The annual EPA Smart Irrigation Month campaign reminds us to water responsibly. Here are some check list steps that can get you started on the path to DIY lawn sprinkler system management:
Sprinkler Maintenance Checklist
Once a month, turn on each of your sprinkler valves during daylight hours and perform an inspection. Some automatic sprinkler timers allow you to set a test run, or you can program each station to come on successively for one minute.
Check the following:
*GENERAL MAINTENANCE
YES NO
¨ ¨ Is any water being sprayed on the street or sidewalk?
¨ ¨ Are there obstructions preventing the water from reaching the desired areas?
¨ ¨ Are there any observable leaking sprinkler heads or breaks in the pipe?
SPRINKLER HEADS
YES NO Are any heads…
¨ ¨ missing?
¨ ¨ broken?
¨ ¨ clogged?
¨ ¨ pushed too far into the ground?
¨ ¨ tilted or spraying in the wrong direction?
PRESSURE
YES NO Is the pressure…
¨ ¨ too low?(spray is not reaching all desired areas, spray is forming large water droplets, there are doughnut
shaped dry areas, rotor speed is too slow, rotors are not rotating)
¨ ¨ too high?
(spray is overshooting desired areas, spray is misting and there are dry areas between heads,
rotor speed is too fast, rotors are not rotating, heads are leaking)
*Source: www.conservewater.utah.gov
