Bethesda Irrigation FAQ
Our Bethesda irrigation team get hundreds of calls every month for everything from repairs and installations to answers to common sprinkler system questions. While we love talking to our customers, there are some questions that come in so often that we thought it would be better if we just put the answers up on our webpage so they were easily accessible 24 hours a day.
How Can I Prevent My Lawn From Being Overwatered?
Overwatering is a problem only if you don't have rain sensors installed in your system. Rain sensors operate in a way that prevents supply lines from opening in areas of the lawn where there is sufficient moisture already.
How Long Does It Take to Install an Inground Sprinkler System?
A new sprinkler system, once it has been fully designed, usually takes 2 days to install on a normal city lot. The first day will involve trenching the line runs and dry fitting the system and the second will be the actual laying of pipe and installing pop up heads. Of course, larger systems will take longer.
What is a Backflow Device and Why Do I Need One?
A backflow device prevents water from your irrigation system from backing up into your home water supply. This is required by most municipalities to maintain the quality of water in the home. Some systems that run off from well water don't require backflow devices because the water is derived from the same source.
What Maintenance Is Needed to Keep a System Running Well?
Because we are in Maryland, your system will need to be winterized in the late fall to prevent water from freezing in the supply lines and pop up head components. Our technicians will perform a complete blow out and winterization service in the fall and a system start up in the spring to remove the antifreeze from your system to prepare it for use again.
Is the Automatic Controller System Hard to Use?
Almost every system we install has an automatic controller that turns the sprinkler system on and off throughout the day. While the initial set-up can be a bit complicated – we do that for you. Mid-year adjustments are very easy to do following a step by step process in the controller manual (it is also usually printed on a sticker on the inside cover of the controller box. If you have trouble with reprogramming your controller, we can come in and save the day.
