6 Red Flags We Look For During Commercial Irrigation System Inspections

It’s easy to take your irrigation system for granted. It’s out there steadily chugging away in the Texas heat. If it could work up a sweat, it would.

When’s the last time you gave your sprinkler system a shout out?

Our irrigation technicians do it every month when they do their regular commercial irrigation system inspections.

They take note of everything that’s working well. More importantly, they note any small problems before they turn into big, costly headaches.

When our irrigation technicians show up on your property, they’re looking for these red flags:Irrigation technician checking a sprinkler controller

1. Areas of Your Property Are Too Wet

Nobody wants to waste water, so this is a big red flag.

What’s the problem?

  • This could be as simple as a controller that’s not set quite right. If it’s set to water more often than your property needs for the time of year, too much water is ending up on your property, causing wet spots. Your irrigation technician will check all the run times and update the watering schedule for the season, so your system isn’t watering your landscaping too much or too little for the time of year.
  • Leaky valves. An irrigation technician might need to replace just the “guts” of the valve, like the diaphragm or the solenoid. Or the entire valve might need to be replaced.
  • You might have a broken pipe. Irrigation crews will dig up and expose the damaged pipe, remove the damaged piece of line, and replace it.

2. Heads Aren’t Spraying Properly

Irrigation techs will run each of your zones for a couple minutes to make sure heads are spraying where they should, no spray heads are leaking or broken, no nozzles are clogged with debris.

Sometimes irrigation heads get knocked out of alignment by mowers or heavy foot traffic, spraying pavement, buildings, or cars.

Technicians will adjust heads so they only hit the lawn or landscaping beds.

Unclogging nozzles and replacing leaking or broken sprinkler heads is routine commercial irrigation system maintenance that makes a big difference when caught early.

3. Outdated Components

If you don’t have the latest irrigation technology, you’re probably wasting water.

Outdated sprayer heads, leaky valves, and old controllers can pump out more water than your property needs or spray it haphazardly where water isn’t even needed.

Technicians will spot this water waste and suggest ways to upgrade that will save you water and money. It’s a great example of how regular commercial irrigation system inspections really pay off. Commercial irrigation crew upgrading irrigation heads

4. Irrigation System Is Turned Off

You might assume giving your hard-working irrigation system a rest will save you money.

But here in Texas, we have spells of severe drought. Once the ground dries out, irrigation pipes get brittle and can break.

Any major repairs to fix it will cost more than routine maintenance.

Also, if you don’t stay on top of irrigation, your landscaping will decline, and you’ll face extra costs to replace dead plants and turf.

5. You Don’t Have a Smart Irrigation System

If you don’t already have a smart irrigation system installed, you’re wasting money.

Replace old irrigation controllers with smart irrigation controls that tell your system when to turn on and off.

They don’t start up based on time of day, but use local weather forecasts and your exact landscape conditions, so the watering schedule is exactly right for your landscape.

Today’s smart irrigation technology includes rain sensors that know when nature is watering for you, so they turn off your system to avoid over watering.

Smart irrigation systems save you time, money, and prevent your business from looking wasteful.

6. Your Landscaping Has Evolved, But Your Irrigation System Hasn’t

Your landscaping changes over time. Plants get bigger. Areas that used to be in the sun might be partly shaded now.

Your irrigation system needs to evolve along with your landscaping to provide proper coverage.

You might need to move irrigation heads or switch them out for a different type.

You might have to raise sprinkler heads higher in the landscape or lower them.

Regular commercial irrigation system inspections can help you figure out how to adapt your irrigation system for its changing surroundings. Adapting irrigation heads to changing landscape

A Quick Word About Commercial Irrigation System Maintenance

Some irrigation companies, to keep costs low, use the cheapest possible components. They don’t last. All irrigation system parts aren't the same. There are varying levels of quality.

When we show up for commercial irrigation system maintenance, we use the best quality parts.

You don’t want us to come back a year later and have to do the same repair.

You’re paying for expert, skilled labor, too. Our crews are trained, experienced, and know what they’re doing. This work requires in-depth knowledge of hydraulics and electricity. You don't want just anybody messing around with your expensive investment.

Trust Your Commercial Irrigation System Inspections to North by Northwest

You want your property to look great, feel welcoming, and attract new tenants, buyers, or customers.

Irrigation is crucial in keeping your landscaping healthy and attractive.

Regular commercial irrigation system inspections keep everything running smoothly — and keep your costs down.

It costs less to fix a small irrigation system problem now than to fix a big one later. Common sense, right?

We’d love to partner with you to make your landscaping impressive and your job hassle-free.

Are you ready for stress-free landscaping? Schedule a time to meet with one of our experts today. We’ll gather the details, create a customized plan just for you, and you can stop stressing as we improve and beautify your commercial property.

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