Sprinkler Systems - Common Problems and the Best Solutions to Guarantee Proper Watering of the Lawn

Sprinkler systems and irrigation timers are usually forgotten by the home owner, landlord or property manager after being installed. For the most part the home owner can just set it and forget it; until there is a problem. There are a few common problems which usually go undetected by the home owner until detrimental effects occur.

Most of the time, the recommended time to water the lawn is in the early morning hours. One of the most common problems is that the sprinkler heads are out of adjustment or alignment. Months may go by before the home owner may realize this fact until the lawn begins to display signs of suffering from a lack of water.

The majority of sprinkler setups or layouts will suffice at first, but another problematic situation and one that is a bit more involved may not occur until several years after the initial sprinkler installation. Foresight and the expected growth of trees, shrubs and bushes are often not taken into account by many when installing an irrigation system. The end result can be that the spray pattern is being partially or fully obstructed by branches or trunks. In this scenario, the home owner will have three options: cut down the tree, drastically cut back the overgrowth or relocate the sprinkler head.

Relocating sprinkler heads may not seem to be too difficult. When a sprinkler head is moved, however, very often an additional sprinkler head may need to be added in order to compensate for an area which is no longer being covered by the new spray pattern. When adding a sprinkler head or making any changes to the physical layout, the existing pipe sizes may not be adequate.

A well designed sprinkler system does not use one size of pipe throughout the entire system. The reason for this is as the pipe runs become longer or additional legs are added, a decrease in water pressure can occur. When this occurs, the previous spacing of sprinkler heads will no longer be sufficient to cover the lawn. In some extreme cases the pressure may be so low as to not allow the sprinkler heads to pop up.

The complexity of irrigation timers can also pose significant frustration for home owners or landlords. Newer timers are more simplified in their design and operation than those timers from many years back. With modern day programmable irrigation timers, several distinct programs can be setup with greater ease and more intuitive functioning to allow for different seasons and zones.

Regardless of the current problems that the home owner or landlord may be experiencing it is often easier and wiser to have a professional irrigation specialist inspect and service the irrigation system. It is quite easy for a home owner to louse up the sprinkler system and then in frustration decide to turn the whole system off. By not ensuring the system is setup properly and working at 100% efficiency, the home owner or landlord is just wasting money.

For more about the topic of sprinkler systems and proper law.n fertilizing, please visit or call www.advancedirrigationmn.com at 612-599-8675.

Article independently authored by Dan Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Advanced Irrigation of Minnessota.

How to Manage Your Irrigation System in 7 Easy Steps

If you are one of the people who love to have a beautiful green lawn and have taken the time to install an irrigation system, then you will want to maintain the life of your system, so that it will work exactly the way you want it to, every time you turn it on. And, while proper maintenance is necessary year round, what you do in the spring is an important part of ensuring that your irrigation system works properly the rest of the season.

Getting Started...Spring into Action

To guarantee that your irrigation system works as you wish it to, you don't have to have a degree in rocket science. In fact, the first 3 (once you have the needed items) steps take less than 10 minutes and the remaining steps usually take less than 30 minutes to complete!

1. Go to your garage or local hardware store, and get an adjustable wrench and some Teflon tape or plumber putty. Then locate your irrigation system's galvanized plug or spigot on top of the irrigation controller... often this will be located in the garage. Should you not have a plug, one can typically be purchased at your local hardware store. Using the tape or putty, be sure to cover the threads of the plug as it will prevent leaking over the summer. Sometimes, the outside plug may not have been removed, in which case you can skip step 2 and proceed to the 3rd step.
2. Take the plug to the outside valve and screw it into the opening, being careful not to make it excessively tight.
3. Once the plug is in place, open the water shut off valves by rotating the valves till they are parallel with the water line.
4. Next, locate the colored ball valve (often near a yellow tag saying, "Danger, Do Not Open"); typically this is in your basement or near/above the water meter. Feel free to remove the tag, then slowly open the valve until you hear the water slowing down, then you can open the valve all the way or until the valve is parallel with the water line. If you hear your pipes rattle and bang, try opening the shut off valve a bit faster.
5. Return to the sprinkler controller and set the correct date, time, watering times, watering days, zones runs times and any other information necessary to see that your lawn looks its best. If, however, you did not turn off the controller over the winter months, this step is unnecessary, unless you want to change something for the new season.
6. Do a quick manual run through to see that each zone's sprinkler head is working properly.
7. Most professionals suggest turning on your sprinkler only after overnight temperatures are not dropping below 40 degrees. In addition, be sure that when you are setting the run times that you keep in mind any watering schedules set by your city ordinances so you can avoid being penalized.

