Common sprinkler system problems and How to Tackle Them

Keeping the lawns and landscape well hydrated is very important. The natural ground water or rain water do provide efficient watering, but sometime irrigation systems are essential to meet the requirements efficiently.

When it comes to the best irrigation systems, the sprinkler system is one of the best irrigation systems in the world. Its efficient, cost-effective and ensures your landscape is well irrigated throughout the year. Sprinkler irrigation installation in Austin TX homes are very common. They are easy to work with and they ensure efficient watering on the entire landscape.

Just like any other equipment, machine and tools, the sprinkler system too is likely to develop problem at some point of time. This can happen due to a variety of reasons, and there are ways to tackle them easily. If you have sprinkler system installed in your property, you may see a few issues arising from time to time. If the problems are minor, you can easily fix them or call professional repair service to address the issue.

Here are some of the most common sprinkler problems and how to deal with them:

1-Increased in Cost

If your water bill is higher than expected then your sprinkler system is not working efficiently. The irrigation installation in Austin TX homes is supposed to reduce the water usage by 50%. If the bill is high, which means your irrigation system is using more water rather than working efficiently. This is a big warning sign that says that you need to check your irrigation system. If you cannot find the fault, call sprinkler technicians to have a look at it. The reason for sudden spike in the cost can happen due to leaks in the system. If the water is escaping the pipe while watering the landscape, more water will be used.

How to fix the leak:

Usually, the sprinkler system works with the underground irrigation pipes. If there is a leak, a professional will find the leaky pipes by digging up the yard. Normally, you can tell where the leak is as there will be puddle of water on the area. The leaky pipe will be replaced with a new one. If the leak is minor then it can be fixed without any replacement. In some cases, an entire section of the pipe may need repair work. At the same time, the technicians will also check the sprinkle head to see if they are leaking too.

2-Issues with the Valves

Fault valves of the sprinkler system can result in inefficient watering in the area. Broken system control valves can result in uneven water distribution, which means more water will be used. Apart from inefficient watering, the water bill be high too. One easy way to check if the system is working fine or not is to see the grass. If certain areas are drier than the rest of the lawn it means the sprinkler is not working efficiently and the valve can be the reason behind it. Look for signs like water pooling, water dripping near the filters, appearance of bubbles, dirt, or mold growth around the equipment.

How to fix the problem of valve:

Replacing the fault valve is one of the best was to address the problem. Breaking of the sprinkler heads is common. It happens when it has been in use for a long time. All you have to do is looking for any cracking signs on the valves. You can easily see the signs. Sometimes the valve will come off completely. If the head is mounted too high, vehicles or lawnmowers can easily damage them.

Replace the valve of the sprinkler. It is easy enough, but if you want things to be right or you don’t have the experience, just call the professionals. They will easily replace the vale and make the sprinkler system efficient once again.

It is important to get irrigation installation in Austin TX by an experienced installer. Wrong installation can be a big reason for inefficient sprinkler system.

3- The Problem of Clogged Sprinkler Heads

Clogged sprinklers are common too. When you look closely you will see that the sprinkler heads are clogged making the irrigation system inefficient. When they are clogged, they will not spray waters, or will not rise-up when it is needed and may spray unsteadily.

Clogging can happen due to the presence of dirt, or grime or something in the water. To check if the sprinkler is really clogged, you need to dig up the head and take it apart by lifting the canister, the filter present in it is responsible for filtering out debris, grass or dirt.

How to fix the issue:

You can easily unclog the head by rinsing it with clean water. And, once the head and filter screen are cleaned, put them back. Make sure to check the head for any clogging from time to time. If the head is clogged it will not irrigate properly. At the same time, make sure that the irrigation installation in Austin TX is done by a professional and it is done correctly. Wrong installation of irrigation system can create a huge problem later on.

Make sure to get regular check-ups of the sprinkler system so that they can work efficiently and remain in good condition. This will also save you a lot of time and money on expensive repairs.

4- Water Pressure Issue

If your sprinkler system water pressure isn’t good enough, your lawns will not get proper irrigation. It is important to check the water pressure from time to time to ensure that the are working efficiently. Without the proper pressure your irrigation system will not take the water to the plant. The grass will not get sufficient water to grow and thrive. If the lawn is not well irrigated, it will look dry and brown. This is the sign that tells that your sprinkler system needs repairing or checking.

