Do it yourself and save money.  Check out our DIY section on this web site for information that may help you solve your problem or give you the information you need to decide if a professional is needed.  If its a timer problem the owners manual can be a big help.  Or try the manufacturers web site.  They usually have a DIY section with videos to assist you.  You can also leave a comment here or send an email and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Check out your sprinkler system every few months for broken heads, pipes, or plugged nozzles.  Make sure all the spray heads and gear drives are pointed in the right direction and are operating properly.  Raise, lower, add, or relocate as needed.  Replace defective heads with more efficient equipment.  Check out your rain sensor and make sure it is working.  If you don’t have a rain sensor-get one.  If you have a above ground pump listen to it.  If it hums on every zone then your good.  But if it sounds like its full of rocks and struggling to pump water it has a lack of water to the pump and this is cavitation.  If it squeals a lot the bearings are going and need to be replaced.  Check out your backflow preventer for leaks and make sure it is supported properly.  It has to be tested annually by law so any internal problems will be determined at that time.  Look at your timer and check for proper time and correct if needed.  Replace the back up battery annually.  Adjust your zone run times according to the time of year or adjust the water/seasonal adjust feature.  Open the timer panel and remove any insects or nests.  Plug any holes or openings that insects can enter.  Make sure the timer wiring conduit to the valves is not cracked and replace if damaged with at least SCH 40 pipe or gray conduit.  Local codes may require other.  Regular sprinkler system inspections will help maintain a beautiful landscape, keep repair cost down, and save water.  Most professional sprinkler companies offer sprinkler system inspection services on a quarterly basis or per your schedule at a very reasonable cost.

In Florida we have lakes everywhere so you would think water was plentiful.  You wouldn’t think that we have been in a statewide drought for 20 years.  For those of you that were in the Clermont or central Florida area back in 97 and 98 the drought was so bad that numerous lakes dropped way down or even dried up.  The experts predicted it would take a hurricane to get us out of this drought but we had 4 hurricanes hit the central Florida area in 2004 and we are still in a drought.  The amount of water that mother nature provides has been the same for thousands of years.  Unfortunately as more people move into the state more water is being removed from our aquifer faster than mother nature can replace it.  Water restrictions were  implemented to slow that effect.  Nationwide water is becoming a scarce commodity and water wars are very common with one state suing another over water usage.  According to the 2010 Census there are close to 19 million people living in Florida.  Imagine if every person made an effort to save 1 gallon of water a day.                                          Sprinkler manufacturers are coming out with all kinds of water conserving equipment.  You can still get your basic timer that will run your sprinkler system but for a few dollars more you can upgrade to an ET timer.  ET stands for evapotranspiration which is a calculation that determines how much to water each zone for based on data you provide.  Or install a weather station and each zone will be watered based on local weather conditions, plant type, soil type, along with other factors.  This equipment saves 30% to 50% of the water you normally use and saves wear and tear on your sprinkler system and landscape.                                                                                                                                                                                                              Gear drives, spray heads, and drip irrigation have come a long way too.  Heads can come with check valves that prevent them from draining water after the zone has turned off.  And/or pressure regulators are available in the head to regulate pressure at a preset pressure for best efficiency.  For example, I came across an all spray system and the landscape was severely stressed.  The operating pressure was 70 PSI.  Maximum operating pressure should be 30 PSI.  The pressure was so high that the water was shooting into the air as mist and very little was hitting the ground.  After installing a pressure regulator and setting it for 30 PSI the fine mist turned into large droplets hitting the ground and worked very well after that.  Most electric valves have the option of installing a pressure regulator on them.  By operating a sprinkler system at its proper PSI more water will be applied evenly requiring less water to irrigate.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Drip irrigation has made huge advances in technology over the past 10 years.  Drip irrigation is great in areas where bushes and trees are planted.  By using the right tubing or emitter you can save thousands of gallons and water precisely what the plant needs.  Another plus is weed control is great since you are only watering at the base of the plant versus normally spraying water everywhere.  For new construction rainwater harvesting is fast becoming an option.  A large tank is buried and collects rainfall from the roof of the building.  This water is then used to irrigate with.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       More and more water suppliers are looking at any and all options to conserve water.  Unfortuanelty the tried and true method is price increases.  We all must do our part to conserve as much water as possible.  The alternative will be to increase the cost of water so much that we will not be able to afford to irrigate anymore.  It has already happened in other parts of the country.  Spend a little money now and upgrade your system to conserve as much water as possible.  Do this yourself or have a professional sprinkler company make recommendations for you or have them do the work for it.

