This summer has been hot and dry in Houston and my high water bill reflects that. UGH!

Do you have a leak in your sprinkler system?

This is a great question. Leaks can be a big factor which impact our pocketbook and water conservation.

It is important to check each spray head in the yard for leaks. In our opinion it should be done once a quarter. The heads themselves may be old with leaky seals or they may be damaged. Look for water pouring out at the base of the head or water spraying up in the air. You may also have leaks under the head where it connects to the PVC pipe. This can cause low pressure or pooling water around the head. Pipe leaks can happen from tree roots, digging or the ground shifting. You may notice pooling or standing water when the sprinkler runs. Standing water does not always mean that you have a leak, you may have a drainage problem or a low spot in your yard. If you feel that you may be having drainage issues, Southwest Irrigation Systems offers solutions and you can learn more about drainage cleaning here.

Main line leaks are wasteful and costly.

They can continue to leak until leak is repaired or water is turned off. The main line water starts at the water meter which is usually in a black box located near the street. Main line leaks can be to your home or the sprinkler system. The main line pipe for your home goes from the meter to the home. The sprinkler main line goes from the house main line, to a sprinkler isolation valve to the back-flow device and then to the valves. This is all under constant pressure. If you think you have a leak, you can check for movement on at the city meter. You will need to make sure nothing is running. See picture below of a water meter with a low flow indicator.

Is it a leak in my house or in the sprinkler system?

Turn off your shut off valve to your home and if your meter is still moving, you have a leak on your sprinkler system or pipe from meter to entrance to home. We can do a free leak pressure check on your sprinkler system, free with any service call. The city or water purveyor will usually do a free check on the meter if have water pooling around the meter box. Any pipe from the meter to the house is your responsibility so they will not fix a leak on your system.

If your entire yard is squishy, you either had a big rain or your watering to much.

Check your Controller settings. It may be running too often or too long with recent rains. Check your start times. Most controllers have 4-6 start times for each program. You really only need one or two start times. Multiple start times are for new plants which is temporary. The other reason would be to allow soak in time and help with water waste. Sometimes customers accidently set start times for zone run times. There are numerous tips that can help you conserve water.

A smart controller can really help with settings and weather changes during the year. If this interests you we are running a smart controller special next month.  If you would like to schedule an appointment feel free to a call 281-494-3700, email service@swis-inc.com, or click to Request An Appointment. 

Peter Hudson

Southwest Irrigation Systems Inc

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