Having a lawn irrigation system installed is a wonderful time saver and a great investment in helping your lawn look beautiful. There are many factors to consider when buying a lawn irrigation system.
Besides the obvious, “how much does a lawn sprinkler system cost?” A very important consideration is: “what should I expect costs to be once the system is installed?” Sprinkler systems are a lot like cars. They have a lot of parts which will eventually need to be replaced and maintained.
Factors of Lawn Irrigation System Maintenance Costs
Sticking with the car analogy, cars need an oil change every 3000 miles or so. Well, sprinkler systems need to be winterized every fall because of the reality of freezing temperatures during the winter in southern New Jersey. Ice can crack or split brass and make a pile of plastic shards out of PVC pipes. Sprinkler heads will split down the sides. Piping can be cracked into splinters for very long stretches. Needless to say, this is the most important service your system will need.
Every so often a car needs a tune up. Sprinkler systems need to get started up every spring. This is the tune up time for your system. After the winter, we turn on the water and check the system over for leaks. All of the head adjustments will be checked. During the start-up we look for any potential problems: Did the landscaping grow to the point where sprinkler heads will be blocked? Were changes made to the landscaping, leaving plants unwatered? Is that a new fence or a new shed? Wow, that is a beautiful new patio. Did you want those three heads spraying all of the patio furniture? During the start-up we take the time to look at what your system may need to improve the performance before you start seeing the problems the hard way.
Wish your car tires lasted longer? Unfortunately sprinkler heads wear out, too. Eventually, every single one will need to be replaced. Sprinkler heads have seals that keep them from leaking. After thousands of popping up and retracting through the seal, water will start pouring out and wasting water. If the seal doesn’t fail first, then the gear drive in the rotors will stop working and your once rotating sprinkler becomes very stationary. Routine inspections will help find these problems before the unusually high water bill comes across your desk or before the very large brown spot in the front yard is noticeable.
The car won’t start? Battery shot? Sprinkler timers don’t last forever either. This is a very important piece and also the most-expensive part of a lawn sprinkler system. Sometimes the buttons stop working, sometimes the screen goes blank, sometimes it acts like it’s working, but nothing happens when you turn it on. Fortunately, sometimes the timer can be repaired. Unfortunately, every other time, it’s time for a new one.
So the question remains, “how much is a lawn irrigation system going to cost me?”
Lawn Irrigation: DIY vs. Hiring a Contractor
Every yard is different; therefore every system is different which of course affects cost. The level of care you want for your system, such as paying for routine lawn irrigation maintenance plans, affects the cost. Each homeowner’s willingness to take responsibility vs. paying a professional is another cost factor. Another factor is the quality of replacement parts. The better the part, the better the longevity and performance. Every system has the same basic needs. These needs are close in cost no matter the size of the yard. The difference is whether you’re willing to pay someone else or do it yourself.
Over a 15 year period, you can expect to replace every moving part of your system. If you hire a professional to do the work and add in the cost of the parts and the costs of the winterizations, start-ups and any service plans, you can expect to pay up to 1-and-a-half times what you paid to have the system installed. If you decide to invest your time and energy into doing some of the maintenance yourself, that cost could be cut in half over the same period.
Lawn sprinkler systems need attention. They cannot be left out in the cold and ignored. The more TLC a system receives, the better its performance will be over the long haul. Just like cars, a well maintained system can last for decades.
Picture is Courtesy of Hunter Industries