Tips to Keep or Maintain the Life of Your Sprinkler System

Landscaping and irrigation require a proper sprinkler system to keep your lawn properly watered. But your Houston sprinkler system is exposed to intense heat, forcing it to work harder as a result. Your sprinkler system needs to be properly maintained to extend its lifespan.

If you take care of your system, it can last for up to 20 years.

The first and most important thing is to invest in good quality heads. Poor-quality heads may last only 2 to 3 years before replacement is needed. There are other steps you can take to maintain and extend the life of your sprinkler system.

Tips to Keep Your Houston Sprinkler System Running Well

1. Spring Inspection

You’ll often start your system in the spring. It’s important to thoroughly inspect your system at this time, making sure that none of the following are broken:

• Heads
• Pipes

Slowly turn on the water to allow for an even pressure surge to reduce the risk of damaging fittings and pipes.

2. Check the Pressure

Your system’s pressure can change over time. A loss in pressure will negatively impact your system’s efficiency. If you’re losing pressure, there may be a bigger issue with your system that is going overlooked.

3.  Check and Repair Clogs

Spray heads can become clogged, break or leak. When you experience any of these issues with your spray heads, you may see a loss in water pressure. A clog or a leaking head can eventually break.

Check for these issues between regular maintenance checks and repair them as they occur.

4. Winterize Your System

It’s easy to forget about winter when your sprinkler system is running in Houston’s hot summers. When the heat subsides and the colder months of the year roll in, it’s time to winterize your sprinkler system.

Winterizing involves flushing water from your system.

Ideally, you’ll flush your system in mid-October. When you flush your system, you reduce the risk of:

• Pipe cracks
• Pipe breaks

Winterizing eliminates the risk that your system’s pipes will freeze.

5. Readjust Sprinkler Heads

Are your sprinkler heads properly positioned? If not, there’s a chance that you’re watering the sidewalk or your driveway. Check your sprinkler heads and adjust as necessary to ensure an even watering across your yard.

You’ll also want to check for runoff.

Runoff wastes water that will wash into storm drains. Be sure to adjust any sprinkler heads that are notwatering your lawn properly.

6. Audit the System Twice During the Summer

You, or a professional, should conduct a full audit of your system during the summer. The audit will take place at the start of summer and mid-season. You want to make sure that everything is running properly and there is no sign of breaks or leaks.

If you keep your sprinkler system properly maintained, it will allow for even watering, better landscaping and a beautiful green lawn. You can also test your water leveling times and change interval times to save water. Different soil types require different durations for the sprinkler system to stay on, such as clay, which often takes seven minutes to fully soak.

Maintenance also allows you to enjoy a longer-lasting sprinkler system and avoid expensive replacements.