Landscape Management, March 2016

profit centers IrrIgatIon Water ManageMent 1 Schedule and price the job Many companies price spring startups by the zone or by the hour Tom horn president of all n One Outdoor Solutions in Jefferson city Mo calls his prices middle of the road The company charges 60 for a residential property with four zones plus a 3 to 4 upcharge per additional zone a commercial property costs 85 for eight zones with a similar upcharge for extra zones he occasionally charges by the hour which is useful when he has previous experience on the property and knows the difficulty of the job a residential system with four to six zones would take about 45 minutes but commercial projects vary widely The company charges 48 an hour 2 Check the soil It may feel like spring above ground but that doesnt mean the soil under the landscape has thawed Use a shovel to make sure the soil is frostfree 12 inches deep Starting the system while the ground is still frozen can damage pipes 3 Test the backflow preventer Since backflow contamination is a serious health risk to the potable water supply most states require a yearly test conducted by a certified technician or plumber with a backflow preventer test kit James Barton operations manager of high View Services in calgary alberta says having a certified tester on staff is a worthwhile investment because it ensures the test can be scheduled with the startup appointment LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET March 2016 38 4 Boot it up controller and moisture sensor back up batteries should be replaced once every six months after replacing the battery dust the mechanisms off and start them up Make sure the timers sensors and controllers are functioning properly reprogram the controllers schedule date and time and other settings 5 Run the zones run each zone and carefully examine each nozzle Start with low water pressure so the pipes dont crack or burst from a high pressure surge Ensure the sprinklers rotate fully properly distribute water and evenly cover the lawn contractors suggest spending a minimum of three minutes inspecting each zone observing a full rotation of each sprinkler Make sure heads are on straight nothing is obstructing water flow and the heads arent buried a homeowners water bill can increase by 10 60 percent from an improperly installed nozzle experts say 6 Make suggestions Manufacturers are more focused on water conservation and efficiency than ever before check the age of certain components throughout the system and make replacement suggestions if something is broken or outdated If a nozzle is more than five years old upgrades can bring 25 30 percent water savings add ons like rain sensors and soil moisture sensors increase efficiency too Barton says Plus the installation of that upgrade is another sale IllustratIons Istock com wIldpIxel IenjoyeverytIme Bjoern meyer kumer Spring startup checklist Startups may seem simple but they require diligence Follow this guide so you dont miss a step By DIllon SteWart