How To Know When To Upgrade Your Irrigation System

Everything ages and wears out, new technology comes out on the market, local legislation changes, your landscape grows and changes, etc. etc. Sprinklers stop functioning, valves fail to open or stay open, and controllers stop working. There are always new types of technology to improve efficiency and reduce costs as well as smart technology that helps remove the guesswork.

For any of these reasons, your inground irrigation system may need upgrading, but how do you determine when? The sprinkler experts at Nutri-Lawn Irrigation Burlington can help.

Why Upgrade

Has your water use escalated or spiked this season? Has your landscape or yard deteriorated? Conversely, has your plants grown to now interfere or obscure existing irrigation heads? Have you had to call for service? Has the cost to maintain the system become excessive? Have the existing sprinklers stopped turning or don't rise up enough to distribute water properly? Is it time to be more water efficient? Or maybe you're just looking for some automation you don't currently have.

Upgrade Options

With an inground irrigation system, you often don't have to replace the whole system to upgrade. Components wear out or they can be easily upgraded at a reasonable cost. Upgrading doesn't mean the whole system needs to be replaced. Eventually, components wear out and need to be replaced.

Maybe you just need new sprinkler heads, or you just need them spaced differently to better serve your growing landscape.Perhaps you can upgrade the controller to a smart system or better flow control or pressure regulation is needed. Having your system inspected could provide valuable insight into improvements that can make things more efficient.

New Technology

New advances in technology are always great for irrigation because it helps homeowners use water more efficiently, at a lower cost, and with better water management. Smart technology alone can come with soil moisture sensors, rain gauges, timers, etc. These take "set it and forget it" a step farther and actually take into account a whole range of conditions older systems couldn't adjust for such as: plant type, root zone depth, soil type, soil moisture, weather forecasts and climate data, etc

Even components have been upgraded. Consider sprinkler heads. New heads can allow for greater water distribution applied uniformly over even models that are 5 years sold. Upgrading sprinkler nozzles can improve water distribution and efficiency.

Upgrade Or Overhaul?

The life of an irrigation system is dependent not only on when it was installed, but the quality of the components used, the frequency it's used, and how it was installed. Systems close to or more than 20 years old can wear out and you may not be able to find compatible components any longer. A system that wasn't installed properly will not last as long. Some poor installation problems can include a lack of waterproofed connections, under sized wire or pipes, or zones too large to allow the system to operate properly. Older systems will require more maintenance than newer ones.

Whether you're looking to upgrade or overhaul your inground irrigation system, our expert team is ready to answer your questions and get the job done right the first time, so your new irrigation components or system will last as long as possible. Contact us today!