Houston Sprinkler Repair And Installation Experts
8070 Taylor St. , Houston Tx 77064
13 Jun 2021
drain-cleaning

Do You Have Slow Or Clogged Yard Drains? Here’s How To Fix Them.

Yard drains and driveway drains help remove rainwater from your property into the storm sewer or other drainage system like a catch basin or French drain to help keep your yard dry.

Check for obvious things blocking the drain like leaves, dirt, stones, toys, trash, etc. Remove any of these items that may be present with your hands or scoop if possible. If there is a grate on the yard drain, remove it so you can get a better look into the drain pipe. If there is additional debris viewable in the drain pipe, try to move it carefully without damaging the pipe itself.

Your property may have one or more drain cleanout or inspection portals likely located near the house, or by the street (closer to the storm sewer) or on some other location in your yard depending on how your yard is setup to handle the water drainage. Run water from a hose through your yard drain, you should see water flowing through the inspection portal towards the storm sewer or other drainage area. If you do not see a flow of water, or only a small flow of water, this could be the sign of a more serious clog including tree roots in the drain pipes or you may have broken pipes.

If you have trees on your property, making tree roots a likely candidate for blocking your yard drain, or if you suspect it is simply a more stubborn clog of dirt and debris, you can call JB Irrigation & Services as we now provide outdoor drain cleaning. JB uses a hydro-jet to clear the problems. Nasty root and other debris related clogs can be challenging to handle, so call JB Irrigation and an experienced professional will take on this job for you. Once the clog has been pulled out or pushed through the yard drain, you should be able to see water freely flowing through both the problem drain and through to the outlet. Stubborn clogs may require using the hydro-jet from both the drain side and the outlet side of the drain to break them loose.

If the hydro-jet does not allow penetration of the clogged area and what is being removed from the drain is dirt, mud and stones, this is the sign of a broken yard drain pipe that must be replaced. JB Irrigation and Services is a yard drain repair expert, having performed hundreds of broken drain pipe replacement projects. To setup an appointment and have your drain cleaned and if necessary repaired by a trained JB Irrigation professional, call us at 281-744-6909 or use this link to our contact form.

18 Mar 2019
JBIrrigation_sprinkler

How do I start up my sprinkler system this season?

Spring start up can be easily done by following these steps.

1. Turn on the water supply.
2. Activate each station on the system with the controller
3. Walk through each station to verify the proper operation
4. Program the controller for automatic operation
5. Verify weather sensor is operational

The first step is to turn on the water supply. The valve for the water supply could be in the water meter box, a small valve box just outside the water meter box, or on the backflow preventer. Some systems may have more than one or all of these valves.

The second step is to run each station by turning each one on with the controller. Your controller will have a selection on it to run the system manually either zone by zone or run a manual cycle. Some controllers even have an option for a “Test Cycle”. Test cycle will run each zone in order in an abbreviated cycle of 1, 2, or 3 minutes.

The third step is to walk the system zones once you have turned them on manually or with the Test Cycle. Observe the pressure coming out of the heads. If it is low, you could have a leak or a valve problem. Make sure the water is directed where is supposed to. Make sure rotating heads are oscillating back and forth to cover the entire area.

The fourth step is to program the control panel to run automatically. Depending on your landscape’s water needs you will need to select your watering schedule and duration. Set the system to come on as many days of the week as you need. Set a cycle start time. This is the time irrigation will begin. Set the duration of time each zone will run. This is the number of minutes that each zone will irrigate its respective portion of your landscape.

The fifth step is to check your weather sensor. Make sure your sensor bypass selector switch on the control panel is in the “active” position. Most sensors have a small button on the top of the “spindle” of the rain sensor. Push the spindle or button down for a few seconds while a helper looks at the control panel for the “rain indicator” or a change in the control panel’s readout. If the display indicated “rain” or otherwise indicated, the sensor has taken the system offline while the spindle button is pushed then your weather sensor is likely working.

