One More Friendly Reminder About Winterizing and Blowing Out Your Sprinkler System

| | Irrigation Management

It’s nearly Halloween and the official start of the holiday season here in Minneapolis. Can you believe 2013 is almost over? Soon the days will be shorter, the nights will be longer and the weather will be a lot colder! Have you started to winterize your home yet? Better hurry up because soon it will be too late! But don’t forget one important piece to this puzzle: your sprinkler system. You’ll want to make sure it’ll be in good working order for the upcoming winter weather. And that’s where Classic Lawnscape can help: we can winterize and blow out your sprinkler system so water won’t freeze and damage your system.

Your first thought might be to go online and try to figure out how to blow out your sprinkler system by yourself. However, we here at Classic Lawnscape do not recommend trying this on your own! The blow out method uses compressed air, and it can cause serious injury if you’re not careful or don’t know what you’re doing. Winterizing a sprinkler system can be dangerous, and our technicians are experienced and well-versed in how to safely and effectively blow out and winterize your sprinkler system. We know what we’re looking for when we undertake this task, and it’s better to be safe than sorry in the long run. Plus, the task from start to finish can be complicated at times. Don’t stress yourself out and don’t potentially hurt yourself either. Let our experts handle everything so you don’t put yourself or others in danger.

Winterizing your sprinkler system and making sure it’s properly blown out is one of the most important steps you can take in getting prepared for the cold winter months. Temperatures are already dropping and the worst of it will be here before you know it, so don’t get caught off-guard! Call Classic Lawnscape today at (763) 780-7231 or contact us using our online free estimate form.

Winterizing/ Sprinkler System Blow Outs

| | Irrigation Management

Brrrr! It’s getting to be that time of year again! It’s time to think about winterizing your sprinkler system. If you’re looking for a company in Minneapolis to winterize/blow out your sprinkler system, look no further. We can help get your sprinkler system shut off for the winter, and make sure it’s in good shape for the spring.

The 5 Ws

Are you wondering what needs to be done in terms of winterizing your irrigation system? Leave it to us! Here are the 5 Ws of sprinkler winterization:

  • Who: Any home owner or business owner who has an irrigation system that was active this summer. If you had a sprinkler system running to keep your grass and landscape green, you qualify.
  • What: They should have a professional company blow out and winterize their sprinkler system. It is important to have a professional handle the winterization of your irrigation system.
  • When: Now is the time to have your irrigation system turned off. It is important to have them shut off before freezing temperature take over. Temperatures are getting cooler, and in some parts of Minnesota, they have already begun to see freeze watches.
  • Where: Anywhere around the Twin Cities, like Minneapolis, St Paul, Andover, New Brighton, Shorewood, etc. Our company services the entire Twin Cities metro.
  • Why: It is imperative you have your irrigation shut down properly, by a professional company. You risk damaging your system if procedures aren’t followed properly. The overall goal is to rid your irrigation system of water, so it doesn’t freeze and cause the pipes to burst. It’s important to not only cut off the water supply, but clear any water out lingering in your pipes.

Beyond this, when we come to shut off your irrigation system, we can perform a visual check.  We can see if there was any damage done during the summer and make necessary repairs. This will help to make sure your system is in good shape come spring.

In need of a company to help winterize and blow out your irrigation system? Give us a call today at 763-780-7231 or contact us online.

Lawn Sprinklers: Picking the Best Kind for You

| | Irrigation Management

How can you tell its summer? Obviously, the weather is hot. But, there are other signs, like kids being out of school and the sound and sights of lawn care, most notably lawn sprinklers.

Whether it’s in Minneapolis, Shoreview or Anoka, lawn sprinklers, when they’re operating, can’t help but be noticed, as if almost signaling to viewers, “Summer is here!”

However, all lawn sprinklers aren’t created equal. There are several different kinds and types one can use to give their lawn the necessary hydration it requires. It all comes down to your yard, and what type of sprinklers will best water your yard.

Here are the four most commonly used types of sprinkler heads:

Pop-Up Sprinklers

These are probably the most commonly used due to their relative inexpensiveness and ease to operate. These types of lawn sprinkler heads are designed for residential and small commercial use, and are made to cover smaller areas, with a spraying radius being normally between 3-15 feet.

