July has been declared to be Smart Irrigation Month. It's a time when all College Station residents are encouraged to evaluate the efficiency of their outdoor watering system. Smart technology helps make better use of less water on your lawn or landscaping, which will drastically reduce your consumption and what you owe on your monthly water bill. However, there are ways to reduce your water use without paying for a smart system. So, how smart is your irrigation system?
A monthly inspection of your College Station home's irrigation system will help you detect problems right away. Lawn equipment can cause accidental damage to sprinklers. Run your system through its paces to see how each zone performs. Replace broken sprinkler heads (these are a relatively cheap and easy fix) and remove any debris from a clogged head.
Sprinklers are meant to water the lawn, not your sidewalk. If you find that your driveway and sidewalk are seeing more water than your lawn is, it's time to adjust the sprinkler heads. Also, dry patches of lawn mean that sprinklers aren't reaching all areas. Remove any buildup of debris on the sprinkler head and realign it to only reach the areas that need to be watered.
Check your College Station sprinklers' water pressure. The higher the pressure, the more water you are using (and wasting) per cycle. Reducing your water pressure by as little as 5 points can lessen your water usage by 6-8%. You can find pressure-compensating sprinkler heads at most home improvement store such as Lowes or Home Depot.
When it rains, your lawn is being watered by Mother Nature for free. However, if your College Station home is on an automatic system, it will run through its cycle even in the rain. A rain sensor (required in newly installed irrigation systems in College Station) will automatically stop your irrigation system from running in the rain. This can save as much as 35% in irrigation costs. Most irrigation systems can be retrofitted with a rain sensor instead of completely replacing the entire system.
The optimum time to water your lawn is early in the morning. Setting your system to run between 4am and 9am helps increase moisture retention, getting water down to the root, where it is needed most. You can have your irrigation system audited by a licensed irrigator to professionally access how your system is working. They will be able to tell you what areas could use improvement. The City of College Station can provide you a free assessment. To schedule your check-up, please contact Jennifer Nations via email at jnations@cstx.gov or via phone at (979) 764-6223. How smart is your irrigation system? The answer to that question can make a serious impact on what you pay for your water bill each month.
FEATURED BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION PROPERTY OF THE WEEK
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Stephanie Hansson, Living the Good Life in Bryan – College Station Real Estate
Originally posted on my Living in Bryan-College Station real estate blog here: http://livinginbryancollegestation.com/smart-irrigation-system/.
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