Irrigation Audits Are Key to Successful Water Management

Irrigation systems are one of those things that people don’t think about while they’re working. It’s only when there’s trouble that people pay attention to them. But like virtually everything else in this world – our homes, our cars, even our relationships – in order to keep things working properly, they do need a little TLC.

Most of the irrigation systems in our area were put in more than 20 years ago, which is also about the average lifespan of many system components, though the piping can last much longer. As thatch builds up, the heads can really get buried - we’ve seen some buried as deep as three inches. This makes irrigation systems work less efficiently – you can see the weaknesses in a system during drought-like conditions when our plants and turf desperately need water and don’t get it. 

global-3371528_1280

 

Your irrigation system is a complex machine. It is a collection of moving parts, each with a specific job and plants for which it is responsible. When one component fails to do its job, your plants in that area will suffer. Sometimes that may just mean installing some replacement heads and valves, other times it can be something far more serious. It’s hard to service irrigation systems because everything is underground and we can’t rely on an immediate visual inspection to pinpoint problems.

If your property has an aging irrigation system, there will come a point in the future where it will need to be replaced. On the upside, doing so is also the opportunity to integrate new technology that is more efficient at controlling water use, which is great for your property and the environment. One great system we recommend is Weathermatic, which irrigates your landscape based on our Georgia weather and site specifics, such as your sprinkler system, plants, and soil types.  It then continually monitors local weather for healthier plants and more beautiful landscapes. This is a significant change from older irrigation systems, which irrigate on fixed-time schedules.

One service we like to suggest to clients is an irrigation audit, also known as an irrigation inspection. This service allows trained professionals to take a quick peek, so to speak, under the hood to make sure your system is running as efficiently as possible. Often irrigation audits are the first step in solving irrigation problems before they become major, and more expensive concerns. We have a great blog on irrigation audits that you can read for more information. 

 

If you’d like to get on our schedule for an irrigation audit this summer, you can contact Paul Clute directly or fill out the contact form on our website.

New Call-to-action

 

Topics: Water Management