Landscaping is essential to improve commercial and residential properties’ curb appeal and value. It also creates a beautiful and calm place to relax and hold outdoor events or parties or for your pets and children to play.
However, the summer weather makes maintaining green and healthy grass, flowers, and bushes in the yard challenging.
This brings the need to look for an irrigation company. However, before contracting a company to work on your St. Louis home, you must research and compare different St. Louis irrigation companies to ensure you work with the best.
The company’s experience, expertise, tools, and materials determine the quality and durability of the services you get. Another essential factor to consider when comparing irrigation companies in St. Louis is the services they offer.
It is best to work with St. Louis irrigation companies that offer numerous services to eliminate the hustle of looking for another company when you need additional services.
Irrigation Systems Installation
Your irrigation system determines the installation and maintenance cost and how much water you use. Therefore, before signing a contract with St. Louis irrigation companies, go through their existing irrigation systems.
Below are some factors that St. Louis irrigation companies consider before recommending a suitable irrigation system.
- The shape and size of your lawn
- Your landscaping design and type
- The type and size of plants you have
- Soil type
- Water requirements
Sprinkler system
This is the most common irrigation system used by irrigation companies in St. Louis for commercial or residential needs. Good irrigation companies in St. Louis will inspect your lawn before installing the system.
That helps them determine how to install the system without over-saturating your lawn or leaving some spots without water access.
One thing to note about this system is that it is best to use it late in the evening or early morning. That way, the water will have enough time to soak through the ground, ensuring wet ground throughout the day.
Therefore, to avoid the hustle of manually turning on the sprinkler, you should ask for one with a smart controller. Once programmed with your specified data, it adjusts the watering schedule depending on time, soil moisture, and local weather conditions.
It also helps you save water and the overall water bill by preventing water wastage. It automatically suspends watering when it rains, freezes, or when there are strong winds.
Drip irrigation
This is the most effective solution for delivering water to individual roots. Therefore, many St. Louis irrigation companies suggest it to clients who have a variety of individual plants to take care of.
Irrigation companies in St. Louis can install timers or special emitters that allow you to control the amount of water each plant receives at different times of the day.
The system involves having a pipe with holes along it laid along the plants’ bases. Since plants usually cover it, you don’t have to worry about the evaporation of water droplets on the leaves that scorch them during midday.
Many irrigation companies in St. Louis suggest integrating your drip irrigation system with a rain catchment system if you have rain barrels. This system uses gravity to deliver water to the plants, making it less versatile.
You also can’t tweak it with timers or emitters. However, it saves you a lot of water and money during the summer periods, and you don’t need to install a filtration system.
Bubbler irrigation system
This is a combination of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, producing large water volumes from around six inches above the ground. It is made to water the plants from the roots and is a good option when watering identical plants in a small area.
That makes it perfect for shrubs, raised plant beds, and trees. You can add timers and emitters to determine which plants get water at what time.
In addition to timers, emitters, and smart controllers, you can ask for additional products like rain sensors, soil moisture sensors, pressure regulators, and filters.
Sprinkler System Inspection And Maintenance
After installing your irrigation system, irrigation companies in St. Louis will want to ensure it works properly in the long run. Therefore, regular inspection and maintenance are necessary at least once a year.
It helps identify issues early, even the small ones, preventing them from expanding. That saves you the time and money you would have used to replace the whole system and ensures your plants remain watered throughout.
Some irrigation companies in St. Louis offer these services for free throughout your irrigation system’s lifetime. Others have warranties that guarantee free services for a certain period.
During the inspection, irrigation companies in St. Louis assess every function and element of your system. They also inspect your lawn to determine how effective the irrigation system is. Finally, they give you a report indicating what they found out and how much it would cost to repair them.
Below is an inspection checklist used by many irrigation companies in St. Louis.
- Inspecting and adjusting sprinkler heads and zones for increased efficiency, coverage, and operation
- Checking every zone for the perfect performance pressure
- Inspecting and adjusting irrigation systems depending on weather conditions and shrub growth
- Trimming grass around sprinkler heads for better performance
- Inspecting and pressure testing zone valves and main lines
- Inspecting and flushing or replacing filters for systems using pop-up heads, drip irrigation, or well water
- Inspecting valve boxes and lateral lines for leaks
- Resetting timers for maximum water efficiency
- Reviewing and adjusting electronic control wiring, control valves, and isolation shut-off valves
- Adjusting wain sensors
- Backflow preventer testing
Below are the most common issues that St. Louis irrigation companies find.
- Broken sprinkler heads
- Leaking sprinkler lines
- Failed controllers
- Misaligned sprinklers
- Wet or dry spots on the lawn
- Zone or system failure
Irrigation Repair
Irrigation repair helps increase your irrigation system’s efficiency, effectiveness, and lifespan. These systems can suffer damage from natural wear and tear, weather changes, external force hits, or shrub and tree growth.
St. Louis irrigation companies advise clients to look for the following signs indicating they need repairs as soon as possible.
- Increased water bills
- Uneven or weak water pressure
- Flooding in some parts of the lawn while others are dry
- Sputtering sprinklers
- Leaky pipes or control valves
- Certain sprinkler zones not starting up
St. Louis irrigation companies usually decide to conduct repairs immediately or the following day, depending on the type and severity of the issues found. However, when comparing irrigation companies in St. Louis, consider how prepared they are to handle any problems.
