INTRODUCTION
An irrigation system is a crucial component of a healthy garden or backyard. These systems are designed to distribute water evenly through artificial means, such as pipes, sprinklers, and drips.
Moisture is an essential part of a plant’s growth and strength. Lack of adequate water, or too much of it, hinders this growth process and results in withering. A healthy garden not only increases property value but also adds to the overall aesthetics of your place. Therefore, it is vital to regularly maintain your garden’s irrigation system for a lush and vibrant look. Neglecting maintenance can lead to costly and long-term disastrous effects.
To ensure that your irrigation system is running smoothly, MPR Landscapes will thoroughly guide you on the significance of irrigation system maintenance, discuss possible signs that your system is faulty, and provide five tips for proper care.
SIGNS THAT YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM IS FAULTY
A faulty irrigation system results in inadequate or excessive water in your backyard, negatively impacting your vegetation. A little knowledge of when and how your design can fail is imperative. Before diving into the importance of irrigation system maintenance, let us have a look at possible signs that may suggest that your system is malfunctioning. Make sure you observe these hints thoroughly before making any decisions about updates or repairs.
Look Out For Leaks
Leaks in irrigation systems occur for a multitude of factors. These include overdue system maintenance, outdated equipment, damaged pipes and valves, improper installation, and extreme weather conditions. Heavy machinery like lawnmowers can also accidentally damage your irrigation pipes. Water leakage is one of the most important and evident signs that your irrigation system is malfunctioning.
Leakage leads to water wastage and inefficient irrigation in your garden. To detect them, look around for puddles or excessive water accumulation. A stagnant water spot becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes, algae, and harmful bacteria. You may also notice reduced water pressure in valves occurring due to a possible seepage.
Clogged Sprinklers And Valves
Irrigation sprinklers and valves get clogged due to accumulating dirt, sand, and debris over time. When regular maintenance and clean-up of the irrigation system are neglected, these instruments start working inefficiently. Debris impedes the flow of water and reduces its pressure. In this way, the optimal performance of your irrigation system is reduced significantly. Inspect if your equipment functions alright. If not, it may be a leak or possibly clogged valves.
Spot The Dry Spots!
Apart from water accumulation in areas of your lawn, you may also sometimes notice dry spots. These are spots that need to receive a sufficient amount of water. As a result, you may see the grass or vegetation in these places turning dry and brown due to inadequate water absorption. It is reasonable to assume that you may have clogged sprinklers or damaged irrigation pipes not delivering water evenly. Dry spots can also result from uneven terrain or contours of your garden and poor installation of irrigation systems. All in all, look out for areas that are not at the receiving end of water from the irrigation system or need more water.
Excessive Water Wastage
Water is renewable, but it should be managed sustainably. Defective irrigation systems contribute to water wastage in several ways. You may notice a significant increase in monthly water bills or a quick water runoff into nearby streams. Plant roots do not adequately absorb excess water, which evaporates due to extreme summer heat. To ensure efficient water management and conservation, it is necessary to maintain the irrigation system regularly! Inspection is the key to problem-solving. Detecting problems at early stages allows you room to deliberate on what steps to take. Prompt measures are required to prevent costly repairs and adverse effects on your plants. Moreover, regular maintenance helps ensure your system is at optimal performance.
SIGNIFICANCE OF MAINTAINING YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM
Now that you know the signs of a defective irrigation system, let us move on to the importance of maintenance. First, you should prioritize routine and scheduled upkeep of irrigation systems in your garden. An efficient system conserves water and ensures effective water distribution throughout the space so your plants grow healthy.
Say Yes to Avoiding Long-Term Costs
Regular maintenance sessions also aid in preventing any long-term costly repairs or replacements. They extend the life of your equipment considerably. This care saves you time, money, and effort in the long run. Minor issues become significant if you do not pay proper attention to them. Take prompt action when you find out leaks or damaged parts. You can also call landscapers for help.
Keep Your Inventory Up To Date
Maintaining your irrigation system also means keeping it up to date. You can add sustainable irrigation tools to your inventory from time to time. Search around for better pipes, effective valves, new sprinklers, pumps, controllers, filters, and pressure regulators. These updates do not have to be expensive or extravagant. Strive to install new and effective technology that prevents leakage.
Innovative technology, such as sensors, is famous for analyzing relevant data and providing optimized results. For example, these sensors help schedule irrigation according to weather conditions and soil needs. For a detailed discussion about the techniques and equipment you can use for irrigation, contact expert landscapers like MPR Landscapes.
No More Water Wastage
A properly maintained irrigation system prevents waterlogging in your garden, stops water from accumulating, and averts the production of dry spots. In addition, it evenly delivers moisture to your garden to ensure that your plants do not die of overwatering or underwatering; striking a perfect balance between the two is the goal. In this way, no water is wasted during irrigation, and your plants grow up to be vigorous.
Enhance The Productivity of Your Equipment
Proper cleaning and maintenance of your irrigation system enhance the productivity of your system. It prevents any major failure and increases productivity. For instance, cleaning debris from clogged valves improves their performance.
