Recently in Irrigation Audits Category

Beat the HEAT

By Richard Silverman on August 8, 2011 10:03 PM
kids_sprinkler.jpgDuring these hot days of extreme temperatures it is important to implement a plan to protect your lawn and plants. Here are several action steps to care for your landscape investment:

1. Water often and for long periods whenever possible. When water begins to form a puddle on your property then cut back on the run time for that zone. If possible, run a second cycle during the day.

2. Water early morning. Anytime after midnight and before 10am. The water pressure is high, the volume is best and distribution of water will also be at its optimum.

3. Water during the day to cool grass down. Golf courses do this all the time and it is called syringing. Ground water from our aquifer is 54 degrees Fahrenheit and the cool water will calm down lawn & plants and relieve some stress. It is a myth that watering during the day will burn your plants.
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Sprinkler Problems

By Richard Silverman on July 27, 2011 7:09 PM
RR LogoDue to the heat, many of us are experiencing various problems with our sprinkler systems. Some of these issues might be due to the age of the system and can only be solved by performing preventative maintenance during the course of the summer.

Thumbnail image for Sprinkler problems 003.jpgDepending upon the complexity and size of the system some clients need more service than others. Typically the average sprinkler system requires repairs or replacements within 5 - 10 years. This includes sprinkler heads, sprinkler valves, controllers, rain sensors, and pipe repairs. Better grade equipment and installation allow the system to last longer, perform better, and require less maintenance.
Continue reading Sprinkler Problems.

SPRINKLER ALERT!

By Richard Silverman on July 19, 2011 7:25 PM
The HEAT is on! DUE TO HIGH HEAT AND PROLONG DRY PERIOD WE ARE ADVISING ALL OF OUR CLIENTS TO DO THE FOLLOWING:

rotary-sprinklers.jpg1. Increase the run time on your rotary sprinkler zones to 60 minutes per day for sunny areas.

2. Increase your SPRAY sprinkler zones to water for 15 minutes every day.

3. Increase your DRIP IRRIGATION zones to water for 60 minutes every day.

4. Increase the water budget key on your sprinklers to 110% or more.

5. Water as early in the morning as possible. Start at 1 am if possible. This will give your system the greatest pressure and volume and operate at the highest efficiency. It will also finish the cycle before you are up and using water in the home.

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Sprinkler Modifications

By Richard Silverman on July 12, 2011 4:48 PM
Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for blocked sprinkler heads 003.jpgBy now most everyone has had their sprinklers turned on and many of the repairs completed. As the season moves into the hot summer many of the calls for service are related to changes in the landscape and or home due to the following:

1. Plants grow and block the spray from the sprinkler heads. Sprinklers heads either need to be added to improve coverage, raised above plantings, or moved to provide better coverage.

blocked sprinkler heads 002.jpg2. Roots from trees can grow around sprinkler pipes and strangle piping reducing flow and loss of coverage.

3. New plantings can sometimes interfere with spray distribution.

4. New landscape construction such as patios, walkways, driveways, etc. can interfere with sprinkler coverage.


Continue reading Sprinkler Modifications.

Tips for Efficient Irrigation and a Healthier Landscape

By Richard Silverman on June 30, 2011 7:33 PM
SIM-LogoJuly is Smart Irrigation Month and is typically the month of highest water demand for lawns and landscapes in the United States. The Irrigation Association has named July as Smart Irrigation Month to increase public awareness about simple practices and innovative technologies for homeowners, businesses, and property managers can use to:

Impatiens.jpg1. Save money on water usage.
2. Conserve water and protect the community's water supply.
3. Reduce runoff and prevent leaching of valuable nutrients in the soil.
4. Public safety. When the demand is high for water usage the pressure and availability of water is reduced at fire hydrants.

According to the experts, most homeowners and property managers over water by up to 30%!


Continue reading Tips for Efficient Irrigation and a Healthier Landscape.

Sprinkler System Redux

By Richard Silverman on September 14, 2010 8:23 PM
Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Carlos.jpgAs summer begins to move into fall the dry weather continues and the Rain Rich Team is still busy fixing up and replacing sprinkler systems installed by others. Frustrated owners continue to call us to see what we can do to make their sprinkler systems work. It never fails that when we get a dry hot summer with very little or no rain that all the inadequacies of a poor design & installation become very apparent as dry lawn and shrubs. There are several mistakes made by inexperienced or handyman sprinkler companies and these include:

1. The sprinkler system is designed without knowing the working water pressure and volume.

2. Too many sprinkler heads on each zone.

3. Poor sprinkler head spacing. Usually too far apart.



Continue reading Sprinkler System Redux.

Service Contracts

By Richard Silverman on September 9, 2010 5:29 PM

Thumbnail image for service contractsIn a little less than two weeks the fall season will officially begin. It is a great time with the start of anew school year, the football season, baseball playoffs, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. It is also the end of summer, heat, humidity, and time to begin to think about winterizing your sprinkler system.

If you haven't already, I ask that you either renew your service agreement or purchase one for the upcoming year. Owning a service agreement is a convenient way to pre-pay your winterizing and summarizing appointments. You receive free service calls (a $70 value) and 10% off all repairs. Rain Rich takes care of winterizing your sprinkler system at the correct time and starting up your sprinklers in the spring..

Continue reading Service Contracts.

Sprinkler Modifications

By Richard Silverman on July 29, 2010 3:07 PM

sprinklermodification3.jpgThis summer has been a challenge on many levels, the weather being the most extreme. Scheduling sprinkler systems to run, the frequency,  and duration has been the focus the last several weeks.  When we schedule the calls for controller adjustments we are also finding many other issues being discovered for the first time. To compound the situation is that the past several seasons have seen above average rainfall in June - August which has masked many of the problems in the system and in the yard. 

Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for sprinklermodification1.jpgEvery year your sprinkler system should be evaluated for proper coverage due to the fact that as sprinkler systems age the following occurs:

1. Sprinkler heads go out of adjustment.

2. Sprinkler heads are crooked and do not spray properly.

3. There are broken or partially broken sprinkler heads and pipes.

4. Sprinkler pipe is chocked off due to root growth.

Continue reading Sprinkler Modifications.
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This page is an archive of recent entries in the Irrigation Audits category.

Holiday is the previous category.

Landscape is the next category.

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