The Benefits of a Sprinkler System

It’s impossible to have a green lawn without water. Some places are lucky enough to receive exactly the right amount of water from rainfall. For the rest of us, sprinklers are the best way to deliver water to the entire lawn.

How do you water your grass? If you currently drag a hose out into the yard with a portable sprinkler head attached to it, you may be considering installing an automatic sprinkler system. Consider the pros and cons of a sprinkler system so you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Benefits of Installing an Automatic Sprinkler System

• Convenience: The most obvious reason to go automatic is to make watering your lawn a less hands-on experience. You can set a timer so the sprinklers automatically pop up and water your lawn at set times on certain days of the week.
• Aesthetics and safety: There’s nothing attractive about a garden hose stretching across your lawn. If you don’t put the hose away after every watering session, this sight is a requisite side effect. The hose is also a tripping hazard for children and pets playing in the yard. In contrast, automatic sprinkler heads pop up out of the ground, water your lawn and disappear again when they’re finished. This makes automatic sprinklers the safer, more aesthetically pleasing option.
• Water at the optimal time: Clemson University recommends watering your lawn early in the morning. Watering when the sun is down minimizes evaporation, and choosing morning rather than evening curtails the spread of disease that can occur if your lawn stays wet all night long. The easiest way to take advantage of early-morning watering is to set a timer on your automatic sprinkler system.
• Water the optimal amount: Advanced automatic sprinkler systems feature weather and soil moisture sensors to deliver the right amount of water right when it’s needed. By sensing rain, an advanced system will skip the scheduled watering to avoid over-saturating your lawn and save you money.
• Water while you’re out of town: Summer is a popular time to go on vacation. Just because you want to get away doesn’t mean you should be punished with a yellow lawn when you return. Automatic sprinklers eliminate the need to ask a neighbour to water your lawn for you while you’re out of town.

Drawbacks of Installing a Sprinkler System

• Expense: Perhaps one reason you haven’t installed a sprinkler system is because of the perceived cost. However, with a free quote from The Grounds Guys^®, you know exactly what the cost will be before you get started.
• Landscape damage: It’s best to install a sprinkler system before the landscaping is complete and sod is laid down. Otherwise, installing a sprinkler system requires areas of the lawn to be dug up so pipes can be installed and attached to the home’s plumbing system. This can take days or even weeks depending on the size of the installation. This means if you’re retrofitting your lawn with automatic sprinklers, you should couple it with other projects if possible, such as planting trees or installing hardscape, so everything can be completed at once.
• More complicated repairs: With underground pipes, automatic sprinkler head function, electronic components, timers, controllers and other parts, more can go wrong with an automatic sprinkler system. Fortunately, experienced specialists from The Grounds Guys can troubleshoot and repair sprinkler problems at an affordable rate.

Ready to pursue automatic sprinkler system installation? Contact The Grounds Guys for a free quote or to schedule sprinkler repair services. Our goal is to create a beautiful, sustainable lawn for you to enjoy this summer.