Tips & Resources

Maintaining an Effective Irrigation System

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9 Simple Steps to Get Water to Your System

Consider the following tips when considering what should be part of your irrigation system! These things will not only save water this summer, but also save time and money.

  1. Upgrade your controller to one that responds to weather and soil conditions. Today’s smart irrigation technology can help your system use up to 30 percent less water. Upgrade your system by adding a rain sensor or a smart controller. Not only are these smart options more efficient, they can take much of the guesswork out of irrigation scheduling by factoring in actual weather conditions.
  2. Pressure-regulating rotors and sprays for optimal coverage and minimal water waste. High water pressure can cause standard sprays and rotors to emit water as a fine mist which easily drifts away rather than landing where it should—on the turf. Sprays and rotors with pressure regulation ensure that water is emitted at the proper pressure, saving approximately one gallon per minute per rotor or spray.
  3. High-efficiency nozzles designed to tackle real-world conditions. Not all nozzles are created equal. A high-efficiency nozzle provides more uniform coverage and superior close-in watering, increasing efficiency and shortening run-times — even in windy conditions. Rotary nozzles are easily adjustable for design flexibility while still offering a low precipitation rate and highly uniform distribution.
  1. Sprays and rotors with check valves to reduce run-off and improve aesthetics. Almost every landscape contains a few elevation changes, some significant enough to cause water to drain from the lower heads on the system. This can lead to flooding, erosion and wasted water. Certain sprays and rotors feature built-in check valves that eliminate drainage from heads located at the base of slopes or hillsides.
  2. Drip irrigation promotes healthier plants with less water. When it comes to watering individual trees, flower beds, potted containers or other non-grassy areas, you simply can’t beat the efficiency — and convenience — of low-volume drip irrigation. By delivering water to plant roots where it’s most needed, drip irrigation keeps plants looking their best, reduces water waste through evaporation or runoff and keep weeds from growing.
  3. Routine maintenance before and after the summer watering season – up run times/lower run times, review zones, etc. At the beginning and end of the hottest season, allow Daily Rain to check your system to ensure everything is working properly. Over time, a misaligned head, clogged head or torn line can waste thousands of gallons of water and wreak havoc on landscapes and water bills. During these seasonal service visits, we will review each system’s watering schedule to increase or decrease zone runtimes. Our technicians will also evaluate the system’s layout and determine whether zones need to be modified due to changes in the landscape, like a new flowerbed, patio, or maturing shrub beds.

Seasonal Irrigation Tips

Aiming to provide education and tips to your customers, Daily Rain, Inc. offers helpful information on managing your irrigation system all season long with the following guidelines for seasonal watering. For more information or consultation with a technician, contact us today!

Summer Watering Tips

In the summer, lawns need 1½" of water per week. This comes from natural precipitation or your sprinkler system. For run times on your system, usually 20 minutes, 3 times per week will get an inch of water on your lawn, and 30 minutes 3 times per week will get 1½" down. This is a basic watering schedule.

Don't Over/Under Water

Your grass needs a solid root system to stay healthy. Both over and under watering will compromise this. When you water too much, the soil and roots can’t absorb the moisture quickly enough, and you end up drowning the root system.

Your lawn needs a deep, solid root system to stand up to the foot traffic and weather. Under watering results in the growth of a shallow root base, which means your grass will not have the strength it needs, and it will generally be drier and more susceptible to insects and disease.

Water in the Morning

The most common watering mistake you can make is watering at the wrong time of day. When the lawn is watered in the morning, the water has the chance to soak into the root system and the grass blades will be dry before evening, when the pests come out.

If you water in the afternoon, you are not exposing the grass roots to enough moisture because it evaporates away too quickly. Watering in the evening can be an issue because the damp grass will attract all the disease-carrying pests that come out after dark. Water in the morning before the hot summer sun is out to keep a healthy lawn this summer.

Daily Rain Services

Proper lawn care is not as easy as it looks. Even a simple thing like watering your grass requires a knowledge base many homeowners simply don’t have. One of the best decisions you can make for your lawn is to trust Daily Rain for your irrigation needs.

Daily Rain can handle the irrigation installation and service needs for your lawn and landscape. Our underground sprinkler systems are designed to provide lawns with just the right amount of water. In fact, you’ll use less water using an underground system than you would watering with a hose.

Daily Rain offers sprinkler system installation services, seasonal adjustments, start up, winterization, and repair services. Contact us today!

Watering a New Lawn

New sod should be watered a minimum of 45 minutes immediately after installation to allow both lawn & soil to gather moisture, which helps the rooting process. During the first couple of weeks following installation, each watering session should last approximately 15-20 minutes at a minimum of two times per day. We encourage you to consult with your landscaper or where you purchased the sod/seed for their recommendations.

Always Stay Ahead of the Heat!

When summer really heats up, you need to add watering time to your schedule. Based on the temperatures and the soil type, you should be watering 5 days a week and sometimes more if your grass is looking dry. An additional 30 minutes on rotor zones and an additional 10 minutes on spray zones.

Owner, Jerry Boquette, shares this insight: once grass is browned out, it only gets green again with growth and a fresh cut. The key is to stay ahead of the heat! If your grass looks dry, add more days/time to your schedule. You can even just do a manual run on a given zone.

Low Volume Drip Irrigation

When it comes to watering individual trees, flower beds, potted containers or other non-grassy areas, you simply can’t beat the efficiency — and convenience — of low-volume drip irrigation. By delivering water to plant roots where it’s most needed, drip irrigation keeps plants looking their best, reduces water waste through evaporation or runoff and keep weeds from growing.

System Irrigation Tips

Aiming to provide education and tips to your customers, Daily Rain, Inc. offers helpful information on managing your irrigation system all season long. For more information or consultation with a technician, contact us today at info@dailyrain.com

Why is my controller not starting the watering cycle?

There are a number of reasons why your sprinklers may not come on. Below are some things to consider which may help you troubleshoot the problem and save you a service call…

Check the Controller Programming:

  • Is there a watering Start Time programmed into the controller?
  • Is the Watering Start Time programmed with correct time of day (i.e. AM or PM)?
  • Is today a Water Day? (i.e. Controller may be set for Even Days and today is the 21st)
  • Are there Station Run Times programmed into the controller?
  • Is there a rain sensor wired into the controller?
  • Look at the controller display, if the “Sensor OFF” message is displayed, the rain sensor is activated and inhibiting the watering cycles. By sliding the Rain Sensor switch to the “Bypass” position you can over-ride the active sensor.

If these quick troubleshooting steps for the controller do not solve your problem that could mean there is an issue with the main irrigation water supply, wiring to the valves, or issues with power supply to the controller. Contact Daily Rain to have a trained Irrigation Technician perform more in dept troubleshooting and isolate the root cause. We will get you back up and running in no time!