The process of going exceptionally green around your yard owes maximally to a steady and functional irrigation system. It doesn’t matter how often the rains fall, it’s only seasonal.

Irrigation still contributes vitally to a beautiful and flourishing lawn your neighbors would love. However, we do understand that these machines could develop a few hiccups or two and this is normal.

At the same time, we do not not want you having a headache when these machines begin to act funny. This is why as Irrigation experts, we have put together a couple of questions you might likely have about your Irrigation systems and how to accurately troubleshoot these problems.

It might interest you to know that many of them require quick fixes by you, and others…you just need to give us a call.

So without further ado, here are some questions you might have about your Irrigation systems and your answers to them:

Q: Why does my sprinkler head barely spray water?

To this problem, there are a number of possible factors. The first could be that your back-flow device is malfunctioning or that you might have forgotten to turn on the water valves completely. You probably might have been in a rush. So, locate the water valve and turn it on completely. If the valves were well opened, then the back flow device might be the suspect and should be repaired. The device is usually located somewhere above ground level so that the water pipes descends down to the valve and splits the water to separate channels.

A more serious reason might be that there is a pipe burst somewhere underground leading to low water pressure. The area of the pipe burst is usually soggy and this is the point you would need to dig out. If you can’t detect an obvious leak anywhere? Then a roaming trunk must have crushed or compressed the pipe leading to restrictions in water flow. Digging up your lawn is the perfect solution and this should be done systematically by your Irrigation experts.

 

Q: How do I deal with run-offs and pooling on my lawn?

Some plants are not as ‘thirsty’ as you presume. This can be due to a variety of reasons such as the type of plant, or the type of soil it grows in. And when water is not absorbed, it runs off and leads to pooling.This is a clear waste of water but can be solved simply with the addition of a timer. A timer can adjust the amount of time that the water is on for based on the head or nozzle type of the Irrigation system you’re using.

 

Q: My landscape is windy and difficult to water.

Winds can really mess up an irrigation system. Even a gentle breeze will blow aside the water droplets from most sprinklers. While a slight breeze from time to time is not usually a problem, a steady breeze on a consistent basis should make you take some precautions.
As a windy landscape owner, you could install a wind speed monitor nearby which detects high wind speed and shuts off the Irrigation system automatically. This is a very effective method except that there is a snag. Your lawn could be water-deprived if it goes all windy for several days. The best way to deal with this is to avoid irrigation systems that spray water in the air (For instance sprinklers) A Drip system or bubblers are the ideal solutions for a windy landscape as the water is applied directly at the soil level from the emitters.

 

Q: A single zone of my sprinkler system Is Inactive.

This may be as a result of insufficient voltage reaching the terminals that feed the wires leading the problem zone. You can make use of a multi-meter to test between the common terminal and the affected zone terminal. If the voltage is too low, then you will need to replace the entire controller. Also, The low-voltage wires that lead from the controller to the zone valve’s solenoid may be damaged or disconnected. Run a check on the wires and make sure they’re intact. The solenoid on the valve could also be faulty. In this case, you will need to replace the solenoid. Simply put OFF the controller, remove the wires on the solenoid and unscrew it from the valve. Screw on a new solenoid and reconnect the wires. In severe cases, replacing the entire valve will be the solution.

 

Q: I do not need my lawn watered when it rains.

Are you having a hard time dealing with your irrigation system and the rains fighting for supremacy on your lawn? Well, you can fix this easily with the installation of a sensor which detects when it is raining and then tells the system to hold off on watering your lawn.

 

So friends, be advised never to leave an irrigation problem unattended to. Also an haphazard approach to resolving these issues could spell doom for your hopes of ever keeping a flourishing lawn or garden.

Contact us to speak with a service professional who would be able to detect your problem and perform high quality repairs.

Call ACS Irrigation Services to schedule a repair at affordable prices today.