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Royal Creations Blog

Common Issues With Your Sprinkler System   

Common Issues With Your Sprinkler System   

A sprinkler head watering a green lawn

Because of ample spring rains, some area residents have not turned on their sprinkler systems for the year yet.  However, we have noticed several issues with some of the systems that we have activated for the year.  Here are the common problems we have seen and tips for how to fix them. 

a flooded water valve box

Backflow Testing 

Backflow is when dirty water flows into a clean water line.  This then contaminates the clean water line.  Contaminated water can be harmful or even deadly.  This is why backflow preventers are required on irrigation systems.  Backflow preventers should be tested yearly when the system is turned on.  A certification is required to perform this testing, and we have someone on staff who can help. 

Are Heads Working? 

After the backflow preventer is tested, the next step is making sure all the heads are working properly.  Mowers will damage heads that do not retract all the way.  Sometimes the damage is not obvious until the system is cycled across all the zones.  This is a good time to make sure the heads are aimed properly so all the lawn and plants get watered while minimizing wasted water shooting over hardscape or at the house. 

Grass and Weed Problems 

Sometimes we encounter issues where the grass or weeds have grown over the sprinkler head and are preventing it from going up.  A bit of weeding is all that is necessary to get the head up. 

a broken sprinkler head next to a hole

Geysers 

Geysers indicate the whole head must be repaired or replaced.  In some areas, you can even get a ticket for a geyser that causes problems for your neighbors.  Even without the ticket, the fountains shooting up can waste a lot of water and can keep the rest of the sprinkler system from having enough pressure to water properly. 

Drip Tubing to Flowerpots 

If you have flowerpots that need water, you can hook them up to an existing sprinkler system.  If you do not want to do this, we can do it for an additional fee when we check your sprinkler system for you. 

Lawn Sprinkler Subscription Service 

Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping now offers a lawn sprinkler subscription service.  We have three levels of service:  Fresh Impressions, Lush Landscape, and Royal Treatment.  With the Fresh Impressions subscription, we will activate your sprinkler system, inspect it at activation, inspect the system for the summer and adjust the watering schedule if needed, and winterize your sprinkler system.  For the Lush Landscape level, add an additional seasonal inspection, a zone diagram, and 5% off any repairs.  Finally, for the Royal Treatment level, we add two extra seasonal inspections for a total of four, we remotely adjust your irrigation to add the right amount of water for the temperature six times, 10% off any repairs, and you have priority scheduling.  Call the office at (816) 825-2524 to enroll. 

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