Nothing lasts forever, including your home’s irrigation system. How long ago did you install your system? If you can’t remember, then it’s probably old enough to have some problems. After all, irrigation systems are complicated. With so many moving parts, eventually things bend or break or fall apart.

If you’ve found yourself asking, “Is it time to upgrade my home’s irrigation system?” you’re in the right place. These are the main indicators that it’s time to make a change:

You’ve changed your home’s landscaping.

When your irrigation system is first installed, it is done so carefully. There’s a good and specific reason you have the number of sprinklers you do in the places you do. If you’ve made any of the following changes to your landscaping recently, then your landscaping is no longer optimally-designed. Have you made any of the following changes to your landscaping lately?

  • Added new flower beds
  • Planted a vegetable garden
  • Cleared away old trees, plants, or brush
  • Expanded the square footage of your yard Introduced a new space that removed grass such as a patio, walkway, or deck
  • You’ve removed old plants and replaced them with new, different ones

These changes all have the potential to mess with your existing irrigation system. Different plants might need different amounts of water. Disruptive additions might require you use less water. Anytime you make one of these consider contacting a plumber to re-evaluate your system.

Your home’s irrigation system is over five years old.

Technology moves forward at a fast pace. Fixtures and features become more efficient. New options relating to home landscaping and irrigation become available. No one can reasonably afford to keep up with every single new thing, however. We recommend revisiting the life and performance of your home’s irrigation system at least once every five years.

If your irrigation system is over five years old, look for unexpected and unexplained increases in your monthly water bill. Water waste and inefficiency in your landscaping irrigation system will add up over time, especially if something’s broken.

Even if you can’t change your entire system right now, you can still make smaller changes to improve its efficiency. Try installing different heads or nozzles to start. Even something as small as trying a different height or spray pattern can make a big difference. You can have the controller components upgraded to help improve energy savings. Train yourself on water conservation and watch your bill more closely to keep on top of small changes. There’s plenty to do!

Whatever you choose to do when it comes to your home’s irrigation system, Ben Franklin Plumbing can help. Get in touch today, and we’ll make sure your irrigation system works for you.