Gallons per minute and velocity (speed of water) dictate this.  In irrigation 5 feet per second is the maximum you want to move water to prevent water hammer.  Pipe sized too small generates higher velocities and when a valve is turned off the water slams to a stop and rattles the pipes and possibly and eventually damaging the pipes or valves.  Plus, smaller pipe creates higher friction loss robbing you of pressure.  By understanding this fact is why smaller pipe does NOT create more pressure.  It develops higher velocity creating the illusion of higher pressure.  If using CL200 pipe do not exceed these flow rates:

1/2″ CL315     6 GPM,  3/4″     10 GPM,  1″  16 GPM,  11/4″     26 GPM,  11/2″     35 GPM,  2″     55 GPM 

By staying within these flow rates will prevent or at least considerably reduce the risk of water hammer.  This information is readily available in the technical section of all the major sprinkler manufacturers such as Rainbird, Hunter, Toro, or Weathermatic.  Follow the same guidelines for SCH 40 pipe.  Especially when plumbing the suction side of the sprinkler pump.  On the discharge side of the pump we can easily overcome problems such as elevation, long pipe runs, valve PSI loss, or other mechanical losses by simply calculating these losses when sizing the pump.  However, we are very limited on the suction side.  All friction losses such as lift, pipe friction, check valve, intake devices must be done to create as little loss as possible.  By doing so will significantly increase the pumps performance.  Locate the pump as close to the water as possible, size the suction pipe according to maximum GPM (if not larger), use a fat boy PVC check valve with a 1/2lb spring, and use a lake intake or screen that creates the least amount of friction loss.

If you have the option of pulling water out of a lake or from a shallow well its usually a cost effective option.  City water from a meter is getting more expensive year after year.  A properly sized pump for your sprinkler system can make a world of difference.  Unfortunately there are all kinds of different types of pumps and most sprinkler companies are relying on the supply house person to size the pump right.  Some will but most won’t.  More often than not I will see a pump on a sprinkler system that is constantly struggling to maintain pressure or flow or may have excessive pressure and cycles on and off a lot.  An undersized pump with too little pressure and/or flow and the zones barely work is fairly common.  The timer is the brains of the system but the pump is the heart and it can’t struggle when it operates.  If you have a pump that is struggling then an upgrade might be the option.  A poor performing pump effects the operation of the heads and the application of water evenly.  You will always have brown spots, need to water longer than you should, and a struggling pump can work so hard that its normal life span is shortened.  Bumping up horsepower may be one option but multistage pumps are another option.  Keep in mind that too much flow and pressure are better than just right.  You can throttle back pressure and flow but a pump that barely works will soon be struggling as it begins to wear out a year or so down the road.  Lets dispel a major myth about pumps… high pressure does NOT make a pump work harder.  Medium to high pressure puts less work on the pump.  Lower pressures and higher flows make the pump work harder.  So pick a pump with a little extra pressure for longevity and the sprinkler system will work more efficiently.  Also, never plumb/pipe the pump based on its inlet and outlet tap.  These taps are based around achieving pump performance so pipe/plumb your pump according to gallons per minute.  This information can apply to both above ground centrifugal pumps or submersibles.

Rain and/or moisture sensors are required by Florida state law and have been for numerous years.  I’m a firm believer in rain sensors because when installed and adjusted properly they work very well and will save a great deal of water.  Why irrigate when sufficient rain has fallen?  Moisture sensors are better than nothing but I’m not a big fan of them.  In July of 2009 Florida Statute 373.62 was passed stating that all sprinkler systems are required to have a rain or moisture sensor and if any work is done on the sprinkler system by a licensed contractor the rain or moisture sensor must be tested for proper operation.  If the device is defective it must be replaced before completing any other work on the sprinkler system.  Rain sensors are inexpensive, readily available, and easy to install.  You also have the option of stepping up to additional features such as freeze, wind, or weather stations.

