Frequently Asked Questions About Lawn Sprinkler Systems
Receive answers to all of your irrigation questions from the knowledgeable team at Expert Irrigation in Florence, Kentucky. We understand that you might have a lot of different questions regarding the installation of an automatic lawn sprinkler system. If your question is not answered below, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
Will an automatic sprinkler system use more water than I'm currently using?
No; in fact it will conserve water. You won't have to worry about wasting water when you forget to turn off the hose, or runoff from over watering. Also, with a rain sensor, your system will know when it has rained and will shut itself off when watering is not needed.
Will an automatic sprinkler system water as well as I can by hand?
It will do a much better job. Your professionally designed 100% TRUE coverage system will deliver the right amount of water to individual lawn and garden areas—for example, less water will be applied in heavily shaded areas.
Will installing a system with fewer heads than you recommend reduce my water bill?
Absolutely not, in fact the opposite is true. There are a few things our irrigation specialist can do to help keep your water bill down. First of all, we make sure you are not watering your neighbor's yard, your driveway, the road, or your house. Secondly, we make sure your system has enough sprinkler heads to cover the lawn evenly. If we reduce the number of heads, you will have some areas that are under watered. In your efforts to put enough water on those poorly covered areas, you will over water the areas having proper coverage. Paying for this extra water each time you run your system will quickly mitigate any initial savings gained by reducing the amount of sprinkler heads. There is no cheaper sprinkler system, in the long run, than a system that covers the entire lawn with balanced, even and proper 100% true coverage.
Will our future shrubbery plans have any effect on our sprinkler system design?
The answer to this question depends upon what your plans are. If you have plans for a shrub hedge along a property line it would have a great impact, since it may end up blocking spray from planned rotor heads. On the other hand, substitution of shrubs for lawn in most areas in front of or around the sides and/or back on the home only result in us having to specify shrub risers rather than lawn popup heads in those specific areas. If you think you may have future shrub plans, let us know when we do our estimate for you so we can provide you with a system that will work within your future plans.
What about the timer? Is it easy to operate?
All of the electronic timers we install are user friendly. You will be fully instructed on how to use it, and will find that after a few tries you will be an expert. They also have a battery backup so you don't have to reset your timer if you experience a power outage.
When is the best time to water my lawn?
The ideal time for your sprinkler system to complete the watering cycle is shortly before sunrise. Your lawn and other vegetation begins the process of transpiration (drawing water from soil) when the sun hits it in the morning. By noon, most vegetation is either inactive or discharging water through evaporation. People that water in the afternoon are not watering in a cost-effective manner. Evening watering results in having the lawn wet all night long. This can contribute to various fungus conditions, snails, slugs, and other pests.
Will an automatic sprinkler system use more water than I'm currently using?
No; in fact it will conserve water. You won't have to worry about wasting water when you forget to turn off the hose, or runoff from over watering. Also, with a rain sensor, your system will know when it has rained and will shut itself off when watering is not needed.
Will an automatic sprinkler system water as well as I can by hand?
It will do a much better job. Your professionally designed 100% TRUE coverage system will deliver the right amount of water to individual lawn and garden areas—for example, less water will be applied in heavily shaded areas.
Will installing a system with fewer heads than you recommend reduce my water bill?
Absolutely not, in fact the opposite is true. There are a few things our irrigation specialist can do to help keep your water bill down. First of all, we make sure you are not watering your neighbor's yard, your driveway, the road, or your house. Secondly, we make sure your system has enough sprinkler heads to cover the lawn evenly. If we reduce the number of heads, you will have some areas that are under watered. In your efforts to put enough water on those poorly covered areas, you will over water the areas having proper coverage. Paying for this extra water each time you run your system will quickly mitigate any initial savings gained by reducing the amount of sprinkler heads. There is no cheaper sprinkler system, in the long run, than a system that covers the entire lawn with balanced, even and proper 100% true coverage.
Will our future shrubbery plans have any effect on our sprinkler system design?
The answer to this question depends upon what your plans are. If you have plans for a shrub hedge along a property line it would have a great impact, since it may end up blocking spray from planned rotor heads. On the other hand, substitution of shrubs for lawn in most areas in front of or around the sides and/or back on the home only result in us having to specify shrub risers rather than lawn popup heads in those specific areas. If you think you may have future shrub plans, let us know when we do our estimate for you so we can provide you with a system that will work within your future plans.
What about the timer? Is it easy to operate?
All of the electronic timers we install are user friendly. You will be fully instructed on how to use it, and will find that after a few tries you will be an expert. They also have a battery backup so you don't have to reset your timer if you experience a power outage.
When is the best time to water my lawn?
The ideal time for your sprinkler system to complete the watering cycle is shortly before sunrise. Your lawn and other vegetation begins the process of transpiration (drawing water from soil) when the sun hits it in the morning. By noon, most vegetation is either inactive or discharging water through evaporation. People that water in the afternoon are not watering in a cost-effective manner. Evening watering results in having the lawn wet all night long. This can contribute to various fungus conditions, snails, slugs, and other pests.