Your property’s green spaces can’t survive without water. And if you want to maintain the most lush landscape around, you must ensure that this watering takes place on a consistent and strategic basis. Commercial irrigation systems are designed to provide lawns and gardens with the optimal amount of water at the right intervals to maximize health. Of course, some irrigation systems do a better job at achieving this goal than others. Older, worn down watering systems are less efficient than newer, well-maintained ones. Simply put, there is always more you can do to improve your business’ irrigation outcomes for the betterment of your curb appeal.
Here are five key ways to get the most out of your commercial lawn irrigation protocols.
Five Ways to Get the Most Out of Commercial Lawn Irrigation
1. Inspect Your System Periodically
The best way to ensure any system continues to function as intended is to examine all its components as thoroughly as possible on a routine basis. Irrigation systems are no exceptions. Irrigation audits are routine inspections wherein experts gather important data on the condition of various parts, overall efficiency, precipitation rate, and much more. Diagnostic testing is a crucial part of any irrigation audit, allowing professionals to note any points of potential improvement. There’s no strict rule regarding the frequency with which businesses should receive irrigation audits. Most irrigation services recommend having their system audited every 3-5 years or so. However, if your system is older and/or you’re looking for ways to get more out of it, it may be worth receiving an audit once a year. Whatever the case, irrigation audits help you find ways to improve operational efficiency and resolve any issues standing in the way of this goal.
Read our previous blog, “Irrigation Audits – Make Sure Your System Works” for more on this topic.
2. Properly Shut Down and Restart Your System
Your landscape is inherently tied to your region’s climate, which means it will have different requirements based on the season. Green spaces become dormant during the winter months in areas with moderate to extreme cold conditions. During this time, there’s no need to keep your irrigation system up and running – in fact, it’s necessary to shut down and winterize your system for the season to prevent winter-related damage, such as frozen lines. Typical irrigation shutdowns involve turning off the system’s water supply, opening control valves and pumping out any water left inside lines, turning off the controller, and more. Failing to take these steps can render your irrigation components out of order once spring returns. Just as important as properly shutting down your irrigation system for the winter is properly restarting it afterwards. Because these processes involve several steps and, in some cases, complex procedures, it’s best to have your irrigation or landscape services handle them (or at least show you the ropes before you attempt it).
3. Keep Your Landscape Free from Debris
Commercial lawn irrigation is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to caring for your green spaces. If you want your watering protocols to have the strongest effect on your grass and flowers, you must make sure that these spaces aren’t encumbered by litter and other materials that create obstacles and suffocate the soil. Sure, your irrigation system might be highly sophisticated and automated, but it won’t pick up the trash for you. As such, you must maintain strong landscape debris removal protocols as well. Keeping your lawn clear isn’t just good for it in its own right – it also allows each drop of water to reach its intended destination, helping your green spaces thrive year-round. Regularly picking up debris from your lawn will also guarantee that nothing ends up blocking sprinklers and other outward-facing irrigation components.
4. Maintain Your Green Spaces on the Whole
There’s more to keeping your lawn beautiful and healthy than picking up debris, of course. Keeping your green spaces well-kempt also relies on regular mowing, trimming, pruning, blowing, fertilization, and so on. Staying on top of these landscaping maintenance services will allow your irrigation system to function more efficiently, since water will have a much easier time reaching the soil and keeping everything hydrated. As an added bonus, taking a comprehensive approach to landscape maintenance will improve your property’s curb appeal and reduce the risk of major problems cropping up in the future.
5. Invest in New Irrigation Technologies
The best commercial lawn irrigation isn’t just concerned with keeping your landscape healthy and beautiful – it’s also concerned with lowering your business’ energy output and saving you money. Relying on manual irrigation or outdated systems that use basic timer functions is a recipe for human error and inefficiencies. State-of-the-art irrigation systems eliminate these issues with internet integration, data analysis and storage capabilities, artificial intelligence, and more. Take the Hydrawise® irrigation control system, for instance. This technology can save businesses up to 50% in water usage by automating irrigation scheduling based on environmental data and self-adjusting watering duration. Thanks to its Wi-Fi capabilities, the system can also be controlled remotely with smart devices, and operators can view real-time data on water usage, scheduling, and controller logs. All of these features contribute to an irrigation program that’s intelligent, adaptable, and optimized for a particular landscape, helping businesses cut costs and reduce their negative environmental impact.
How The Budd Group Can Help You Get More Out of Commercial Irrigation
At The Budd Group, we aim to provide our clients with more cost-effective and eco-friendly facility maintenance solutions. If you’re looking for LEED certification, we can help ensure your irrigation system meets the highest standards for energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. As a U.S. Green Building Council Member, we are dedicated to protecting and preserving the natural environments we’ve been trusted to water, tend, and maintain. We know how to set up your irrigation system for success so your property looks inviting year-round. If your irrigation installation or system upgrade is overdue, don’t wait for grass and plant life to wither.
To learn more about our services and values, give us a call today at 800-221-8158!