How to fix the issue:

You can use the tools like pressure gauge, and other techniques to check the system’s pressure. Make sure to check the pressure when the system is both on and off.

There are different ways you can do it – static pressure check when the system is at rest, when the pressure is at the lowest, and when the system is scheduled to irrigate the lawn. If you find it difficult, you can always seek the help of the professionals. They will perform the test and provide you with the results. They will also fix the problem so that your sprinkler system runs efficiently once again.

The Bottomline

The sprinkler system is one of the best irrigation systems you can install at your home. It is efficient and saves a lot of time. It is common to see a few problems in the system. Some of them are easy to fix while others may need professional help. Make sure to get professional irrigation installation in Austin TX for the best results.

If you are looking for a reliable irrigation installation in Austin TX, the Hunter Irrigation Services provides the best solution. We have many years of experience and have an experienced team that can handle all your needs efficiently. Call us at – 512-690-3113.

Read previous blog: Stuck at home during lockdown? Review your irrigation system right away!

Stuck at home during lockdown? Review your irrigation system right away!

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, not only cities but countries are locked down, and all of us are stuck at home. This is the perfect time to inspect your irrigation system and other parts of your garden to ensure that every system is working efficiently. In case they aren’t, you can call for professional maintenance, repair, or irrigation installation, Austin, TX, services. Although an automatic lawn irrigation system can make your garden look fresh and green, if it didn’t function efficiently, you might notice signs of dry patches or areas that are over-watered due to leakage issues.

While you have got enough time to stay at home, utilize these hours to give a new look to your lawn. Carry out a thorough inspection of the irrigation installation and get the issues resolved or get assistance from the professionals to get the water sprinkler system maintained.

Why is an irrigation system review critical?

There isn’t just one or two but several reasons for you to consider a quick review of the irrigation system being used in your garden. Water is critical for the great health of your plant. However, watering manually isn’t something you might want to do. Plus, it can be a major hassle. You might have to drag around the hoses, and in the process, you might even end up destroying a plant or two.

With innovative systems for irrigation installation, Austin, TX, you can be ensured that no manual effort is required to irrigate your space.

Here are a few reasons that make it important for you to review your irrigation system.

1-Higher Energy Bills:

If, in the past few months, you have experienced a sudden spike in your energy bills, it is critical for you to consider that might be a result of improperly installed irrigation systems or any leakage or malfunction that is leading to prolonged usage of power. We need to understand that outdated systems are prone to breakage and lead to higher power bills.

Plus, you cannot always be there to monitor things. So, now is the time to get started. With so much time at hand, you can try to track the issues that have been wreaking havoc to your irrigation system. In case you find something or even if you do not, it is important that you consider seeking help from professionals that provide services for irrigation repair or irrigation installation, Austin, TX.

2-Patchy Dryness in the Lawn:

In case your garden has been drying up in patches, you can be assured that something is wrong with the system. This dryness could be a reason for blocked or broken nozzles that have redirected or refrained the water flow from reaching certain areas. Rusted pipes or ones that have been used for far too long could be prone to such issues.

Check if this issue is prevalent in your case and opt for an immediate replacement for the part or, if needed, get an entirely new system installed with the help of service providers for irrigation installation, Austin, TX.

This can help avoid any issues in the future with regards to dryness in your beautiful garden.

3-Excessively Wet Garden:

To check whether your garden is normal or excessively wet, you need to put your finger on the soil. In case the soil feels way too soggy even after it being hours post irrigation, there surely is a breakage in your irrigation system. Now, you mind wonder that water is good for plants, so what harm would some extra water do? Well, it is right that water is needed for the proper growth of your plants. However, excess of anything is bad. This is true for water as well.

Excessive water can lead to root rotting and eventually kill off your plant. If left ignored for far too long, you would experience all your plants dying off one by one with nothing left for you to admire. To avoid this from happening during the lockdown, it is important that you start taking note of such issues.

Water Conservation: A Necessary Element to Consider During Irrigation Review

One thing that is sure with usable water is the fact that global warming and environmental issues have decreased the overall availability. Water conservation is the need for the hour. Unless you play your part in saving water, there might come a time when you might have to struggle hard to get access to water.

So, why is it so necessary to review your irrigation system?

Chances are, your garden has been experiencing leakage for a long time. While a small amount might not bother you, even a small amount of water loss can accumulate over time. Not only would you experience drastic loss of water, but it can also lead to the abrupt death of some of your plants or even damage your pathways that lead to the garden.

