Tips Page

Sustainable Irrigation begins with knowledge. Sprinkler maintenance, repairing broken heads, fixing leaks, proper sprinkler spacing between heads, correcting water pressure issues and matching precipitation rates are all aspects that lead to a well maintained water conserving sprinkler system. Heads Up Sprinkler Company wants you to try some simple tips to reduce the amount of water you use, improve your overall landscaping health and save money while using water more intelligently.

Tips on Saving Water Outdoors

Saving water using an automatic irrigation system is not a guaranteed fact - that is unless you do a little homework to make sure all is functioning properly. The following are a few tips to keep your watering needs to a minimum while maximizing your landscape’s beauty:

   • Avoid over-watering lawns and gardens.
   • Know your landscape
   • Adjust your Controller/Timer for the seasons.
   • Watering early in the morning
   • Practice the Cycle and Soak Method
   • Hydrozone and create areas with similar watering requirements
   • Check your automated sprinkler system often
   • Consider Micro-irrigation, Drip and Low Volume Irrigation
   • Trim grass at a higher mower setting to shade roots from sunlight & encourage
      deeper root growth
   • Look for the Water Sense Labels - Keep up on the new Water Saving Products

Avoid Over Watering -- Most people water too much. Studies show most lawns receive twice as much water as needed. Healthy lawns and plants don’t need water every day. Overwatering looks similar to underwatering when a plant shows stress. If your landscape looks stressed in the evening, wait until the following morning before watering. If the stress was a result of too much water, waiting until the next morning allows recovery time. If the stress was due to a lack of water, then the plants will still show stress – go ahead and water. Surface runoff and water applied to areas with no roots or grass is completely wasted.

Know Your Landscape -- The first thing to do is learn when and how much to water your lawn. For most people, that will mean cutting back. Learning to water your lawn properly may take a little time initially. Learning how to water your particular landscape will save you time and money in the future.

Adjust Your Controller/Timer for the Seasons -- Tweak your irrigation timer often. It is a good idea to understand the water requirements of your yard and how to best meet those requirements. Respect current water rationing and for North Texas, water on average 2 days a week for not more than 10 minutes per day per station for pop-up heads and not more than 30 minutes for rotors.

overwatering hints

Water in the early morning hours -- Maximize the efficiency of sprinkler irrigation by watering early in the morning. Start the sprinklers at 3:00AM. That gives the water enough time to soak in before the sun comes out to burn it off the surface. It is safe to water at night, but don’t over water, it can lead to mushrooms in the lawn.

Cycle and Soak -- Break those 10 minutes watering cycles into two 5-minute cycles spread at least 30 minutes apart. This gives the first five minutes worth of water enough time to soak in to minimize run off during the second 5 minutes. If an area you are watering is sloped, watch it during one cycle and see how long it takes for the water to start running off. You may need to run that zone 3 times for 3-4 minutes each cycle.

Hydrozone -- Separating shrubs, annual garden, grass, and hanging baskets/pots into separate zones to allow more specific watering schedules tailored to each specific area, minimizing over and under watering.

Consider Micro-irrigation, Drip and Low Volume Irrigation -- Micro-irrigation systems have gained popularity over the years. Micro-irrigation systems are characterized by water saving and time saving features. Low Volume Irrigation is relatively easily integrated with timing devices, valves, solenoids and various sensors. Some gardens are extremely large, and watering them would take a considerable amount of time and effort.

A micro-irrigation system contains many compatible components to suit your needs and preferences. The installation is normally permanent, requiring a simple setting of a timing device. It reduces water consumption by distributing the water evenly across a wide area, cutting down hours of watering to a few minutes per day. Micro-irrigation systems are cost effective, durable, and efficient.

Low flow systems with the traditional irrigation methods with its advantages outweighs those of the traditional methods.

Repairs -- You may find offers from other irrigation companies that seem too good to be true, ask questions. Heads Up believes in providing you with the information and repairs, not just showing up to with a “guess-timate”. When you engage us, we’re on-site to resolve issues and to make the repairs.

The only certainty in estimating repairs is to uncover the issues underground. Some tell-tale signs of sprinkler behavior above ground can help identify the primary needed repair, however, once certain repairs are made, other issues may reveal themselves after reestablished water pressure runs through the station. Those companies offering a low cost may be for only that obvious simple repair and never check for the ensuing issues.

Our expert licensed irrigators and technicians have faced most every irrigation problem a system can develop, from leaks, cut wires and valves that won’t shut off to outdated coverage, low heads and dry spots. We inspect, flag and repair on the same visit. That’s what you get from us. One trip, one charge.

Water Conservation -- Water is fundamental to life. It is required for all agricultural, industrial, urban, and recreational activity and for healthy function of the natural environment. However, many researchers expect that water supply shortage, flood occurrence, and water quality degradation will increasingly affect the environment and future generations.