Irrigation Experts Share Best Practices
At TriState Water Works, we know that commercial sprinkler system maintenance is a specialized need for office parks, corporate centers, distribution centers, apartment complexes, condo associations and homeowners associations. To run their best, irrigation systems require maintenance three times per year:
- Start-Up in the spring
- Cycle and Inspection in the summer
- Winterization in the fall
Here are our top tips for commercial sprinkler system maintenance. How does your system stack up?
7 Top Tips for Commercial Sprinkler System Maintenance
- During Spring Start-Up, the system should be inspected for leaks and efficacy. Don’t just turn the system on and forget it. An experienced professional will walk the length of the system, looking for both problems and ways to optimize the system for the health of the lawn and landscaping.
- Remember that the goal of the sprinkler system is to protect your investment in turf, trees, shrubs and landscape plantings. Pay attention to the irrigation system throughout the season and make adjustments that ensure all plants receive the right amount of water.
- Identify and fix leaks quickly. The power of running water over time is incredibly destructive. We shared some pictures in our article, “Commercial Irrigation Management” that show how a leaking irrigation system can undermine pavement in expensively dramatic ways.
- Winterization in the fall is a commercial sprinkler system maintenance must. Well, only if you want to use your system again next year, that is. If all the water is not carefully removed from the system, pipes will absolutely freeze and break underground. Using high-volume, low-pressure air is the key to a successful winterization.
- Backflows need to be babied. The backflow preventer is the most delicate part of your irrigation system. The best thing is to remove and store it indoors during the winter. And don’t forget your legally-required backflow inspection each year. Check out our video guide, “All About Your Backflow Preventer for Irrigation.”
- Smart watering is the smartest thing you can do for commercial sprinkler system maintenance. A smart controller will monitor the system and send alerts when repairs are needed. Plus, it predicts the weather and adjusts the watering schedule for the best health of your landscaping.
- Spare yourself the hassle, and hire professionals. A specialized commercial sprinkler system maintenance program by a company like TriState Water Works will protect your irrigation system and landscaping, ultimately saving resources.
Let’s Not Forget Commercial Sprinkler System Repair
Even the best commercial sprinkler system maintenance can’t prevent all problems. Eventually, a commercial irrigation system will need repairs for one reason or another. Here are some common repairs we’re called out to make:
- A geyser develops after a sprinkler head fails to retract, and a lawn mower chops it off
- Leaks are seen after gardeners dig new plantings in a landscaping bed– they damaged an underground pipe
- Digging around the property severed electrical wire, causing a zone (or the entire system) to fail
- Improperly-installed system parts fail, such as wire connections or glue joints
Nothing in this world is perfect, and people make mistakes. When your irrigation system needs repairs, you should be able to call someone who can diagnose and fix the problem quickly. In the Cincinnati area, we hope you would trust TriState Water Works with your commercial sprinkler system maintenance needs. Contact us to get a quote.
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