Watch Out for These Signs of Damaged Irrigation
At its best, an irrigation system should make every property owner’s life significantly easier. With the installation of the right irrigation system, caring for your landscape can be as simple as setting a timer or flipping on a switch. No longer will you have to haul out a heavy sprinkler in the middle of July or conduct the painstaking process of dragging out a hose to tackle lawn maintenance.
Irrigation systems make watering your lawn and the rest of your landscape a breeze– that is, as long as it is working properly. A malfunctioning irrigation system can cost you precious time and money. In that case, you’d be better off with no irrigation system at all!
To avoid these costly risks, it’s important to catch subtle flaws in your irrigation system before they become major problems. For a proactive approach, here are five signs your irrigation system needs repair.
Signs of a Damaged Irrigation System
Visible Leaks
One of the most obvious tells that your irrigation system is in need of repair is that it has visible leaks.
Certainly, there will be water present on or around spigots simply because valves disperse water, but it is not normal for valves to leak. Especially if your irrigation system is leaking water while it is not in operation, this can be a sign of damaged equipment.
A brief visual sweep of the irrigation system on your property can help to ensure that these visible issues are mitigated quickly.
High Utility Bills
Monitoring the cost of your water bill is more than just a prudent financial practice; it could also tip you off to an issue with your irrigation system.
Typically, you control the settings on your irrigation system, so unless you have increased the amount of water you want dispersed throughout your lawn, the cost of running your irrigation system should remain the same.
If you’ve noticed a jump in the cost of your monthly utility bills, double-check your irrigation system. This could be a sign of a leak or faulty valve that is causing your system to release more water than intended.
Excess Pooling
If you don’t observe any visible leaks, and if the leaks aren’t significant enough to cause an increase in your water bill, you can also catch this issue if you notice any excess pooling of water on your property.
Puddles gathering around your lawn might be fun for the family dog, but they spell trouble for your landscape assets and are a clear sign that something is malfunctioning in your irrigation system. If you notice water pooling on your property, contact a landscaping professional immediately to mitigate this issue and avoid disaster.
Plant Damage
Conversely, too little water flow can be another sign that your irrigation system isn’t functioning properly.
If you’ve noticed patches of dead grass or other lawn problems, your first course of action may be to adjust the settings on your irrigation system. If you find that still doesn’t solve the issue, it could mean there is some sort of blockage or disruption in your irrigation system preventing water from flowing to your property.
Not enough water eventually means that you will have two problems to solve: repairing a damaged irrigation system and fixing the dead landscape. This can be doubly costly if not discovered and addressed quickly.
Disrupted Water Flow
It can also be beneficial to take a look at your irrigation system while it is running. Typically, irrigations have a steady flow or rhythm while in operation.
If you notice any disruptions, this is a clear sign of damage to your irrigation system. Disrupted flow can be a sign of a blockage or clog in your system and can be detrimental to the health and safety of not only your landscape, but the system itself.
A system running without enough water pressure will not sustain the life of your landscape and a system running with too much pressure could damage the irrigation system in the long run.
It’s one thing to identify the issues with your irrigation system; it’s a whole other thing to be able to mitigate those issues. Hiring the experienced professionals at The Parke Company for landscape services is the first step to ensuring you receive the kind of lawn care necessary to preserve the assets on your property.
From lawn mowing to tree removal, the landscaping professionals at The Parke Company have the experience and the skills to meet the unique needs of your property and bring your design dreams to life.
Give us a call (615-350-6033) or contact us online today to see how The Parke Company difference can work for you.