company will design and build a very good system that is normally better than a non-professional or do-it-yourself system. You can achieve similar results of a professionally installed irrigation system, but it really all depends on how much knowledge you have and how good of a work-ethic you maintain.

With the right knowledge and proper instructions you can design and build a very good sprinkler system for your landscape that you can be proud of. It may take you a little longer to complete the project than a professional irrigation company, but as long as you aren't on a strict deadline the time it takes shouldn't matter that much.

The main advantage to installing your own system vs hiring a professional is the cost or savings that you will gain. A professional company has many overhead expenses that it must cover to stay in business. Expenses such as licenses, permits, liability insurance, workers compensation, advertising, phone bills, payroll taxes, other taxes, and more make the price of your irrigation system higher than just the cost of materials and labor.

As an irrigation contractor and small business owner myself I know first hand how much money it costs to maintain a business. Of course you do not have all of these expenses to cover when doing your own irrigation system, so you can normally save thousands of dollars (depending on the size of the yard and system).

If you do not have the knowledge of sprinkler design, but want to install your own automatic sprinkler / irrigation system, you must first take the time to educate yourself about this subject. There is a lot of free information available online that can get you familiar with lawn/landscape sprinkler design and installation. While free information is great, sometimes it can leave you with many questions. You may also suffer from information overload and have to deal with a bunch of unnecessary data that is not relevant to your particular situation.

With this in mind, I created an ebook complete with a step-by-step action plan and checklists to help you plan, design, and build your own automatic lawn sprinkler system. My ebook and installation method is perfect for all residential landscapes and suitable for some small commercial sized systems. I do not give it away for free, but the money you will save by completing this project yourself is worth a hundred times more than the little bit of cash you will spend on the ebook.

So if you are the do it yourself type and are planning to get a sprinkler system for your home, you should greatly benefit from the information inside my ebook. Another option that may be available to you is a design or site-plan service. For example, if you live in my service area, you could call me to design and flag out your sprinkler system for a fee as opposed to hiring my company to do the complete install. I charge $300 - $500 for this service compared to an average price of $3,000 to $5,000 to actually build and install the system.

Whatever your choice may be, I wish you luck and feel free to email with any questions that you may have pertaining to automatic lawn & landscape irrigation systems. Good luck!

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Leaky Valve Heads Dribble Water Constantly

2009-07-14T06:37:00.000-07:00

If you continue to see water draining or dribbling out of the sprinkler heads after the zone has shut down it usually means one of a couple things. It is either just low-head drainage, which is just the water left in the lateral line draining out to the lowest sprinkler heads after the valve has shut down, or you have a valve that is not shutting down completely.

If it is low-head drainage the water should stop after 2 - 10 minutes, depending on several factors such as the grade or slope of the landscape and how large the zone is. Low head drainage can be solved by installing sprinkler heads with built-in check valves that will stop the drainage of water after the valve has shut down. You could also install a check valve at a higher elevation point on the lateral line for that particular zone.

However, low head drainage is actually necessary for indexing valve systems, but not needed for electric valve systems. The reason why it is needed for indexing valve systems is that the index valve must have the pressure of water relieved to be able to switch to the next zone. I'm not saying that 100% of the water needs to be drained out, especially on a flat yard, but on a sloped yard some of the water does need to drain. An electric valve system does not need to have the water drained out of the lines, the electric valves will start and stop the flow water and the timer will tell it to open or shut.

Rain Bird makes sprinkler heads with built-in check valves called S.A.M. heads which stand for "Seal-a-matic". The heads will pop up with the flow, pressure, and force of an active zone, but will stop the slow drainage of water when the zone shuts down.

If your property is fairly level and/or the water continues to leak out for more than 10 minutes, then you may have a valve that is stuck open or not shutting down all the way. This is more noticeable on pressurized systems such as those systems using city water or those built with a pressure tank. To solve this problem you must locate the bad valve and replace the diaphragm or the whole valve. If you have the same brand and model you can get away with just removing & replacing the "guts" from the valve. If you don't have the same valve, you will have to dig a pit and cut the PVC to replace the entire valve.

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com

Hot Weather and Dry Spots

2009-06-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

Wow, it sure has been dry around here! Other than a brief 30 minute rain yesterday, we have gone almost three weeks without a drop of precipitation here in Okaloosa County in Northwest Florida. About the most moisture we've had is the almost unbearable humidity in the air. This type of weather brings out all of the problems and inefficiencies in an automatic lawn sprinkler system.