For additional information on the topic of sprinkler systems visit Advanced Irrigation. Article independently authored by Janet M. Slagell. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Advanced Irrigation. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Preparing Your Yard and Winterizing Your Sprinkler System for the Colder Weather

As the weather begins to turn colder home owners should not ignore the signs of winter soon approaching. Just as in springtime, there are essential home and property maintenance needing to be performed before the first freeze. A quick inventory of the home's exterior and surrounding landscape can save thousands upon thousands of dollars.

One of the most important tasks to take care of is the removal of any overgrowth next to the house and making sure there is clear access to and from the street. The reason for clearing any overgrowth from against the home is due to snow building up against the siding with no clear way to remove it. As the temperatures warm up during the day some snow may melt and seep into joints and other openings. When the temperature drops to freezing at night, any water that has been wicked into the siding or even mortar joints will expand when it freezes causing cracking and other damage. Most of the time this damage does not become apparent until many seasons later, but by that time the damage can not be prevented.

Surveying any nearby trees for large overhanging limbs or dead growth should be removed before the first snowfall. The weight of snow which gathers on tree branches up above can easily equal over one hundred to two hundred pounds. Weak and large branches overhanging the roof, carport or car can come crashing down causing severe damage. Insurance may cover the damage, but the home owner will still be without a vehicle or have a hole in the roof. Trees even along the street can prove to be a major hazard. Fallen branches or trees that may block street traffic in time of an emergency can prove fatal for a person waiting for a response to a 9-1-1 call. Any diseases or dead trees need to be removed before the first snowfall.

The other potentially major problem is regarding sprinkler pipes and hose connections at the house. Freezing temperatures make water expand. Should any water be present and under pressure in these lines when temperatures fall below the freezing mark, it is a good bet there will be some water line breakage. Generally a problem such as this will not become apparent until the temperature climbs to a sustained point above the freezing point.

Many professional irrigation services or landscapers have the means and proficiency to provide additional services above and beyond those of just fertilizing, seeding and sprinkler system installations. Fall sprinkler line blow-outs and tree removal are necessary every autumn to prevent dangerous and expensive situations.

For additional information on the topic of fall weatherizing, irrigation and tree removal visit Advanced Irrigation. Article independently authored by Daniel Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Advanced Irrigation. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Roof Cave-Ins and Broken Water Pipes - How Best To Avoid These Perilous Situations During Winter

Each season brings with it its own benefits and challenges. Yard work and home maintenance is typically thought of as a spring chore. There are several aspects of yard work and property maintenance that, if left untended, can cost a pretty penny in the midst of winter months, however. With the onset of the fall and winter seasons fast approaching these tasks often go overlooked by home owners.

The complacency of a home owner can cost thousands of dollars or more with regards to tree maintenance and home maintenance. Every year each winter seems to deal a harsher blow to the private citizen and business owner alike than the previous winter in the form of damage to the roof, buildings and vehicles.

Freezing temperatures and heavy snow lining overhanging tree branches can easily pierce through a roof or fall onto a car causing massive damage to occur when the limb does snap off from the trunk. What is worse is if a tree should injure the home owner and their family or neighbor. Winter weather can slow or even obstruct any emergency response personnel from providing necessary medical care in the event of an emergency.