That applies to the tools, materials, and professionals they have on hand when they arrive at your home. It would also help if you also considered the brands they repair.
The following are the most common repairs to expect from St. Louis irrigation companies.
- Replacing clogged nozzles
- Repairing leaks
- Replacing the manifold
- Replacing the shut-off or copper valves
- Replacing sprinkler heads
- Repairing broken lines
- Resetting sprinkler heads
- Replacing control timers
- Replacing or re-calibrating defective electric solenoid valves
- Installing a moisture sensor, valve box, or rain sensor
Mid-Season Inspections
Besides the annual inspections and maintenance services, St. Louis irrigation companies also conduct mid-season inspections. This is because sprinkler systems work the most during spring and summer, increasing the chances of damage and issues with the pipes and other essential parts.
The mid-season inspections and tune-ups help identify any issues affecting your irrigation system’s effectiveness. They also help St. Louis irrigation companies assess your plants’ water requirements, tuning them to prevent water wastage or low water supply.
Below are the primary activities professionals from irrigation companies in St. Louis do.
- Relocating or raising sprinkler heads because of flower or shrub growth, fence, pool, or tree installations, and landscape changes
- Adjusting sprinkler heads for volume and direction depending on the plant’s water demands
- Adjusting watering durations zone by zone depending on weather conditions and plant requirements
- Pressure testing the main lines
- Programming smart controllers to maximize performance depending on the season
Winterization
Also known as fall blowout or shut down, this process helps protect your irrigation system and all its components from freezing winter temperatures. That helps keep it safe and functional for the next season it is needed.
While different irrigation companies in St. Louis have different policies and processes, they all have the following basic activities during winterization.
- Shutting off the water supply to your irrigation system
- Draining all water from the irrigation system pipes and associated components
- Blowing out all valves, pipes, sprinkler heads, and other related components using an air compressor
- Assessing and noting down any damages that require repair
- Switching the sprinkler system’s controller to the proper winter settings
These activities protect your irrigation system from freezing and bursting during winter. However, you should note that many St. Louis irrigation companies don’t include any repairs in the winterization process. They give you a separate quote for any issues they identify needing repairs.
Some irrigation companies in St. Louis offer a no-freeze damage guarantee if they perform winterization on your irrigation system. This means that they will inspect and repair the irrigation system if it is damaged by the cold weather.
Backflow Prevention Testing
Many town and city water departments mandate that you have a backflow preventer, also known as a reduced pressure zone valve or pressure vacuum breaker, when installing an irrigation system. Irrigation companies in St Louis offer backflow preventers in different brands and types.
They keep the water from your irrigation system from siphoning and backing up into your main water supply. This is because the water can include weed killers, fertilizer, pet waste, and pesticides.
Many irrigation companies in St. Louis conduct backflow prevention testing as part of the annual irrigation system inspection.
Spring Activations
Spring is the time to turn your irrigation system back on after being dormant during the cold winter months. Irrigation companies in St. Louis offer spring activation or start-up services to ensure your irrigation system is fully operational and safe to water your lawn or garden effectively.
There is no standard time when it is best to conduct spring activations. It depends on weather conditions and varies every year and depending on where you live. This usually runs from March through May.
Irrigation companies in St. Louis test and inspect every pipe, sprinkler head, zone, valve manifold, and other components to ensure full capacity operations and identify any damages that might have occurred during the winterization period.
Below are the activities that St. Louis irrigation companies conduct during this service.
- Turning on the controller and water supply
- Programming the controllers for zone-by-zone optimum root development and water conservation
- Testing all the sensors
- Conducting a comprehensive system efficiency analysis
- Assessing and adjusting sprinkler heads
- Writing a detailed and broken-down estimate for the issues they find
- Resealing all drain valves and plugs
- Pressurizing water mains and supply lines
- Re-energizing power to the booster pumps, control timer, or well systems
This is also a perfect time for you to discuss any changes you would like to make to your irrigation system with the irrigation company. You can make the changes if your landscaping needs have changed or you want to install a different irrigation system.
That can happen if you want to change the plants in your garden or reduce or increase the size of your lawn and garden.
Wells And Pumps
A well is one of the best ways to save on your water bills. While you might consider it a massive investment initially, it will save you a lot of money in the long run because you also don’t have to install a filtration system, unlike when using city-supply water.
When getting water from a well, you need a pump to provide pressure for a steady water flow to your irrigation system. The pressure output varies from medium to high depending on how deep the water is and how much water you need.
St. Louis irrigation companies have different types of pumps depending on your budget and water pressure needs.
- Centrifugal pumps- These are the most commonly used, and they use pump start relays.
- Jet pumps- These above-ground pumps use a pressure tank and switch.
- Submersible pumps- St. Louis irrigation companies install these for deep wells. They install them inside the well, entirely underwater. Many irrigation companies in St. Louis recommend this pump for commercial irrigation because of its deep drilling requirements.
In addition to drilling a well and installing pumps, St. Louis irrigation companies also conduct pump repairs. The most common repairs include mechanical timer replacement, indexing valve replacement, water pressure inspection and regulation, plus mechanical to smart Wi-Fi controller conversions.