Sprinkler systems are made up of timers, rain sensors, valves, pumps, pump start relays, heads, wiring, and PVC pipe and fittings just to mention a few.  Its impossible to carry enough parts to cover every problem that may develop.  If you are mechanically inclined, have the right tools, and can follow basic repair directions to do it yourself then repair may be the right option.  The cost savings of doing it yourself will be the labor cost of hiring a company to do it for you.  The major drawbacks are you are depending on someone to walk you through the process (box store, hardware store, web site) that may know what they are talking about, its very time consuming, you will have to make more than one trip for parts, and the parts you get from these suppliers are usually not the highest quality.  From my experience repair is a rare option.  I only repair when I have to due to finances, availability of parts, plumbing issues, or time.  Otherwise I replace it.  Even though most sprinkler system items are designed to be repaired the cost of repairing it may be the same or even more than replacing it.  The cost of the parts alone often add up to be more than the cost of a replacement item, plus add in the labor cost to go and get it will far surpass just replacing it.  Even on high dollar items such as pumps the cost of the motor, the internal pump parts, and labor cost almost equal the cost of the entire pump and with no warranty.  So why not buy a new sprinkler pump, save the hassle and time of rebuilding an old pump, and your up and running sooner.  Unless its a commercial site such as golf courses, theme parks, shopping centers, its usually better to replace than repair.  Again, if you can do it yourself and save the time and labor cost then repair might be the option.  If you hire a sprinkler company to do the work for you most will charge by the hour plus parts so replacement saves you the hourly fee of them going after parts and you get a warranty versus installing parts with no warranty.  I have also found that by replacing the defective timer, valve, pump, or sprinkler head it will work for years with no problems versus the repaired item that may fail again shortly after being repaired.

In these days and times we need to watch every penny.  Hiring a company to perform any service because they have the cheapest price rarely pays off in the end.  In an effort to save money a long time customer of mine hired another sprinkler company to fix her sprinkler system because they had a cheaper hourly rate.  After three trips they were unable to solve the problem but still expected to get paid.  She called me back out and I quickly solved the problem in one trip and for less than the cheaper rate company.  It did take me longer than usual because I had to undo what the “cheaper company” had done in addition to fixing the problem.  My customer was very happy and said she learned her lesson about hiring the cheap guys.  When looking to hire any service company the best advice I can give is get a referral.  Talk to your neighbors, friends, relatives, and co-workers and ask if they have used someone they were happy with or even unhappy with so you’ll know to avoid that company.  We all want to save money but we need to be careful not to sacrifice the better overall value for a cheaper price.  I heard an expression a long time ago that said “if you hire the cheapest company you lose your right to complain”.  I have personally found this to be so true.  In the sprinkler business there are so many companies that may know how to install sprinkler systems but they have no clue as to how or why the components work.  When a problem develops they simply don’t go back, never had any intention on going back, and disappear off the planet avoiding your calls.  These companies generate a lot of repair business for me but also give the sprinkler industry a blackeye.  Do some homework and hire the company that will provide the best overall value for you.

Freezing weather in Clermont Florida is rare but when temps hit freezing or below for several hours there is a high risk of damage to your sprinkler system.  Above ground backflow preventers and piping need to be protected using insulation or cover with a blanket overnight.  Pumps and piping need to be protected in the same manner but be sure to uncover pumps the next morning.  Some may say to allow the sprinkler system to run to allow the water to freeze over the landscape to prevent it from going below 32 degrees.  Contact a horticulture expert to determine if your landscape plants can survive such a process.  Cover sensitive plants with cloth material-never use plastic.  Plastic can transfer the cold, cold burn what it touches, and heats up very quickly when the sun rises stressing the plant from extreme cold to heat.  Uncover the plants daily or as soon as you are sure the freezing spell has passed.  Resist the urge to trim away stressing plants.  Most plants go limp as a form of self preservation and if trimmed away the new growth will be very susceptible to cold or freezing weather.  Do not mow the grass if dormant, brown, or a freeze has occurred recently.  You may want to allow a faucet inside your home to slowly drip overnight to prevent the piping into your home from freezing.

In an effort to serve my customers more effeciently and help others with sprinkler system questions I have redesigned this web site to hopefully answer any questions you may have.  Check out the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) section to answer basic questions.  Otherwise post it here and I’ll do my best to get back to you in a timely manner.  Questions about timers, valves, heads, pumps and wells, design, and troubleshooting are more than welcome.