One key preventative measure is to walk around the home with a critical eye towards safety. Overhanging branches, as well as older trees, should bear close inspection. Low hanging branches are less likely to cause damage to a roof, but can easily destroy rain gutters and vehicles and interrupt power due to a downed power line. Trees which have been weakened by prior seasons may begin to lean or may not show any evidence at all.

Being proactive by calling a lawn care and maintenance company can save much grief on the part of the home owner. Surprisingly other companies offering seemingly unrelated services such as irrigation and fertilizing, will often handle tree trimming during the winter due to less demand for lawn mowing and irrigation.

Cracked water pipes are another major concern. Fall blowouts for existing sprinkler systems are another service which needs to be performed. Freezing temperatures are notorious for causing cracked water pipes, both underground and in the interior of homes. With regards to water supply lines located within a home, it is important to shut off the water supply valve to pipes extending through an exterior basement wall to the outside. Some homes may not have an interior shut off valve for outside spigots.

For additional information on the topic of home and lawn maintenance visit Advanced Irrigation. Article independently authored by Daniel P Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Advanced Irrigation. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Lawn Irrigation - One Major Component in Addition to Fertilizing and Proper Mowing Methods

Golf courses always have rich green and immaculate grass as far as the eye can see. They should when fairway mowers can surpass the $8,000 mark. Unfortunately, home owners do not have access to these heavy duty industrial mowers. Premium results can still be affordably achieved, however, with the right tools. There are three key ingredients to a lush green lawn.

Every species of grass has an optimum height to ensure a healthy lawn. Proper mowing is essential. Generally, a height of approximately 3" - 3 ¼" is ideal. Believe it or not, maintaining the proper length is important for the roots of the grass and helps shield the ground from excessive heat from the sun during summer months. A home owner or lawn care company should never take off more than a third of the total height of the grass. Cutting more than this will be increasing the chances of the lawn drying out prematurely, burning or disease.

Proper watering times, frequency and length of each cycle are critical for maintaining a healthy yard. The best times to water, regardless of the region of the country, is during the early morning hours. By setting irrigation or sprinkler timers for these times ensures that the water has time to penetrate to the roots through the blades of grass and soil before the afternoon heat arrives.

Watering later in the day will just be wasting water due to the afternoon heat drying the lawn quickly and increased evaporation. It will also be a waste of water as it is usually windier during the afternoon than early morning which will blow the water spray away. Irrigating the lawn is not generally recommended in the evening hours. The reason is that with the cooler temperatures of the evening coupled with wet conditions will increase the likelihood of mold or fungus.

The final component of bringing up a healthy and vibrant lawn is the proper distribution of fertilizer and the correct type. Weed-and-feed fertilizers are quite popular, but the home owner needs to be aware of the different types. There is not a one size fits all weed-and-feed fertilizer for all grass species. Be sure to select the correct type. Timing of the fertilizer application can also make the difference between a lawn riddled with weeds and a yard which if weed free.

In the late summer and fall months, a post-emergent herbicide will help to inhibit the growth of weeds. Limiting the growth of weeds will also affect their ability to store nutrients for the following growing season in the spring. Early spring is the ideal time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide in order to prevent weed seeds from germinating.

Although it may be simple and straight forward in theory to properly maintain a lawn, restoring a yard takes a lot more energy, cost and time than most home owners have available. For this reason alone it is often more inexpensive to hire a professional lawn care company than it is for the home owner to buy the fertilizer spreader, heavy bags of fertilizer and so on.

For additional information on the topic of lawn irrigation and fertilizing visit Advanced Irrigation. Article independently authored by Daniel P. Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Advanced Irrigation. Click for Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Frequently Asked Questions for Lawn Irrigation Systems

Q: Does Installation Cause Damage to My Lawn?

