Sprinkler & Irrigation Home Inspections
What are Irrigation Inspections?
An irrigation inspection is a series of tests that are performed on a house’s watering system to see if it is fully functional. The examination includes checking how much water the system puts out, its infiltration rate as well as distribution rate. The system’s distribution rate is usually on the uniformity of the water application concerning the system’s pressure.
Who Should Get an Irrigation Inspection?
A homeowner who has a house with a landscape design that involves maintenance of grass or flowers should always have an irrigation inspection.
When Should You Get an Irrigation Inspection?
Spring is the preferred time for an irrigation inspection as that’s when plants experience rapid growth. With plant and flower growth comes a demand for more water. During the spring, a fully functioning irrigation system is most needed.
Inspect your irrigation system regularly to avoid any leaks. This will prevent cases where the leaks spoil your landscape. On a more advanced level, get a professional irrigation inspector who will do a thorough analysis and provide a detailed solution to any problem discovered.
However, don’t forego inspection just because the most popular time for inspection has passed. Irrigation systems can be shut down during winter as only winter flowers are present. Closes the system reduces the chances of your lines freezing. To stay on top of minor damage, it is recommended that you have an annual irrigation inspection.
Types of Irrigation Inspections?
Sprinkler System Inspection
Proper lawn care helps keep gardens and lawns beautifully green and lush. As such, they need enough water to ensure the overall result is a healthy, bountiful space. A lawn requires an irrigation system that entails sprinklers which supply water. A waterlogged sprinkler will make the grass on the lawn weak. Some basic signs of waterlogging are the leaves will turn yellow or brown as they fall off prematurely. Roots may become wet and mushy as they turn dark brown or black. Sometimes you may find that the leaves are drooping yet the area surrounding it is wet. Sprinklers need regular maintenance to avoid waterlogging and the ensuing lawn and garden damage.
Contacting an expert to complete a lawn irrigation inspection will save you both time and money. The inspector will check for any issues the sprinklers may have and rectify them before they cause any harm. The examination involves analyzing the garden and gathering information on the exposure level to water sources and how exposure affects it. After the conclusion, the inspector will recommend a detailed solution.
Also, the inspector checks if proper nozzles are installed and if they provide head to head coverage. They should be the right sizes for the specific area.
In cases where the pipes are damaged, the inspector should immediately replace them for you as they can’t function properly even with the slightest hiccup. The inspector also checks out if the rotors and spray heads are in separate zones. If they are, the sprinklers have to be relocated.
Another aspect could be that after the inspection, you find out that the sprinklers don’t provide adequate coverage. The solution here is replacing them with taller ones that will allow full access to the specific area.
Valves Inspection
This type of inspection involves checking the point of connection. The inspector ensures that all electrical connections are intact without any fault. He also checks out for a worn out diaphragm that may need replacement. With this inspection, the expert has to ensure that the valves have a proper flow control setting. If not, the inspector should adjust the valves for a fully functional system. Inspectors must also manually test the opening and closing abilities of each valve. Pipes do also have an automatic option, however, which also needs to be checked before spring is over.
Controller Inspection
Controllers are often referred to as the ‘brain’ of the sprinkler. They allow you to set watering schedules and with recent technological developments, they vary in complexity. A wide variety of options are available if you need controllers that are remote-controlled or those that you can manage by logging in to your computer to adjust the timer.
Controllers determine the run times of a sprinkler. As such, the run times have to be checked and adjusted if need be. When analyzing a controller, an inspector checks the start times as well as the water days. Controllers have to function with both the automatic and manual operation, and sensors also need to perform adequately so that they automatically close the sprinklers once it starts raining. If the sprinklers don’t contain climatic sensors, talk to an inspector to have them installed.
Rotor zones are expected to run 45-60 minutes; if they are not, they need to be adjusted.