Change is the Key to Long-Term Savings

In case your irrigation system is outdated and doesn’t support your complete garden, it is time for you to seek help from service providers for irrigation installation, Austin, TX. In conjunction with the professional service providers, you can ensure that your plants are getting the right amount of water with no wastage.

You can opt for a smart irrigation system that can be customized for your irrigation requirements. Apart from this, make sure you check that your pipes do not develop mold, mildew, or fungus. In case they make way to your water pipes, it can infect your plants and cause certain diseases or even root rot leading to the death of the plant.

Plus, your smart irrigation system will ensure that there is no wastage of water, and the water aptly reaches your plant at the right time. Imagine you are out of the city for a long time. Who would water or at least switch on the button for your irrigation system?

With smart systems, you can program the pipes to water at a given time on a daily basis for a set time frame. This will avoid any wastage of water and keep your garden lusciously green while you are out on vacation or attending a meeting.

Read: What Is Irrigation? And How Can I Have a Lawn of My Dreams

Conclusion

So, why wait? Now is the time for you to start working on your garden and make sure that the irrigation system in place is optimum for the plants to thrive. You can also opt for zoning in case there isn’t one for your garden. This helps add water only when necessary. Most plants vary from one another as per water requirements. While some plants need water on a daily basis, others flourish well if the water supply is once every three days or so. If your garden is comprised of such plants, it is essential that you opt for irrigation installation, Austin, TX, with a zoning option.

Looking for reliable irrigation installation, Austin, TX, during a lockdown? At Hunter Irrigation Services, we ensure that all your irrigational requirements are adhered to in a professional manner. We also keep in mind the need for sanitization during the dispatch of our services. All our employees are provided proper gear to ensure there is no contamination. Further, we opt for a temperature check on a regular basis to ensure that no one in the staff is infected. For us, your health is of topmost priority. This is why we ensure regular use of sanitizers to avoid contamination. For more information on our services, you can give us a quick call at 512-690-3113 or mail us at aubreyhunter@aol.com.

What Is Irrigation? And How Can I Have a Lawn of My Dreams

The term lawn is synonymous with every other household. The green patch of land provides a turf to lie on while the moisture-laden wind touches your light hairs. However, things have moved fast, and gone are the days when a hose was enough for the household. As per the experts in lawn irrigation in Austin, TX, the advancements in the irrigation system is commendable and hence should not be ignored at all cost.

So what exactly is irrigation?

As per the urban dictionaries, “irrigation is the supply of water to land or crops to help growth, typically employing channels.” Irrigation plays quite an essential role in the growth of grasses and flower beds. Hence, hassle-free and modern irrigation systems have replaced the cumbersome traditional techniques with modern-day solutions.

To add on top of it, too much water or too little water can destroy your beautiful lawn. Overwatering is known to have created compact soils, promotes fungal growth while creating shallow roots for the plants. On the other hand, under watering plants turn your greenish lush to yellow while killing essential microbes required for plant growth.

The question to the best lawn irrigation in Austin, TX, – So why do we need an irrigation system?

The advantages of an advanced irrigation system outnumber the traditional units to a great extent. Some of the major highlights the benefits of the current systems are as follows:

  • Impacting effectiveness of the practice
  • To conserve water
  • To deliver systematic care.

To deliver regular care – The very sole purpose of sprinklers is to water the plants at the right time without the physical labor. The plants need to have deep roots, encouraging blossoms and leaves to be considered healthy. On the other hand, having your lawn watered every other day can be hectic, like anything.

On the other hand, if the lawn size is large enough, pipes do not go down the line. However, to maintain the lawn and keep it hydrated, the experts in lawn irrigation in Austin, TX, highly recommend installing a well-designed system to water the plants periodically. This also increases the price of the property without any additional effort if you ever think of selling.

Impact on the effectiveness of the practice – Every plant or tree has its requirement. While trees may consume gallons of water, the grass and the shrubs require a fraction of it. On the other hand, proximity is one of the greatest hindrances in the process of watering the plants with a hose. The remote areas won’t even receive water; hence, in such a scenario, the sprinklers come into play.

The sprinklers are mounted with different heads that ensure that even the most remote parts get the apt amount of water. The expert in lawn irrigation in Austin, TX, suggest using sprinkler heads to get the water even in the most unseen regions of the lawn.

