Sprinkler Spruce-Up

Now is the time to spruce up your irrigation system before you ramp up your watering efforts this spring and summer. To get started, follow these four simple steps-inspect, connect, direct, and select:

• Inspect. Check your system for clogged, broken, or missing sprinkler heads. If you’re not the do-it-yourself type, go with a pro-look for an irrigation professional certified through a WaterSense labeled irrigation program.
• Connect. Examine points where the sprinkler heads connect to pipes/hoses. If water is pooling in your landscape or you have large wet areas, you could have a leak in your system. A leak as small as the tip of a ballpoint pen (1/32^nd of an inch) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.
• Direct. Are you watering the driveway, house, or sidewalk instead of your yard? Redirect sprinklers to apply water only to your lawn or prized plants.
• Select. An improperly scheduled irrigation controller can waste a lot of water and money. Update your system’s schedule with the seasons, or select a WaterSense labeled controller to take the guesswork out of scheduling.