The goal when designing a lawn sprinkler system is to get even precipitation across the entire lawn. This way you avoid under-watering or over-watering certain areas. This is much easier said than done. Even with a text-book perfect design, things like varying soil conditions, sun/shade, and different types of grass or plant material can prove to make even watering a very challenging project.

Today I am taking a much needed day of rest as I work six days a week during our busy season. Last Monday I added 57 new service calls on top of my already huge list of clients waiting for myself and my company to visit their home or business to repair their lawn sprinkler system. I have been working furiously to keep up with the work load as well as continuing to take new calls. Together, my partner and I have been knocking out about 10 -15 house visits per day. These repairs range anywhere from systems that need new pumps and timers, to just a simple sprinkler head replacement and everything else in between.

Sometime you may go to a house expecting just a simple sprinkler head replacement and then when you arrive you realize that the system needs much more attention than just a quick repair. This is one factor that makes predicting the amount of time that you'll spend at one particular house very hard to determine. However, I do my best to give customers at least an approximate day and time block that I will arrive at the house. This is forever changing due to unknowns that you may run into when inspecting and repairing a sprinkler system.

I understand how waiting for a service tech to visit your house and fix your system can be frustrating when you have your own schedule and things to do, but please be understanding to these sprinkler system companies and service techs. I assure you that we are working as hard and fast as possible to address every customer's individual irrigation system issues. As a consumer myself I clearly understand how waiting on a repair man to help you can be frustrating, but as a business owner I see both sides. As a customer you clearly have the right to demand good and prompt service, but you may need to make several different phone calls until you find a company that can get to you quickly. You also may need to be a little patient as most any reputable person who has been in this business for a number of years will have a big client base built up and get behind with the rush of phone calls that a drought will cause.

Some things are unpredictable such as a lawn pump or irrigation controller/timer just going out, but I do see several things on sprinkler systems that could have been addressed and repaired long before the hot summer months. One thing you can do to prevent having an "irrigation emergency" is to plan ahead. Don't wait until Summer or even Spring to have your irrigation system inspected. Call during Winter (of course not in all climates). You will get much quicker service and probably even better pricing. Hardly anybody is thinking of their sprinklers in the off-season and this is the perfect time to take care of issues instead of waiting until Summer and your lawn is dying.

Also, please don't lay new sod or grass and then realize you don't have proper sprinkler system coverage. You would not believe how many people spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on new grass and then realize that they have poor sprinkler system coverage! If you are planning to re-landscape or re-sod your yard, check out your sprinklers first! You could find yourself stuck having to manually water and drag around a hose until a sprinkler system company can show up. Also, if you lay new grass and then discover you need a sprinkler head added, or even a whole new zone added, the grass will have to be removed or disturbed in order to do the irrigation work. This makes the irrigation techs' jobs a lot more time consuming, which in turn will cost you more money.

With a little common sense and planning, many people can avoid the Summer rush and be worry-free about their lawn and landscape through the hot season. As I already mentioned their are certain things that are unpredictable like broken pipes or pumps and this is not your fault, but make sure to call as soon as possible to get it repaired because you may be in for a little wait. Another tip: be courteous to your lawn sprinkler technician as well as any other service person that would repair something or service you. Remember, it is not their fault that your lawn and/or landscape is having problems. They are just a person trying to work as hard and fast as they can under very difficult weather and working conditions, as well as a heavy work load. Being a little courteous and understanding, rather than being inconsiderate and demanding can be the difference between getting your sprinkler system visit sooner than later:)

Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com
http://www.advancedirrigationsystems.net

Best Time Of Day To Water Grass

2009-06-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

A common question that I get asked is, "What time of day or night is the best or optimum time to water your lawn and landscape?" The best time to water your grass is in the early morning hours.

You don't want to water too early or in the middle of the night if you don't have to because if you get all your watering done while it is still dark and it sits for too long it can cause mold, fungus, and mushrooms in your yard.

If you water too late, the sun will evaporate much of the water and the lawn could not get enough as the water is being wasted. Also, if you water too late in the day, the sun can burn the blades of the grass because it is high in the sky and the water on the grass magnifies the sun's UV rays.

So, try and water between in the early morning. Obviously there are several different factors that may determine your watering window such as having to water at night at commercial buildings, or having a lot of zones with several hours of cycle run time, but do your best to center your program around the early morning hours if possible.

Scott

http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com