“If homeowners with irrigation systems use a certified irrigation professional to perform regular maintenance, they can reduce irrigation water use by 15% or nearly 8,800 gallons of water annually. That’s the equal to the amount of water used to take 500 showers!”
– WaterSense, an EPA Partnership
Irrigation Birmingham Alabama – Steps to Properly Maintain Irrigation
Reduce demand: Use native plants in your landscape—they require less care and water —and apply mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation. Converting to water smart landscape can reduce outdoor water use by 20-50%.
Less is more: If you step on your lawn and the grass springs back, it does not need to be watered. Watering plants too much and too frequently results in shallow roots, weed growth, disease, and fungus.
Play “zone” defense: Schedule each individual zone in your irrigation system to account for the type of sprinkler, sun or shade exposure, and the soil type for the specific area. The same watering schedule rarely applies to all zones in the system.
Make it a date: Inspect your irrigation system monthly. Check for leaks, broken or clogged sprinkler heads, and other problems. Clean micro-irrigation filters as needed.
Get your head adjusted: Straighten heads and correct obstructions in sprinkler heads that prevent sprinklers from distributing water evenly. Keep water off pavement and structures.
Let the rain do the work: Rain sensors turn off your system in rainy weather and help compensate for natural rainfall.
Easy does it: Install drip irrigation for gardens, trees, and shrubs to slowly irrigate and minimize evaporation, runoff, and overspray.
Watch the clock: Water when the sun is low or down, winds are calm, and temperatures are cool to reduce evaporation. You can lose as much as 30% of water to evaporation by watering midday. Adjust the watering schedule regularly to conform to seasonal weather conditions.
Cycle Soak: Most people think you need to water your turf for 45 minutes but turf can only absorb a certain amount at a time and the rest is run-off waste.
Set your clock for 10 minutes soak and repeat as directed by a turf expert to cut your water use by 50% and still allow your turf the right amount of water. You can call us to walk you through adjusting your clock at no charge to our clients. We’re here to serve you!
Contact The Nelson Team Service Department at (205) 702-4426 to schedule an assessment today! Customers that schedule an assessment and reference this newsletter will receive a discounted rate of $65.00 per system!*
* Discounted rate is for system assessment only. Regular rates apply for all other services. This offer expires September 1, 2015.
Everything we do is done with honesty, integrity, and character. This philosophy has made The Nelson Team one of the most respected companies in our niche.
We appreciate your business!
Bill Nelson
I agree that using plants that are native to where you are planting them will make them grow more easily and it might even help to lower the need for sprinklers. It is also important to make sure that there are no leaks in the irrigation system that would make it so that some plants get over watered while other plants get under watered. I think that a drip system is one of the most effective so that throughout the garden all of the plants can get the water that they need throughout the day.