To Conserve Water – The price of clean water has increased substantially, and in such a scenario, having a system that destroys the precious fresh water is nothing but devastating. In such a situation, having nothing but a well-equipped sprinkler in place will water your lawns thoroughly while saving taxes on water exponentially.

To add on top of it, the advanced sensors like the moisture sensor and the rain sensor is something that aides the sprinklers. In the case of rainfall, the sensors understand when the plants should be watered and when it should not be. This makes the world of sprinklers genuinely amazing.

 Achieving and Maintaining Your Perfect Lawn

Merely having your lawn watered every day isn’t helpful if you wish for a lavish garden. The lawn needs appropriate attention and fertilizers without which it won’t survive a month.

Here is a list of things to take care of if you want the perfect lavish lawns of your dreams.

  • Prepping Your Lawn
  • Weeding Your Lawn
  • Feeding Your Lawn
  • Mowing Your Lawn
  • Watering Your Lawn

Prepping Your Lawn – The induction of a clean lawn to avoid unnecessary changes in due time. The summers after the fall are the perfect time to prepare your garden. Remove the twigs, rocks, and everything unnecessary to avoid unwanted changes. Next step is to aerate the soil. Most likely, your lawn’s soil is compact due to no use. However, this time you need to aerate your land as much as possible. This, in turn, will help sunlight and water can now quickly pour down in the soil and make strong roots for the grass.

Read: Why is smart irrigation the need of the hour?

Weeding Your Lawn – Now that you have understood the importance of prepped land, the next step in the act is to remove the weeds throughout the lawn. Chances exist that the last year’s weed could turn out this year’s problem.

Weeds are a common problem in every household and hence could not be ignored at all costs. The weed could be categorized into two major categories – grassy weeds and broadleaf weeds.

As the name suggests, the grassy weed tends to grow in bunches and has an extensive root system. On the other hand, the broadleaf weeds (as the name suggests, has broadleaves) and similar to grassy weed has a sizeable comprehensive root system. Both the weed category can prove fatal for the entire lawn and should be removed as soon as possible.

Feeding Your Lawn – Once you are sure that you have eliminated all the weeds from the lawn, the experts from lawn irrigation in Austin, TX, suggest using fertilizers all across the yard. Different soils have different needs, so one needs to be careful about the type of fertilizer on which it is used.

The pH scale is one of the right indicators for the soil test. It ranges from 1 to 14, with one being the most acidic and 14 been the most alkaline—the neutral stand at seven, which is also one of the best pH values for growing plants.

Check for the alkaline levels and keep the pH value between 6-7.5 to get the best results.

Mowing the Lawn – Now that you have grown a healthy amount of grass in your lawn, it is time to mow your lawn. Here are some of the suggestions from the experts in lawn irrigation in Austin, TX.

  • Keep a healthy patch of grass. Less is more in such cases.
  • Use sharp blades for a better, uniform cut across the area.
  • Grass tends to tend to grow in the direction it is cut, hence, keep a tab on the cutting patterns throughout the year.

Watering Your Lawn

A lot has already been saying before the techniques for watering the plants. Water the plants in the right quantity and at the right time to reap the benefits of a healthy lawn. The frequency and time play a pivotal role and hence could not be ignored at all costs. The experts of lawn irrigation in Austin, TX, recommend using a superior quality irrigation system to reap the additional benefits.

When it comes to the world of irrigation, there are a ton of things that come into play. The experts of lawn irrigation in Austin, TX, have a ton to offer in the field of gardening and should be heard carefully.

For more information about us, contact us at aubreyhunter@aol.com

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Why is smart irrigation the need of the hour?

Although landscaping of an area is to enhance its aesthetics while preserving the soil and improving the quality of air surrounding the location, sometimes the use of water gets compromised. And in a situation where 33% of the world’s population is suffering from a water crisis, we cannot afford to lose it for the purpose of irrigation just in order for the landscape project. In this article, we are going to highlight the importance of smart irrigation and how you can improve your irrigation strategies to conserve water with the help of irrigation installation Austin TX.

Did you know that 70% of the total volume of water withdrawal is used for the purpose of irrigation? And that is where the wastage of water happens. That is because 60% of the water that is meant to be used for the irrigational purpose is lost due to land runoff or evapotranspiration, or only due to primitive modes of irrigation. This, in turn, casts light on the need for smart irrigation technology that can go a long way in managing the rising stress on water levels.

