Kansas City’s spring showers bring summer flowers, and a green lawn, too. But before long those spring showers will fade away, and your irrigation or sprinkler system will have to take over the job of watering your yard. Now is the time to make sure your system is in good shape, before you’re stuck with a lackluster lawn and less money in your pocket. Follow this sprinkler checklist to start the lawn season off on the right foot.
Want a greener lawn? Read our blog to learn how to get a greener thumb: 3 Steps to a Greener Lawn.
Check Sprinkler Heads
Inspect all of your sprinkler heads. Check for dirt, sand, rocks, or any other type of debris that could block the water flow from your system. Blockages could cause too much or too little water in parts of your lawn resulting in an unhealthy landscape. Make sure to also replace any broken or worn components, like sprinkler nozzles, heads, valves or pipes.
Observe Water Pressure in Your Irrigation System
When you turn on the main water valve for the first time this season, make sure you check out the water pressure. If your sprinkler system is spewing out water with too much pressure you could end up with cracked pipes or worse, resulting in inefficient watering of your lawn. A water pressure gauge is a good investment, and can give you more concrete numbers to work with. The device, which usually connects to a hose faucet, should give you a reading within the suggested operating range of 40-65 PSI. If it is outside of that range, you’ll want to make some adjustments, or call in the experts at Custom Lawn in Olathe to provide our lawn sprinkler services.
Check Sprinkler Settings
Speaking of adjustments, this is also a great time to check on the settings for your sprinkler system. Make sure the date and time is correct, and that the settings are suitable for your lawn’s specific needs. And remember to replace the batteries in the timer or controller every six months.
Check for Unusually Wet Areas on Your Lawn
Walk around your lawn and look and feel for overly wet areas that result in muddy or barren patches in your yard. This could be a sign of a leaky valve. Valves regulate the distribution of water throughout your entire system. If they are leaky they will not only waste water, but also make your water bill spike.
For help preparing your lawn for the heat this summer in Kansas City, call the lawn experts at Custom Lawn and Landscape at 913-782-8315.
