FAQs About Lawn Watering, Sprinklers & Us
Q: Do you have a physical office location with a full time staff to answer my calls?
A: Yes. We’re located at 15010 A Circle in Omaha and have customer service reps available to answer your calls Monday through Friday.
Q: What is the warranty on your sprinkler systems?
A: The warranty period is five years for parts and two years for labor. There will be no hidden charge if you have a warranty issue. We use quality parts and polyethylene pipe and are 100% sure you won’t have any problems. The warranty does not cover self-inflicted damage, (ex: run over head with snow blower or letting your pipes freeze in cold weather). The warranty is only valid if Quality Irrigation winterizes or shows you how to winterize your system properly.
Q: When you install the sprinkler system, will the installation itself affect my yard adversely?
A: All yards are different, and any impact to the yard depends on the condition of your grass and soil at the time of installation. In most cases, the installation will not disrupt the condition of the yard. The better the condition of the yard when we start, the faster the yard will heal after the installation is complete. Tree roots may cause a problem with pipe depth if there are very large, older trees.
Q: How deep will the pipe be installed?
A: The pipe will be installed between 8″ – 12″ inches in depth. If your yard has large mature trees the pipe may be placed less deep–when next to the trees–to avoid root damage.
Q: What can I expect to see for an increase in my water bill?
A: Your water bill may increase at first as a result of the extra watering cycles needed to heal the yard after the install. After the healing period, your water bill should be back to normal. Your irrigation will be more efficient due to the equal coverage your system will provide.
Q: Who will locate my utility lines?
A: After receiving a deposit, Quality Irrigation will be responsible for contacting all major utility providers. The homeowner is responsible for marking all private lines including, but not limited to, electric dog fences, gas grill lines, outdoor lighting wire, pool lines, and drain tile. Quality Irrigation will not be held responsible for any unmarked lines or any utilities that are less than 8 inches underground.
Q: Is Quality Irrigation licensed?
A: Ryan Jardine, President, is licensed in Omaha, Bellevue and Hastings.
Q: Is Quality Irrigation fully insured?
A: Quality Irrigation is fully insured and bonded in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.
Q: What happens if I decide to add more grass or more landscaping to my home after my system is installed?
A: Quality Irrigation will work with you to accommodate the new additions. When installing a new system, we leave room on each zone and on each controller for future changes.
Q: Where has Quality Irrigation completed jobs?
A: Our current market area is Omaha and adjacent communities to the west such as Papillion, Gretna, Bennington, Elkhorn and others.
Q: When do I water?
A: The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning hours, just before dawn. Watering in the morning means that when the sun rises and warms the grass, any excess water will evaporate. If you water in the late evening/night, the wetness of the grass will invite fungus, spore growth, and other problems.
Q: How do I know when my lawn needs watering?
A: Watering your lawn too often and too much can be just as detrimental as watering too little. Is your grass yellow, even though you water it daily? You’re probably watering too much.
Watering too often develops weak, shallow roots that will require you to keep watering constantly. What you want to develop is a deep root base, so that the lawn will need watering only when the rainfall isn’t quite enough to satisfy the grass.
Learn the signs of a thirsty lawn. Your grass needs watering if:
- The blades turn a grayish-blue instead of a dark green.
- Walking across the lawn leaves footprints. Grass that doesn’t spring up after walking across it is thirsty.
- The blades are rolling or starting to fold.
- A screwdriver won’t go into the soil with gentle pressure.
Water your lawn deeply then keep an eye on it until you see signs that your lawn is getting thirsty. This will tell you how many days to allow between watering sessions.
Q: How long do I leave the water on?
A: How much water your lawn needs depends on the type of soil you have, how dry your grass is, how much thatch the water has to soak through, and your sprinkler system’s efficiency. For good root development, you need to water enough to penetrate 4-6 inches deep in the soil.
- Sandy or less compacted soils need less water because water sinks in quickly. One half inch of water is enough to seep down 4-6 inches.
- Compacted and clay soils need more water. It takes an inch of water to penetrate to the proper depth in heavier soils.
- Remove thatch and aerate your lawn to get the best watering results. Then, find out how much water your sprinklers are putting down to get an idea of the amount of time you’ll need to water for building deep root systems.
Q. How is the cost of a sprinkler system determined?
A. The cost is dependent on several factors but primarily the size of your lawn, the number of watering zones you’ll need, and the complexity and the maturity of your landscaping are the biggest factors.
- Big lawns with multiple zones require a larger system involving more pipe, plumbing and labor. Smaller yards with fewer zones cost less. An average system usually has 5-7 zones.
- If your home is new and your yard has few and/or young trees, shrubs and gardens, it will take less time to install your system and will probably require fewer zones. On the other hand, if you have a lot of mature trees and landscaping, it will take more time, labor, and probably more zones to ensure proper irrigation
Q. What are the components of a sprinkler system?
A. These are the main components:
- The controller programs how often and how long your system operates
- The valves control the flow of water to the system’s underground pipes
- The sprinkler heads distribute the water
- Rain sensors, weather stations and drip irrigation components can be added to enhance your system to conserve water and to reduce your utility bills
Q. What’s the difference between spray sprinkler heads and rotor sprinkler heads?
A. Spray heads discharge a large amount of water in a relatively short amount of time and are best suited to fairly flat or even surfaces. You’ll see spray heads typically around gardens and walkways.
Rotor heads have a lower application rate and apply water more uniformly than spray heads. They’re best used to irrigate larger areas or those that are sloped and hilly. You’ll frequently see rotor heads on golf courses or homes with large expanses of lawn.
Q. Who invented the first irrigation system?
A. Good question with various answers. People have been finding ways to irrigate gardens and crops for millennia. However, in terms of an American sprinkler system, most sources say that in 1891, J. Lessler of Buffalo, NY patented what was the first water-propelled sprinkler system. Underground irrigation as we know it today didn’t really take off until the 1950s initially most used for golf courses.