Do you hate seeing brown spots across your yard, no matter how much you water it? Brown spots are one of the first signs that something might be wrong with your lawn's irrigation system. Yes, summer heat can kill grass, but if you have an irrigation system installed and it's functioning correctly, you shouldn't be getting brown spots throughout the yard. Conserva Irrigation of Southern Minnesota can come in and correct problems while they are still small, preventing more catastrophic concerns.
Damaged Sprinkler Heads
Sprinkler heads are the most vulnerable part of an irrigation system. Conserva knows these heads are exposed to lawn mowers and foot traffic more than any other part of a sprinkler system. Our team does inspections of all sprinkler heads when we do any evaluations because they are the most common points of failure. Get in touch with Conserva of Rochester as soon as you notice sprinklers spraying on sidewalks, missing sections of the yard, or nothing coming out, so we can evaluate and repair sprinklers as needed.
Uneven Water Distribution
Not every brown spot is caused by a broken component, but by uneven watering. If the water isn't reaching the furthest points of a system, your yard will have imbalanced hydration, leading to brown spots. Water distribution concerns might be caused by clogged nozzles or sprinkler heads being knocked out of alignment. The dry zones created by underwatering will become more obvious in June and July, as temperatures increase.
Hidden Leaks Can Waste Water
A lot of the more troublesome problems with irrigation systems are taking place where you can't see them. Underground leaks are usually slow to develop and it can take a long time before you even know they are there, which can cause a lot of wasted water.
Common signs of a hidden irrigation leak include:
● Brown spots not improving with routine watering
● Your water bill spikes without warning
● Standing water and soggy soil indicate overwatering or a leak
The Controller Is the Culprit of Many Irrigation Concerns
Your irrigation controller is the brain of the entire irrigation system. If there is a power outage, part of the motherboard dies, or if you haven't made adjustments for summer weather, you will start seeing a plethora of problems.
Many homeowners continue using spring watering schedules well into the hotter months without realizing their landscape requires different run times as temperatures rise. During an irrigation inspection, technicians verify that every zone is operating on an appropriate schedule and make adjustments that improve both lawn health and water efficiency.
Brown Spots Don't Always Equal Too Little Water
Ironically, overwatering can also create brown patches just as easily as underwatering. Grass roots can be smothered by too much water, depriving them of oxygen. If you don't allow the grass to dry out a bit, leaving roots saturated, it can harbor fungal disease and kill vegetation. If we identify standing water, some small adjustments to the amount of water will be made.
Why We Like Scheduling a Mid-Season Inspection
Mid-season irrigation inspections give us a chance to catch issues before they become bigger and cause issues during the hottest part of the summer.
● Inspecting sprinkler heads for damage or leaks
● Checking spray patterns and overall coverage
● Testing irrigation controllers and watering schedules
● Looking for underground leaks and pressure issues
● Optimizing the system to reduce water waste
Keep Your Rochester Lawn Green All Summer
Brown spots don't always mean your lawn is beyond saving. In many cases, they're simply an early warning that your irrigation system needs attention. Conserva Irrigation of Southern Minnesota specializes in comprehensive irrigation inspections. We want to keep Rochester lawn healthy, efficient, and green throughout the growing season.
