Sprinkler System Tips That Save On Your Water Bill In The Quest For A Beautiful Yard

3 September 2015
 Categories: Home & Garden, Blog

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When you live in an area that requires regular watering of the yard to keep the grass and plants from turning brown and dying, having a sprinkler system installed keeps you from having to go out and manually water everything. However, the cost of watering your lawn can be high. To ensure the lawn is getting the most out of the water, and keep the bill as low as possible, here are a few tips to consider.

Avoid Overspray

If you are holding the hose to do all the watering, it is a simple thing to avoid spraying the sidewalk, side of the house or the driveway. When you have a sprinkler system, it takes a bit of planning. Make sure the sprinkler heads near the edges of the yard have the correct spray pattern. You can have a head with a pattern that is in a half or quarter circle to keep from watering areas that do not need it.

Set Different Timers for Grass and Shrubs

Shrubs and bushes have a deeper and better root system than grass does. These roots can reach water that is deeper underground. This means they do not need to be watered as frequently, but when watered they may need more than you are giving the grass. For optimum water efficiency, trees, shrubs and bushes should be on a separate line that does not use sprinklers. The idea is to soak the ground around them. While sprinklers are fine for grass, the droplets can be blown away in the wind and not soak the ground around a tree well enough for it to be adequately watered. You would have to run the sprinklers a lot more to make sure bushes, trees and shrubs get enough.

Use a Rain Shutoff Device or Soil Moisture Sensor

A rain shutoff device should be installed so that the sprinkler system does not turn on when it has rained a specified amount. You set this amount. It can also keep the system from coming on if the system itself ran too much during an earlier cycle. A soil moisture sensor keeps the system from coming on when it detects enough moisture around the roots of the grass or plants. They both keep you from overwatering and wasting money.

Keeping your landscaping alive and looking great takes water, which takes money. Using a sprinkler system that is installed in a manner that reduces water waste saves you time and money. A sprinkler system installation expert can ensure that your sprinklers are set up in this manner.