Irrigation systems are a convenient way to protect your landscape investment in Orlando, while helping to preserve one of our most precious resources and saving you time and money. With all the new technology and practices available to every Orlando homeowner, irrigation systems can be made more efficient to lower your water bill and reduce wasteful run-off.
The Irrigation Association has named July as "Smart Irrigation Month" to provide homeowners with water-wise tips to keep their landscape looking beautiful through the use of proper irrigation systems. The key to an efficient irrigation system is applying just enough water…and only when necessary. This will not only give you more free time (you won't have to stand around holding a hose anymore), but also reduce your water bill – sometimes drastically. Every Orlando homeowner can appreciate that!
Try these water-saving tips (offered by the Irrigation Association) to maintain and update your automatic irrigation system in Orlando:
1) Adapt your watering schedule to the weather and the season in the Orlando area. Familiarize yourself with the settings on your irrigation system controller and adjust the watering schedule regularly to conform to current weather conditions.
2) Schedule each individual zone in your irrigation system. "Scheduling" your irrigation system takes into consideration the type of sprinkler, sun or shade exposure and the soil type for your area of Orlando.
3) Inspect your irrigation system monthly. Hire an irrigation professional to regularly check your irrigation system for leaks, broken or clogged heads, and other problems. There are many reputable landscape professionals in the Orlando area.
4) Adjust sprinkler heads. Correct obstructions that prevent sprinklers from distributing water evenly to insure that your irrigation system is not spraying water on pavements or structures.
5) Get a professional irrigation system audit from one of Orlando's landscape maintenance companies. Ask them to conduct an irrigation audit and uniformity test to make sure areas are being watered evenly.
6) Consider "smart" technology. Climate or soil moisture sensor-based irrigation system controllers evaluate Orlando weather and soil conditions and automatically adjust the irrigation schedule to meet the specific needs of your landscape.
7) Install a money-saving rain shutoff-switch. These are required by law in Orlando, as well as other parts of Florida. Sensors turn off your system in rainy weather. (The device can be retrofitted to almost any irrigation system.)
Consider low-volume drip irrigation systems for plant beds. Install micro irrigation for gardens, trees and shrubs.
9) Water at the optimum time of day…when the sun is low (or down), winds are calm and temperatures are cool in Orlando- between the evening and early morning – to cut down on evaporation and run-off.
10) Water only when needed. Saturate root zones and let the soil dry. This is important in the Orlando climate zone.
Most Orlando homeowners overwater their yard, unwittingly wasting money every time they take out the hose or turn on the sprinklers. Adopting water-savvy habits by installing an efficient irrigation system not only helps reduce this waste, it saves money, while promoting a healthier lawn and landscape.
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More on Irrigation Systems: Protect Your Landscape Investment With These Top-10 Water-saving Tips
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While the water irrigation system is only half efficient, the drip systems have 90% efficiency. Water is simply not wasted in the drip irrigation system. The process of installation is easy and simple. It helps in spraying water wherever required rather than spilling it anywhere and everywhere. The basic advantages of drip irrigation are that water is soaked into soil before it evaporates and spreads here and there.
The drip irrigation filters are extremely essential; the drip emitters have minute openings and are easily clogged. The water that comes is not necessarily free from the toxic substances and installation of a filter is necessary. The filter is usually installed before a valve or a pressure regulator.
Sprinklers not only help to maintain the life of your filter system, it also reduces the maintenance cost. There are certain organic materials as well as algae which may accumulate in the drip tubes. While the water is coming from the tube with a huge force, it may be possible for few of these algae to mix with it. This renders the water toxic and unsuitable for irrigation purpose. In order to remove the unwanted substances, filters are used.
Below are some of the drip irrigation filters currently available online:
Rain Bird Filters
RBDRBY075MPTB 3/4" MPT Inline WYE filter w/ 200 Mesh Screen is an inline filter that is presently available in male x male threads for the purpose of easier installation. It is generally used in the control zones and on drip system. This glass filled nylon construction offers 150 psi pressure via MPT Connection.
RBDRBY100200X 1" MPT Inline WYE filter w/ 200 Mesh Screen is a new product. It is used in the control zones and can withstand a pressure from 10 to 150 psi. The flow is controlled by a 3/4" WYE Filter. The cap consists of sealing o-ring and unthreads to provide an access to filter elements.
Netafim Plastic Filters
NEAMIADS2 Netafim 2" MPT x 2" MPT Super Plastic Filter – AMIAD (Max 110 GPM) has a large filter area and allows the passage of sufficient time between cleaning. It provides optimum protection to irrigation emitters and used fresh or recycled water. It is a plastic filter with irrigation degree from 800 to 22 micron. It has good power of particle retention and is non corrosive and durable.
NEAMIADS150 Netafim 1 1/2" MPT x 1 1/2" MPT Super Plastic Filter – AMIAD (Max 60 GPM)- This product is constructed with molded plastic materials and have a stainless steel rib weave wire screen or even monofil polyester. In this, the water is channelized through the filter element from inside out. Thus all the solids which are suspended, accumulate at the lower end of the element. The screen is especially beneficial for inorganic plastics.
Netafim Disc Filter
NEDF150200 Netafim 1 1/2" MPT x 1 1/2" MPT Disc Filter w/ 200 Mesh Screen (Max 35 GPM)- This product has been devised for efficient performance for year after year and does not require any sort of maintenance. It stacks together to create a cylindrical filter element. The process of filtration is carried out by compression of the rings so that water is filtered but there is no clogging.
NEDF150140 Netafim 1 1/2" MPT x 1 1/2" MPT Disc Filter w/ 140 Mesh Screen (Max 35 GPM) is a manual disc filter.
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