According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, up to 50% of irrigation water is lost to “evaporation, wind, improper system design, installation, or maintenance.” Of course, issues oftentimes arise from some combination of these factors. Most people know that water is a precious resource, so losing half of the water intended for irrigation is wasteful. Fortunately, there are a number of updates available to homeowners who pursue efficiency and smart irrigation. Join us in exploring some top tips targeted at improving the efficiency of your irrigation system.
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Plan When You Water
The best part of this tip is that it costs homeowners absolutely nothing. Many people, especially in Florida already know that watering during the day is a waste. The sun evaporates the water before it does any good for the plants. However, few people know that this process actually burns the plants and kills them quickly.
As a result, the two options for homeowners are watering at dawn and dusk. People who run their sprinklers in the evening, however, find that it encourages fungus and bacteria growth on their lawn. The best option, then, is to water plants at dawn.
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Get A Rain Shut-Off Switch
A rain shut-off switch turns off the irrigation system when it is raining. This conservation step is especially important in Florida, the so-called “Sunshine State”. Not only does this increase efficiency, it also protects the plants from overwatering.
Rain sensors are easy to fit onto an existing sprinkler system. Additionally, many common brands cost less than 20 dollars. They are available at home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s. Additionally, homeowners can find a range of models from 15 to 100 dollars through online retailers.
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Maintenance The Irrigation System
Irrigation system maintenance has a wide variety of benefits. Regular maintenance gives your irrigation system expert an opportunity to audit your system for efficiency.
Additionally, the expert also checks pipes and sprinkler heads for leaks in addition to water pressure problems. Any of those components create major issues with efficiency and wasted water.
Leaks obviously waste water by wasting it on the soil or pavement. Water pressure that is too low leads to water dribbling out of sprinkler heads. In turn, the grass around the head becomes overwatered while the rest of the lawn dies. On the other hand, a sprinkler with high water pressure only waters the edges of the lawn or the pavement. The leads to unsightly brown patches in the middle of people’s yards, or dying portions of a garden.
Finally, system maintenance ensures that your irrigation’s check valves are working. Check valves are in place in order to prevent water from draining out of the system. All of these maintenance steps lead to improved efficiency, which is good news for the planet and your wallet.