News!!

Gosh...it's been sometime since we've last posted. Apologies, We've been so busy with our various installations and projects that social media and updating our various pages have been sidelined.

Hopefully, that's all about to change as we've now appointed a new member to help with communications and social media to answer the questions we're often asked. Don't forget, you can contact us via normal communication tools (telephone, text, email) if you have any emergencies.  Someone will always respond ASAP!

Some news for those in the London area. We're exhibiting at  Landscape 2018 The Industry Trade Show at Battersea Park on Tuesday 18th September and Wednesday 19th September 2018.

Please stop by for a chat if you're at the show.

You can apply for tickets here.

See you then!

The season is underway...

We've just started the season and have hit the ground running due to the very mild weather!

It appears that the gardeners and landscapers are out in force and lawns are already being laid in preparation for the summer.  It's not a bad idea to get ahead with the ground work, but remember, if you are including irrigation in your scheme then it's best to ensure that pipework is laid under the hard landscaping so as not to disrupt your drives, paths, and patio's etc.

Start-ups for existing systems will begin around March but that all depends on your soil type, planting etc.

1812 with van nozzle (Rain Bird)

Looking forward to a busy year! 

Choosing your installer for a garden irrigation project

Like any project you undertake choosing an installer is an important factor to take into consideration.  When you ask for a quote, you're not only asking for a price but looking at how they present themselves and whether they will be the best installer for you. A comprehensive quote detailing products they may use, how they intend to install,  and where they intend to install it is vital to ensure that you, the client, gets exactly what you want and where you want it.

Here are a few tips on what to look for:

Get more than one quote - It makes sense to shop around. 

Proven track record - How long have they been around?  Someone who has been around for a few years may indicate that they have a proven rack record. It's not always the case though. Ask to speak to or visit a project that they have completed in your area.  

Price - Be wary of those who provide a quote which differs vastly from the others whether it's extremely high or very low.  There may be an issue.  Compare like with like.  Some installers (not all) are happy to install a system at a really low price...but remember..you get what you pay for...and you may never see them again.

Products - Make sure the products the company use are great quality and also have a proven track record.  We use mainly Rain Bird products as we have found them to be durable and robust.  There are obviously other products on the market which are suitable for a system, such as Hunter and Toro.  Make sure they are using the best you can afford.

Follow ups - Does the installer offer follow ups?  Will they visit once the system is up and running or will you never see them again?  Where are they based? Are they local? 

This isn't a comprehensive guide, but gives you a few common sense tips when choosing a system and an installer.  Make sure you know what you want. The survey should take around 1 hour.  Your installer should talk through with you your requirements to get an idea of how you'd like the system to be planned.  Nothing is ever set in stone and small changes can be made on site which shouldn't affect the price.  We like to allow for expansion to a system so that the client has the possibility to extend the system once they've seen it in action!

 
Finally, if you need any advice with a system that you have or you would like us to quote for you...please contact us via the website.

Happy Watering!

WHAT TIME OF DAY SHOULD I WATER?

We recommend that watering early in the morning, followed by watering in the late evening, should it be a particularly dry spell. 

Water in the middle of the day, ONLY, if it is cool or you have a new lawn requiring constant moisture.  

You should only water more than once per day if evaporation is extreme or if your soil won't hold much water because of the clay content, or the slope of a hill causes too much run off.


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How often should I water my lawn...

 ...and for how long?

Because each lawn is unique, the answer to this question can vary.  

The best watering times and length of watering depends on on the climate, soil and grass conditions.  It is generally preferable to water infrequesntly for a longer period of time. Frequent watering promotes surface root growth, which is obviously not a good thing.  

In the UK, the requirement can vary from 10mm-24mm per week (10-24 litres per sqm). 

Ask Auto Aqua for information as run times will mainly depend on weather, sprinkler type, and sprinkler spacing.



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HOW MANY SPRINKLERS CAN I RUN AT ONE TIME?

This will depend on your available water supply; the more you run at one time the more water flow and pressure you need.  The reason why we use tank and pump systems is that the pressure from the mains is not adequate.  It would be possible to run short runs of drip line and low volume system from the mains water supply.  

An Automatic Garden Watering System using lawn pop-up's

In all cases you need to work out how many sprinklers you need, then work out what their total flow requirements is.  The required flow is then divided by your available flow which will indicate approximately how many sprinklers you need to run.   

Remember, the bigger the zones the bigger the pipe and pump you need, but no need to worry, Auto Aqua can advise on all these areas!

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MAINTENANCE?

WHAT  MAINTENANCE DO I NEED TO DO ON MY OWN IRRIGATION SYSTEM?


Monthly: Adjust timer settings, check and adjust sprinkler sprays and clean filter

Once each season: Clean filters in alll sprinkler heads, manually operate each valve and check signal cable for any damage.

As needed: Unclog sprinkler heads, and adjust levels of heads to ground level.

The system may require draining before the winter to prevent frost damage, and a spring service to get it up and running before the new season.  Contact us should you need any help.






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