27 Feb 2019
JB_Trucks_2

Getting Our Fleet Ready For Your Sprinkler System Service Calls – Oil Change And Fleet Maintenance Days At JB Irrigation

The weather has been rainy, cold and damp. You’re probably not thinking of Irrigation. We are! We are getting ready for you!
Check out behind the scenes here at the JB Irrigation yard where we are getting our trucks ready so we can service your sprinkler system this season!
JB_Trucks

 

02 Jan 2019
JB_Irrigation

It’s Not Too Early to Prep for Spring Drainage…Prevent Future Flood Damage

Before preparing your landscape for hibernation this winter, take a look at your lawn and landscape drainage. Installing or repairing the landscape drainage will prevent any potential problems with flooding or excessive water when spring rolls around. Here are four drainage issues to look out for:

Evaluate your yard

First things first, you will need to evaluate your yard. See what shape your drainage system (or lack of) is currently in. Look for low spots or downspouts without proper drainage. Have you had any problems in the past with flooding, poor drainage, standing water, areas that never dry up?

Downspout water

For many residential and commercial sites, the building’s downspout is where most of the water will flow. Without the proper drainage, this could damage the foundation or landscape nearby.

Catch basins will collect any debris that comes down the downspout, preventing any potential clog in the pipe below the landscape’s surface that moves the water away from the site.

Planter area flooding

In flowerbeds or other planter areas, mulch will help keep soil in place and soak up some of the excess water and prevent plants from drowning. If mulch isn’t enough to drain a planter area, you can also install a catch basin with an atrium grate to remove water from the area and catch debris before entering the pipe.

Landscape or hardscape flooding

Rain can cause puddles in landscapes and hardscape areas. To avoid this, install a channel drain or catch basin. Channel drains can be used in hardscape areas to collect water that flows over patios or walkways. While catch basins throughout landscapes will give excess water somewhere to go, preventing soggy damaged lawns.

It may not seem critical to think about drainage now, but preparing ahead of time can help prevent future damage to your landscapes For more information on drainage solutions and drain cleaning, don’t hesitate to call JB Irrigation for a professional evaluation for your property.

20 Sep 2018
SprinklerSystem

Maintain & Upgrade Your System

Irrigation systems need regular maintenance to keep them working efficiently year after year. Damage from lawn equipment or improper winterization can cause leaks and other serious problems.

Inspect your system monthly. Check for leaks, broken or clogged sprinkler heads, and other problems. Clean clogged screens and micro-irrigation filters as needed.

Adjust sprinkler heads. Remove or correct obstructions that prevent sprinklers from distributing water evenly. Adjust sprinkler head positions and spray patterns to avoid watering sidewalks or structures and to provide necessary clearance over growing plants.

Check the pressure. Pressure can change over time and negatively affect system efficiency.

Inspect the system for leaks. Leaks are a huge water waster. JB Irrigation can perform regular maintenance checks for leaks, broken or clogged spray heads, and other problems.

Install a rain shutoff switch. JB Irrigation installs these sensors that can be retrofitted to almost any system and help compensate for natural rainfall by turning off your system in rainy weather.

Look for savings. Many water utilities offer rebates for certain water-efficient products. Consult with your local water provider.

Have your system audited. Hire JB Irrigation to conduct an irrigation check and test to verify areas are being watered evenly and appropriately, and make necessary adjustments.

Winterize your system. JB Irrigation can prepare your system from a freeze that can crack pipes, valves. and sprinklers.

Justin Bielamowicz,
Owner, Licensed Irrigator #7396
JB Irrigation & Services
www.JBIrrigation.com
Phone: 281-744-6909

20 Aug 2018
sprinkler

You Can Help Conserve Water

A typical morning routine involves a shower, cup of water, and the flow of a faucet. Many of us don’t think twice about our water usage until we’re confronted with circumstances such as drought or a water crisis. Only 2.5% of the water on earth is fresh. As a result, we must actively protect this precious commodity. With a considerable portion of our country’s drinkable water going to our plants, it needs to receive recognition.

While many articles have been written about the shortcomings of our government, we must also take a serious look in the mirror and make sure we are doing our part.

How can we participate? For those of us who do irrigate our lawns, plants, gardens, and landscapes, we can follow these simple steps to become more efficient: only irrigate when we need to, turn off our irrigation systems when it is raining, and make sure the water is not hitting and or running off on to our sidewalks and streets.

For assistance or additional advice, call in JB Irrigation to help. We are qualified to help you save water, while helping your landscapes.

These simple steps will save a substantial amount of water in the end. Our decision to efficiently irrigate our landscape will positively impact our lives and those of generations to come.

