26 Jul

Why sprinkler systems aren’t a DIY project

You’d probably be surprised if you knew how many people try to take on major projects like installing a sprinkler system by themselves. It’s way more than you’d think.

And while there are a whole swath of projects that companies charge for that you could do yourself, installing a sprinkler system isn’t one of them. Depending on the makeup of your yard, installing sprinklers can be a complicated process and installing things incorrectly can end up costing you significantly more money in the long run than if you had just paid the little bit extra up front to have someone do it for you.

Here are some of the reasons you shouldn’t install a sprinkler system yourself and how some of those reasons can come back to bite you. Let’s jump right in.

Pipe trenches that are too deep or too shallow

The depth at which your pipes are laid is a significant issue that needs to be dealt with. If the piping isn’t laid deep enough, it can be susceptible to the weight of anything above ground and cloud crack. If it’s too deep, it’ll be harder to figure out when a pipe is broken or cracked – and you’ll have to do a lot of digging to fix what may be a minor fix or worse yet – you could miss on a major one.

Overspray

Overspray happens when the sprinkler head is spraying water off your lawn and onto places like sidewalks, driveways and the like. And depending on how much overspray there is, you could waste up to a half a bathtub’s worth of water per usage. And when you get your water bill we promise you – it won’t be pretty. Professionals will be able to properly lay out your sprinkler heads so that you’re not recklessly wasting water.

Not checking before digging

People forget that underneath your lawn – there’s a good chance there’s some important things down there. People rarely check for gas pipes and electrical cables before digging. Especially when it comes to electrical cables – if you hit it the wrong way you could get electrocuted or even electrify the entire sprinkler system. Hitting a gas pipe could start a fire.

None of those outcomes are desirable, so please understand that when you go digging, you’ll find things and if you’re not careful, those things might find you instead.

Poorly laid out sprinkler heads

Overspray isn’t the only issue created by poorly placed sprinkler heads. Sometimes planters and shrubs get watered together with the grass, which isn’t a good thing. Trees and shrubs have large root systems and need a significantly different amount of water relative to your grass’ needs. Having them on the same setting is not only wasteful, but it’s not particularly healthy or helpful to your garden plants. Professionals will make sure that your irrigation system works for everything in your yard so that you get the most out of every use.

Now generally speaking, most of these mistakes are relatively common and easy to correct. But they can be costly. And anyway, isn’t it just best to avoid mistakes in the first place? If you want to learn more about how you can grow a lusher, greener and healthier lawn, give us a call today and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free consultation.