How To Maintain Your Irrigation System

Many homeowners use in-ground irrigation systems to keep their lawns lush and green during the hottest and driest weeks of summer. Before you turn on your irrigation system this year, a bit of maintenance may be in order. Regular maintenance and tune-ups not only keep your lawn in perfect condition, they also help to prevent water waste.

Check out these tips and tricks to ensure that your irrigation system is in prime working order this summer:

Check Your Water Pressure

Before you turn on your irrigation system for the first time, be sure to check your water pressure settings. The ideal setting is typically between 40 and 65 PSI.

Check For Any Missing Or Broken Sprinkler Heads

When sprinkler heads are missing or broken, water won’t be distributed across your lawn properly, causing wet spots and runoff. This can actually do damage to your lawn in the long run, as excessive wet spots will likely lead to over watering. When plants receive too much water, it impedes the roots’ ability to take up oxygen, damaging plant health.

Adjust Sprinkler Heads So That They Are At The Right Angles

Just like you want to examine for missing or broken sprinkler heads, also check to make sure that all heads are in the right position. Tilted heads, commonly caused by a bump from a lawnmower or from a foot, will throw more water to one side than the other, causing uneven watering and dry spots.

Change Control Timers To Meet Seasonal Plant Needs

Different plants have different watering needs. Furthermore, these watering needs will likely depend on the season. Plants require much more water during the peak heat of summer than they do in the cooler, wetter spring and fall months. For example, bluegrass lawns require 0.6 to 0.9 inches of water per week in spring and fall. However, in the summer, they tend to need double that amount, usually somewhere between 1.25 to 1.5 inches per week. Make sure you change controller settings to adjust to your lawn needs including the run time of your irrigation system.

Match Runtime To Exposure

The more sun your lawn is exposed to, the more water it will likely need. Make sure you alter sprinkler runtime accordingly.

Ryan Lawn and Tree provides a number of lawn and tree care services to residents and businesses located throughout the greater Kansas City area, including those located in Wichita, St. Louis, Springfield, MO, and Tulsa, OK. Contact us at 855-216-2293 or fill out our online form to receive a free lawn care estimate.