A dirty underground pipe smells bad and carries harmful bacteria transported in water to your vegetation. Therefore, washing the irrigation pipes after every season is advisable for optimal results. Doing so removes all the amassed dirt, particles, and clots that otherwise hinder water delivery.
TOP 5 TIPS FOR PROPER MAINTENANCE
Let us look at the top 5 tips whereby irrigation system maintenance becomes easy for you.
Arrange Routine Inspections
Observation and inspection should be critical steps in your maintenance manual. Look out for all signs of likely damage that are listed above. Beware of leaks and water runoff. Especially go through your system before the arrival of a new season. Every season demands different levels of water irrigation, so remember to make adjustments accordingly. We recommend hiring a professional landscape service if you want to avoid going through the arduous inspection task.
Winterize Your Irrigation System
The popular opinion is to drain all the water from irrigation pipes before winter. Doing so will prevent any damage and harm to the irrigation system. The freezing weather of the season results in a freeze-and-thaw cycle. If there is water inside the lines, it will freeze upon the advent of cold. The ice will soon thaw and then freeze again as the temperature varies. This constant cycle expands and contracts the ice inside the pipe. The pressure produced as a result bursts the pipe or cracks it. As the temperature changes gradually, the ice inside the irrigation system melts. Consequently, a sudden surge of water pressure occurs, damaging sprinkler heads, valves, and pipes.
Say No To Heavy Machinery
You may have often used bulky and heavy machinery like lawnmowers, power augers, chainsaws, snowplows, and rototillers in your gardens and backyards. This equipment fulfills the functional needs of your lawn, but its use can damage your irrigation system. For example, chainsaws and mowers are utilized for trimming. However, more risky gear like power augers, snowplows, and rototillers can significantly destroy your irrigation system.
Power augers are employed for digging jobs in your space. If not done correctly, you can accidentally damage your underground irrigation pipes with augers. Similarly, rototillers have rotating blades that help prepare the soil by loosening it up. These blades pose a potential threat to your irrigation pipes and valves.
Snowplows are put into service in winter when there are hoards of hard snow in your backyard. This hefty machinery can crush pipes or sprinklers during work. Also, due to snow, it is much more complicated in winter to keep track of your irrigation equipment around the garden. Unknowingly, you can run over them with a snowplow. We advise hiring adept landscapers like MPR Landscapes for snow removal services and much more!
Act According To Seasons’ Demands
Every season has its own set of demands for your garden. Winter and summer, for instance, demand different adjustments to irrigation systems because of the varying water needs of plants.
Winter is cold and wet, so plants do not require frequent irrigation. However, summer is a different story altogether. The temperature rises, and the weather becomes scorching. With increased exposure to summer sun, plants require frequent irrigation; hence, more system maintenance is vital. Therefore, adjust your irrigation system to provide water for extended periods so your plants absorb sufficient water.
Sometimes extreme conditions like droughts require more irrigation than ordinary circumstances. In the winter, the melting snow provides adequate water to fulfill the needs of your plants, so there may be no requirement for additional supply. Comparatively, you will have to maintain your system less in winter. Adjust your system according to varying weather patterns and the needs of your vegetation.
Observe Sprinklers and Nozzles
Most importantly, routinely clean your sprinkler heads, nozzles, and valves. Inspect their rotations and make sure they are working accurately. A common mistake that the majority of people exercise is wrongly adjusting sprinklers. This can lead to overspray on hard lawn landscaping features, such as walkways, retaining walls, stones, etc. These areas do not require any irrigation, and constant water pressure can harm them.
ARE YOU READY FOR A MAINTENANCE SESSION WITH US?
If you want your garden to be in its best shape and enhance its beauty, ensure it is meticulously maintained by paying attention to the irrigation system. However, the maintenance of irrigation systems is a hectic and time-consuming task. Therefore, it is quite alright if you need more expertise and knowledge to do the job.
Hire professionals, such as MPR Landscapes, for maintenance services. After assessing the terrain and soil need, we install irrigation and drainage systems in your garden. Our staff pays special attention to minute details of your landscape’s requirements. We also have up-to-date equipment and tools for the upkeep and repair of your irrigation system. Contact us today to book your maintenance session right now!
CONCLUSION
To conclude, regular maintenance of irrigation systems is crucial for effective irrigation. Plants and trees require an adequate supply of water to flourish. Excess moisture or too little of it can result in plant death over time. First, identify signs that your system is faulty. Learn to look for possible leaks, dry spots, stagnant water, and water leakage. Address these issues promptly by fixing leakage and broken pipes and installing new equipment properly in place of defective pieces. Irrigation system maintenance is of utmost significance. It saves you from likely expensive repairs in the future, enhances equipment performance, prevents water wastage, and encourages you to keep your inventory up to date. Several tips can aid in convenient maintenance. For instance, you can routinely observe all equipment and sprinklers. Moreover, thoroughly prepare to drain your irrigation pipes before the arrival of winter. Limit bulky gardening machinery to reduce the risk of executing any damage. Choose experts like MPR Landscapes to get a multitude of services ranging from maintenance to design, snow removal, trim, grading, and clean-ups. We are here to assist you in all ways possible, so get in touch with us today!