Read on this article to know more about the topic and understand why you should inculcate smart irrigation methods in your home lawns to contribute towards saving water.

The automated irrigation system is needed:

Smart irrigation is considered to be the critical component of precision landscape formation. It helps the landscape owners as well as the contractors setting up the project to minimize the wastage of water and thus improve the quality of plantation in the area by:

  • Irrigating the land at the right hour
  • Preventing runoffs and other forms of water wastage
  • Determining the level of moisture retained in the soil, which will further help you to find the correct irrigation strategy

Replacing the manually managed irrigation systems with the automated irrigation installation Austin TX bids riddance to the elements affected due to human error –in the essence of forgetting to close the valve after the field has been adequate water. Also, the automated method is instrumental as it helps in saving time, energy, and resources as well. The installation of smart irrigation system is relatively easy too –which doesn’t affect the lives of the average users.

The different types of smart irrigation systems:

There are two basic types of controls for smart irrigation systems. One is a weather-based irrigation system, while the other is soil-based. Both the systems vary in use and technical method of sensing and supplying the information for the irrigation system to work.

1-Weather-based irrigation system:

The weather-based smart irrigation system will make use of the local weather information from historical data, sensors, or reliable weather forecasting sources to make an informed decision about scheduling the watering times for the lawn.

A weather-based irrigation system is often termed as an evapotranspiration or ET system, which refers to the loss of water through the process of evaporation from the earth, and transpiration occurs from the greens. The water schedules are further determined by using an analytical assessment of the combination of humidity, insulation, wind, and temperature.

2-Soil-based irrigation system:

The irrigation system that is based on the profiles of the type of soil in the land makes use of information like the capacity of moisture retention of the local soil from the ground sensors to support information-based decisions to be taken about the watering schedules. The users can further configure the systems to manage the irrigation schedule on demand.

When you opt for irrigation installation Austin TX, you can schedule the timings of watering, depending upon the demand of the soil. For instance, if a particular area of the land is too dry, you can schedule to start the irrigation system of that area without affecting any other parts of the land. You can also decide to stop the system when the saturation level has been attained, and the soil now contains the desired amount of water required for the growth of the plants.

What is the advantage of using a smart irrigation system?

One of the most significant benefits of using a clever water irrigation system use that precision watering is the key technology that is kept in mind while the entire system is established. It further deals with the efficiencies of water delivery and makes sure to keep the wastage of water to a minimal level. There are generally four different types of water irrigation systems based on the types of water delivery:

  • Surface irrigation system: It is the most primitive method of irrigation, and it enables the distribution of water through irrigation systems such as ditches in which we have to depend on gravity to do the work.
  • Water sprinklers: In the sprinkler system –water is distributed through the air just as that of rain, which can be fixed in a location or could be mobile as well.
  • Trickle irrigation systems: The trickle system delivers water very locally to the surface of the ground.
  • Subsurface method: In this method, the irrigation system is buried next to the root zone of the plants, and water is directly applied from beneath the ground.

The subsurface method and trickle irrigation system make use of the lowest amount of water for watering the entire landscape, and they have the ability to save a maximum amount of water without wasting much.

The smart irrigation installation Austin TX is designed in a way keeping in mind the essentiality of water and why it needs to be preserved at any cost. The efficient use of water will not only help you save the water of your community but also you can contribute to the whole world, which heavily relies on fresh and clean water for survival.

Bottom Line:

Although we address the fact that turning barren land into a landscape could be the most efficient way of soil conservation and saving the environment from being polluted, we cannot ignore the fact that a significant amount of water is used for irrigating these landscapes. And the world that is continuously facing water scarcity –we cannot deprive it of more for the mere purpose of watering the greens.

However, what we can do is adopt other alternatives that will provide sufficient water for the irrigation of the land while checking on the wastage of the resources. Therefore, adopting the habit of using smart irrigation installation Austin TX is one such way to save our environment without further depriving it of any necessary forms of resources.

Are you looking for the smart irrigation installation Austin TX service providers in your locality? Then you have landed in the correct place. At Hunter Sprinklers, we aim to keep Austin TX wet and green. We will offer you with efficient irrigation systems that will help you conserve water without affecting the water balance of nature. To know more about us and to be a part of the green and clean environment call us at 512-690-3113 or you can also drop us an email at aubreyhunter@aol.com