A: Techniques have progressed and improved from many years when a lawn looked like a war zone after the installation was completed. Installation of a lawn sprinkler system generally uses pipe pulling technology to avoid disrupting the lawn. These machines are specifically designed to install components with minimal lawn damage. One of the great benefits is that pipes can be installed under driveways and sidewalks without the need to trench or damage them. After a system is installed, you will barely be able to see the disruptions after four to six weeks.

Q: Do Automatic Lawn Sprinkler Systems Waste Water?

A: No, automatic lawn irrigation conserves water. During hand watering much water is lost due to evaporation and application at the wrong time of day. An automatic system can be set to always apply water at the best time of day to mitigate evaporation loss. Additionally, sprinkler heads can be set to provide an exact amount of water to a precise location. Plus, irrigation systems don't water your driveway or sidewalk like so many manual watering systems.

Q: What's the Cost for a Professional Irrigation Installation?

Answer: This is a tough question to answer since every lawn is different in shape and complexity. However, for the typical suburban lawn in a typical setting, you are looking at $2000-$3000. Again, this is just a rule of thumb.

Q: How do I Benefit from an Automatic Sprinkler System?

Your sprinkler system will work whether you or home or not. It is certainly no fun to be gone for a week and come home to a brown lawn. Additionally, a lush, green lawn adds curb appeal. If you decide to sell your home, you will likely earn a higher selling price if your lawn looks its best. In fact, you could recoup your entire install cost through a higher selling price.

Q: What Should I Consider When Hiring an Installer?

Make sure that any potential installer has proper credentials and insurance. Also, request all warranty information up front. Be sure to ask for referrals so that you can speak with past customers. Finally, be certain your installer has been in the business for several years - you don't want to be somebody's first job or second job.

For additional information on the topic of lawn irrigation and sprinkler systems visit http://www.AdvancedIrrigationMN.com

Weed Control and Fertilizing - Save Money With Experts Instead of Wasting it on Trial and Error

It is a monotonous task for the home owner to find specific lawn care information on the internet. The U.S. has wildly varying climates. While the southern states will experience average summer temperatures well into the 90s, northern states, such as Minnesota, will only average into the upper 70s. Minnesota will also experience extensive snowfalls, whereas snow in Florida or Texas is practically a myth. Because of this great disparity of temperatures and climates, it stands to reason that what grasses and plants will thrive in one region will not do well in other parts of the country.

Even when examining a lawn within a hundred foot wide area can there exist drastic differences from property to property. There are literally hundreds of weed types and lawn pests which can be found throughout every region of the U.S. The home owner could spend week upon week attempting to diagnose a sick lawn or one in poor condition afflicted with these situations. It is usually much faster and economical to call a professional lawn care or irrigation company to inspect and troubleshoot for any problem areas of the yard.

It can be more economical because of the cost of personally traveling to the local hardware store or super center and purchasing large bags of chemicals in order to try the trial and error method. A professional lawn care specialist should be extremely familiar with the local species of grasses as well as the problem weeds of the area. It is this expertise that is well worth any investment.

The other major concern is regarding chemical safety. The majority of fertilizers and weed controls are synthetic in nature. Some of these can have adverse effects for people with added sensitivities and allergies and animals. A home owner, for this reason alone, would be prudent in hiring an experience lawn care company. The lawn care professional will know the best and safest method for handling chemical fertilizers.

For those home owners who are concerned with the overuse of chemicals and any potential hazardous effects on vegetation, animals and gardens, there are some excellent organic fertilizers which can be applied instead of the synthetic fertilizers. Manufactured or synthetic weed control chemicals are still going to be the most effective at killing weeds and preventing the return. Any concerns of this type should be discussed with the lawn technician before any lawn care program is started.

For more details or information on fertilizing and irrigation please visit www.advancedirrigationmn.com.

Article independently authored by Daniel P Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Advanced Irrigation of Minnesota.