Sprinkler systems make it easy to maintain a healthy lawn. Sprinkler systems can only do the job if your grass and plants are receiving the correct amount of water. If they don’t, you might end up spending more time in the summer heat trying fix the problem.
Your sprinkler system should be calibrated to your specific landscaping layout. It should also be checked periodically for any adjustments. If you are unsure about the effectiveness of your sprinkler system, you can perform a low-tech test to identify trouble spots.
You Can Do It Yourself
An empty soup can is the key piece of equipment needed for this experiment. You can also use other containers, such as milk cartons with their tops removed, wide-mouthed rain gauges, or measuring cups. As long as they are all the same size, however, you will need an empty soup can. You can place containers of equal size around your garden and lawn watering areas to verify how much water has been deposited.
To measure irrigation in the most important areas of your garden, place cans close to sensitive or thirsty plants. Spread the cans as evenly as you can on your lawn. You might find it helpful to mark these points on a map of your garden and lawn, in case you need to repeat the test with different cans.
After you have placed the cans, turn on your sprinkler system for 20 minutes. Use a ruler to measure each can’s water depth. To determine how much water your system distributes, you can use the average of all measurements. To determine if any areas are receiving too much or too little water, you need to compare the can’s depths to this average.
How to Get It Right
When homeowners discover they are overwatering or underwatering certain areas, a common mistake is to increase or decrease water usage across the entire system. This can cause problems in areas that were properly watered prior to the change.
You will need to inspect every sprinkler head to ensure that water is reaching the correct areas of your garden and lawn. Clogged sprinkler heads and nozzles can lead to underwatering problems. These can be easily cleared by gentle brushing. Rotating heads can also cause imbalances, such as overwatering in one place and submerging just a few feet away.
You can conduct your own soup experiment to determine if your sprinkler system is not working properly. A licensed plumber will inspect the system and make necessary repairs. Contact us
If you’re looking for other opportunities to safeguard against flood damage, or if you’re facing repairs in the aftermath of a recent flood, contact a qualified plumber today. Contact us .