Sprinkler System Trouble Shooting Guide

As summer quickly approaches, you should have one thing on your mind – lawn maintenance. Well maybe lawn maintenance and the beach…but mainly lawn maintenance. The scorching summer sun can wreak havoc on your grass, so it is important to take the proper precautions to keep your lawn looking great.

Installing a sprinkler system is a good start, but the job does not end there. Many homeowners neglect to properly maintain their lawn irrigation systems. If a sprinkler system is not working properly, your lawn may not get the watering it needs. And nothing looks quite as bad as a yard with patches of dead or dying grass.

This article from AssociatedContent.com explains the three steps you need to take to keep your sprinklers working to their full potential.

  1. Maintain your sprinkler heads: To check you sprinklers, turn on your system and take a look. A good sprinkler system should have head-to-head coverage. This means that the spray from one sprinkler head will reach the next. This ensures your yard is getting a thorough watering. If you are not getting head-to-head coverage, you may need to adjust your water pressure (do not go more than 25% past the factory recommended setting). If this does not work, check to see if your sprinkler heads are buried too deeply. If the heads are too low, dirt and debris may be affecting the unit, or the heads may simply be too low to spray properly. If neither of these solutions help your situation, it may be time to replace some of your sprinkler heads.
  2. Avoid Sunlight: The same rules for vampires apply to watering your lawn. Sunlight is a bad thing. Not only do lawns not drink as deeply during the day, but the daylight hours also have the highest evaporation rates. The best time to water your lawn is actually right before dawn when the conditions are optimal.
  3. Check your sprinkler lines: If your lines have burst, your water pressure will decrease and your lawn will become boggy and eventually develop sink-holes. If a line is ruptured, you can purchase a simple home repair kit at most hardware stores. But if the job is too big, consider calling a professional.

If you have any questions, contact TLC Incorporated by calling 888-742-5852 or click here today!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 12th, 2011 at 5:27 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.