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Avoid common
pitfalls...
We encounter a lot of unusual
"custom installations" while doing repairs.
Some are done by well
intentioned homeowners, some by their gardeners or others whom the
contractors license
board calls
"unlicensed operators". We are often
called out after someone else gets it wrong.
Some are simple correctable
mistakes; others are serious code violations. Most are attempts
to get a job done quickly or cheaply by cutting corners.
According to
Rain Bird's website:
"You Get What
You Pay For"
"When choosing a
contractor, you should be wary of those who offer to charge you
significantly less than other contractors. Low bidders may not be
licensed or insured and often use cost-cutting techniques that can
jeopardize your lawn and shorten the life of your
system.
Watch out for these
commonly used tricks of the trade:
- Not including a backflow
preventer, which is required by local codes to protect your
drinking water supply.
- Installing sprinklers too
far apart, which makes it impossible for certain areas to receive
enough water and causes brown spots during the hot summer months.
- Mixing sprinklers with
different application rates on the same line, which causes one
area to be overwatered in order to sufficiently water another.
- Not using special
watertight connectors and a protective valve box to safeguard the
electrical elements, guard against short circuits and prevent
corrosion."
Here are a few
common "corner-cutting" mistakes we've encountered when we're
called out to fix a job that someone else
installed:
- Forgetting to install
filters in spray heads.
- Bad glue connections and
fittings that aren't fully inserted.
- Using thin wall pipe, either
Class 200 or Class 125. We find that neither really holds up as
well as Schedule 40 PVC in the sizes (3/4" through 2") that we
normally use in residential irrigation.
- Forgetting to install shut-off
valves to isolate the sprinklers from the house water supply so
that a repair requires turning off water to the
house
- Not regulating
water pressure. Water pressure in some local foothill areas
can be as high as 160 PSI. Spray heads operate best at less than
50 PSI. An adjustable regulator on your mainline solves the
problem.
- Using too many heads on a line
often exceeds manufacturer's specifications for water velocity,
resulting in "water hammer" which can damage your pipe and crack
or loosen fittings in sever cases.
- Connecting copper to galvanized
(iron) pipe. Not only is this a code violation, but it
shortens the life of your plumbing. The reaction between the
two metals causes each to corrode faster. We've seen
galvanized fittings threaded to copper that fill up more than half
way with rust, severely restricting water flow. The common
scenario: someone doesn't have a brass fitting on the truck, and
instead of running to the hardware store he uses a
galvanized tee instead, costing the homeowner
later.
Whatever your irrigation
project, we'll give it the attention to detail you deserve. We are
trained professionals, and we stand by our work.
Whether it's a new installation,
upgrade or repair, you can trust that we won't cut corners. We'll
"do it right the first time."
We've
earned the trust of hundreds of customers throughout the Santa Clara
Valley.
What can
we get working for you?
408.369.1391 | 
