How to Choose an Irrigation Contractor
The gloominess of winter is over, the sun is shining and the temperatures are warming. The background color is changing; trees are budding and the grass is becoming the rich green hue you expect. The Summer Season is closely approaching. The worry of your lawn turning brown during the summer season is becoming real once again. You may be thinking, “I want to have rich green grass all summer long”. You have been fertilizing your lawn in previous years, but it still ends up brown with the lack of moisture in the summer. You have decided this is the year to add the moisture your lawn so desperately needs to be beautiful – in the form of an Irrigation System. You may not have the equipment or expertise that is required to install an Irrigation System. You probably need the help of a professional to perform the work and give your grass the water it desires. Choosing a professional for this job isn’t necessarily easy. You want to hire someone that knows what they are doing. I have created this article to help you. Throughout this article, I will discuss the things you should be looking for when Hiring an Irrigation Contractor near New Richmond, Osceola, Amery, Somerset and Hudson WI.
The first thing to look at when deciding on an Irrigation Contractor is their experience. Do they know what they are doing? If the Irrigation Contractor just started his Irrigation company a few years ago and has very little experience installing or repairing systems, you may want to take that into consideration. Do you need more specialized irrigation products such as, drip-line or mister heads in your flower beds or a Lake Pump System that uses Lake Water instead of your well? Do you have a Commercial property you manage, such as a Golf Course or School? You are really going to want someone who can quickly diagnose problems with your system. These problems may include broken wires, faulty decoders for 2 wire systems, faulty or dirty valves, broken joints and/or pipes or problems with the remote controller system. Larger systems often need specialized equipment to be installed and repaired. Do you really want to risk your hard-earned money on someone who may not give you the trouble-free system you want? Also, do they know how to design a system properly? If they try installing a system with a water source that provides 10 gpm (gallons per minute) and have a zone (consists of individual sprinkler heads) that is 12 gpm then the heads will not water properly or have the pressure to rise above the ground and water at their full distance. This type of improper install happens a lot to customers receiving irrigation installation. Sometimes it happens when the homeowner or business want to save money and go with the “low bidder”.
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rrigation is not the area to “cut costs”. If a system gets designed and installed improperly it can lead to so many different types of problems from not always popping up heads to not watering at all. Having the best Irrigation system in terms of reliability and longevity may come at a higher initial cost, but will pay off quickly in the years to come. The cost of a system often reflects the Irrigation Contractors Experience. An experienced Irrigation Contractor knows that an irrigation system can’t be built cheaply, for example eliminating the number of heads or valves used in the system to save on costs. I have personally witnessed many flaws in irrigation systems, some of which I have just described. You may want to ask the Contractor what other systems they have installed. Referrals allow you to contact some of their customers that have had an Irrigation Installation or Repair work done. A reputable Irrigation Contractor should be able to do this without hesitation; if not it should be a red flag to you. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions about where and how many sprinkler heads they will be installing, for example. This brings me to another point to be made.
Do they just install systems or do they perform repairs and maintenance on Irrigation systems too? You have to remember once a system is installed maintenance needs to be performed on the system at least twice a year. Once for Spring start-up and again for Fall winterization. The Irrigation Contractor you’re considering should have a portable air compressor to “blow-out” the lines and heads before the winter season comes. This allows you to have a contractor that knows your systems inside and out. It also gives you the peace of mind to know that all the water is being taken out of the system so that your pipes, sprinkler heads and backflow preventer doesn’t become broke from freezing temperatures. During the year, there may be repairs needed, for instance if a sprinkler head becomes broke when a lawn mower runs over it. You want to know that your Contractor knows your system well, so the repair is simple and inexpensive for you.
Do you have an existing system that simply needs repair? If you already have an irrigation system, but no longer have a contractor to service it, for whatever that reason may be, then you will definitely want someone with extensive experience. You are going to need someone that can come into the situation and quickly resolve whatever the issue is with the Irrigation System. Finding a knowledgeable Irrigation Contractor in this situation will help you avoid headaches and keep the costs down. They will likely know, for example, if you have a zone of sprinkler heads leaking throughout the day with the system off, that there is debris stuck in the valve of that zone that needs to get cleaned out or replaced.
Another consideration you should take into account is if they are keeping up with the pace of technology in the Irrigation Field. In recent years, the technology of Irrigation has grown because of things such as the internet and WI-FI. You can now have irrigation controllers that can be controlled remotely through a smart phone or computer, in addition to having a standard programmable controller. Having an Irrigation Contractor with the knowledge how to setup and properly explain how to use this new technology maybe something to take into consideration if you want that kind of control. One of the most important technologies that have come to irrigation is the wireless rain sensor. This device allows you the customer to have the irrigation shut-off automatically when rain is detected. Saving you money on your water bill if you live in town or electricity to run your well if you’re in the country. In more recent years the Irrigation Industry has come out with a more advanced version of this, a wireless soil sensor. It simply inserts into the ground and reads the saturation of the soil through its conductivity probes. It can be moved to various places in the yard on the fly and is small enough that a lawn mower can mow over it without damaging the sensor.
This simple guide to choosing the best irrigation contractor should put you on the fast track to choosing the best company to serve you. We have discussed in detail to look for their level of experience, consider cost factors, look at the level of service they can give your system and to consider their knowledge in Irrigation technology. These factors will help you find the best contractor. Whether you are looking to have a system Installed, Repaired, Maintained or Replaced we would like to help. We at Lake Kountry, Inc. have the extensive Knowledge, Experience and Equipment needed to serve our Residential and Commercial Irrigation Customers in New Richmond WI, Osceola WI, Amery WI, Somerset WI, Hudson WI, Polk County WI and St Croix County WI.
LAKE KOUNTRY, INC. IS A FULL SERVICE IRRIGATION CONTRACTOR. LOCATED JUST MINUTES FROM NEW RICHMOND, WI , SOMERSET, WI , OSCEOLA, WI , AND AMERY, WI . WE PROVIDE IRRIGATION SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS INCLUDING; IRRIGATION INSTALLATION, IRRIGATION REPAIR, IRRIGATION REPLACEMENT, IRRIGATION MAINTENANCE, IRRIGATION PARTS, IRRIGATION STARTUP AND IRRIGATION WINTERIZATIONS. WE SERVICE AND INSTALL TORO, IRRITROL, HUNTER, RAINBIRD AND MORE! PLUS WE HAVE A FULL SERVICE NURSERY/GARDEN CENTER AND PROVIDE LANDSCAPING/EXCAVATING/IRRIGATION SERVICES. COME EXPERIENCE LAKE KOUNTRY!!!
