Summertime means time to go outdoors and enjoy back yard barbeques on beautiful green lawns. Unfortunately, our backyards may not be as excited as we are about the season as lawns hate the heat. Grass needs water to stay in shape for summer activities, which makes watering the lawn a high priority for most home owners.
It is said that if you walk across your lawn and can look back and see footprints in the grass, your lawn is thirsty for water. Proper water amounts for lawns are one to two inches per week, and if Mother Nature is taking her summer break, then it’s up to you to provide the needed amount. The best course of making sure the grass gets the water it needs to remain green and healthy is to have a sprinkler system installed.
Irrigation systems are optimal tools in maintaining healthy lawns as they can be programmed to provide the needed amounts of water at specific times of the day and week. Watering grass in the hot sun is not good for the water bill or the grass. Heat evaporates the water prior to it soaking into the ground, causing grass to be thirsty even after it’s been watered. The ideal time to water a lawn is early morning before sunrise. A proper working irrigation system can be set to provide water at a steady pace, even when home owners are away from home.
These systems can make lawn irrigation far more productive, but only if they are properly maintained. At the beginning of spring is the best time to make sure the irrigation system is up and running as it should be.
Examination of each sprinkler head to determine if each is intact and free from debris is the first step in checking the system. Sprinkler heads that are damaged can be easily replaced before any possible damage is done to pipes.
Once all sprinkler heads are checked, the system can be turned on slowly and cycled through the zones one by one to ensure each is working properly. Water pressure is important to observe during this process as too much suggests a possible blockage in the system, and too little pressure can indicate a leak. Both of these issues should be addressed before the lawn is in dire need of summer irrigation.
If problems are detected in the checking phase or during the lifetime of the system, it is best to consult a professional sprinkler maintenance company. Experienced technicians can best determine the cause of, and solution to, the problem. Sprinkler systems are an important part of lawn and landscape care, making sure they are operating properly can save money and time, leaving more of both for those summer backyard barbeques.