Impact Rotors

Impact rotors provide yards with single or multiple streams of water. Normally, the water is distributed in an arc pattern between 40 and 360 degrees. Impact rotors are designed to cover larger areas than pop-up spray heads; the normal spray radius of an impact rotor is between 20 to 150 feet.

Gear-Driven Rotors

Gear-driven rotors are used most commonly for medium to large-scale systems. They normally have a radius between 18 and 55 feet. These types of sprinklers are best suited for commercial or large residential areas, and work better than pop-up sprinkler heads in areas with slops or clay.

Large Turf Rotors

If you see a golf course or park being watered, it’s more than likely using large turf rotors. These are the sprinkler heads of choice for large areas, as they can cover radii of up to 100 feet.

Unsure which type of lawn sprinkler to go with? Give us a call now at 763-780-7231 or Click Here to Request a Free Estimate.

Irrigation Systems FAQs

| | Irrigation Management

Spring is here and summer will soon be on its way, meaning it’s the season of lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems. For homeowners in places like Edina, Eden Prairie and Coon Rapids, irrigation systems are an indispensible part of a thorough lawn care regimen. Like with any device, problems can arise with your irrigation systems or you might have questions you are unsure of the answers to. Before giving us a call, see if your question is answered below.

How long should I water my lawn and garden?

Watering frequency is dependent upon your type of system and its precipitation rate. Usually, a typical run will water shrubs for 10 minutes, circle rotors for 30 minutes and full circle rotors for an hour. If you are unsure how to set up your program, contact us today.

My system isn’t shutting off.

If you find your system isn’t shutting down after a watering cycle, first try to unplug the controller. Should this do the trick, follow your manufacturer’s directions for reprogramming. If the system didn’t turn off upon unplugging the controller, then get in touch with us so we can better investigate the issue.

Are rain sensors a worthwhile investment?

If you’re looking to save water and extend the life of your system, then rain sensors are a great investment. A great feature of rain sensors is they allow your system to take a break when it’s raining.

What are irrigation zones?

Irrigation zones are planned prior the installation of a system. Each zone is divided by the amount of water necessary to ensure proper hydration. Zones in sunnier areas, for examples, might require more water, while areas in more shaded areas can probably use less hydration. There is less water being wasted, as irrigation zones help to determine water efficiency.

Have questions? Give us a call now at 763-780-7231 or Click Here to Request a Free Estimate.

Lawn Sprinkler Start-Up Tips for Commercial Property Owners

| | Irrigation Management

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If you own multi-housing or commercial properties, one thing you want prospective tenants to notice is your healthy, green grass. Not only is it beautiful, but it gives a positive impression about how well you keep the entire property maintained.

And with spring in full bloom and summer a little over a month away, it’s more important than ever to make sure you have in place a fully functional lawn sprinkler system. If you do, then your system should be started up. If not, then here are a few tips to remember to make sure your lawn sprinklers are correctly started up:

Proper sprinkler startups mean more than just turning on the water

It’s not enough just to turn on the water and call it a day. When a member of the Classic Lawnscape team does a lawn sprinkler or irrigation startup, they will take a look at each zone and make sure:

  • Sprinkler heads are popping up
  • The system has the correct amount of water pressure
  • Sprinkler heads aren’t leaking or are clogged
  • There are no leaks or wet spots

These are only a few of the items we’ll take a look at. Contact us to learn more.

Think about coverage

A sprinkler system startup is a great time to think about whether your landscape is getting the appropriate amount of water coverage. Are all the plants and grass getting the necessary amount of water, or is the system leaving something to be desired? We can take a look at these issues when a member of the Classic Lawnscape team turns on your system.

Call in a professional if you’ve never done a start-up before

If you’ve never started a system before and are not sure what to look for, then give Classic Lawnscape a call or click here to request a free estimate. Not having the experience can cause issues if you’re unfamiliar with how the system should work. This is especially important for property owners, as commercial systems may be more involved than normal residential systems.

Want to learn more about a lawn sprinkler system start-up? Call us at 763-780-7231.

photo credit: dibytes (back online, will get caught up) via photopin cc