Justin Bielamowicz,
Owner, Licensed Irrigator #7396
JB Irrigation & Services
www.JBIrrigation.com
Phone: 281-744-6909

25 Feb 2018
freeze-protection

Behind The Scenes Footage – KPRC Channel 2 News Freeze Protection Interview

When local media is covering a severe weather threat, like the hard freeze that Houston recently experienced, news reporters frequently reach out to JB Irrigation owner Justin Bielamowicz for expert advice.

This short clip shown above is just a brief look at the hours pent with KPRC news reporters covering the freeze. Important sprinkler freeze protection advice was broadcast on the news multiple times and we hope that it saved our fellow Houstonians a lot of money and work that would be required to repair the broken backflow preventers that are typically one of the first things to bust when cold weather hits.

We welcome interviews with all forms of media. If you are looking for expert consulting on all aspects of irrigation and drainage, please reach out to our office by calling 281-

22 Feb 2018
landscaping-tools-maintenance

4 Tips to Keep Your Landscaping Tools In Top Shape

With Springtime closing in quickly, it’s time to check if we have the tools ready to clean up that freeze damaged landscape!

Here is some tips for our customers:

While tools are essential to completing any job, tool maintenance can be easy to forget. However, regular maintenance can help preserve the integrity and effectiveness of your tools. Here is a guide to make sure you keep your tools in optimal working order.

Keep your tools sharp

To prevent you from having to work harder, make sure you always keep your tools sharp Cutters, loppers, pruners, shovels and hoes all dull with use. Sharpen them! Use a hand file, sharpening stone, or a power tool such as an electric angle grinder.

Sometimes, the blades may be beyond repair, are chipped, or have stopped cutting effectively. In that case, it’s time to replace that tool.

Keep your tools clean

No matter what, your tools will get dirty while working, so it’s important to clean them up when you’re done using them to avoid rust and dirt buildup, which will diminish the life and effectiveness of the tool. Wash with water first. You can wipe down your tools with a towel and WD-40. If you want to avoid contaminating your soil or edible plants, try the mixture using vegetable oil instead.

If you choose to clean your tools with water, make sure you thoroughly dry them afterward. Leaving water on your tools can cause them to rust. Leave in the sun to dry before storing. (we blow ours off with compressed air or use a leaf blower)

If your tools have already accumulated rust, use a stiff wire brush to remove rust from the surface.

Keep your tools healthy

Plants, trees and soil can harbor various harmful bacteria, viruses, pests or fungi. If you do not clean your tools every time you use them, you could potentially spread infestations from one job site to the next.

To avoid spreading harmful diseases to different landscapes, wipe down your tools with alcohol wipes when using your tools on different trees or in different soil. You can also sanitize your tools in a solution of two cups of bleach for every gallon of water.

Keep your tools moving

If you have a tool with moving parts, such as springs or pivot points, be sure to keep the moving parts lubricated and cleaned out as best you can. You can wash smaller tools like you’d wash silverware. Be careful not to cut yourself on the blades.

If your tools have a lot of dust lodged in the pivot points, or leftover water after washing them, you can use compressed air to blow it out of the small crevices. Then, lubricate your tools using WD-40.

02 Jan 2018
freeze

JB Irrigation Interviewed on Channel 2 News About Freeze Preparation

HOUSTON Channel 2 News – Justin Bielamowicz does not pull any punches when it comes to what is in store in the coming days,:“It’s going to a pretty bad one as far as what the forecast says.”

Bielamowicz, the owner of JB Irrigation, has one message for property owners in the coming days. “Any outside or outdoor plumbing piping needs to be insulated,” he said

As for those who haven’t prepared?

Bielamowicz offered up a candid assessment.

“The people that haven’t prepared,” he said. “They may be in for a rude awakening after the pipes may thaw tomorrow.”

That means the second day of the year may be filled with water shooting into the air out of a homeowner’s sprinkler system.

Bielamowicz said the key is to make sure the backflow preventer is insulated properly.

“It doesn’t take long to do, but if you don’t cover it and it does break, you are looking at an expensive repair to do,” he said.

Bielamowicz said the average repair cost is roughly $300.

Now while Bielamowicz is a professional who stresses any kind of insulation, he does offer a homemade remedy of tightly wrapping towels or even newspapers around a unit with a plastic bag protecting it.

As far as how long to keep it on?

“I would keep it on at least for the entire week,” Bielamowicz said.