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.

10 Feb 2021
frozen sprinkler system

Sprinkler Freeze Alert For The Houston Area

Repair freeze damaged sprinkler systems

The temperature is expected to plunge in the Houston area for most of this week. Starting on Monday we’ll see a low of of at least 17 degrees, and some reports state that it could get into single digits and we will have snow fall.

During hard freezes like this it is critical to properly winterize your system and prepare it early as possible. Water freezing inside your irrigation system can cause a variety of parts to fail and leak water once the freeze passes. It’s not uncommon for us to receive hundreds of calls after a freeze from customers with broken backflow preventer, PVB damage, broken pressure vacuum, split valve damage and more.

What Do I Do When My Sprinkler Has Freeze Damage?

If you suspect that your irrigation system is damages during the freeze, you will want to have it professionally inspected and repaired. Turn off the water to your system and call our service team at 281-744-6909. Our service call time slots fill up fast so contact us as soon as possible so we can help you fix the freeze damage before any additional money and water is wasted from leaks.

We know that hard freezes are rare in the Houston area and these weather related repairs can catch us off guard. JB Irrigation is here to help you through the entire process, from offering water saving tips, to winterization and emergency repairs, so call or email our team today and we will take care of all of your sprinkler system needs.

10 Jun 2020
summer-sprinkler-maintenance

High Temperatures Expect Throughout The Week – It’s Time To Service Your Sprinkler System

The Houston area is expecting temperatures to rise to the mid-nineties throughout the week. Hight heat can damage your lawn without proper irrigation.

Did you know that improperly adjusted sprinkler systems, leaky pipes and broken sprinkler heads can waste thousands of gallons of water. Have your system serviced by JB Irrigation’s technicians now before the summer heat is in full swing. You’ll save water and ensure that you’ll have a healthy green lawn all summer long.

16 Sep 2019
fertilizer

How to Prevent Fertilizer Burn During the Summer

During the warm summer months, everyone wants to enjoy their lawns. Unfortunately, the summer heat can also stress turf and increase the chance of lawn damage from fertilizer applications.
Before choosing a fertilizer for summer turf, knowing the difference between nitrogen sources will help you reduce the possibility of fertilizer burn.

Quick-release fertilizers

Fast-acting fertilizers for turfgrass indicate the rapid availability of nitrogen to the turf after application. These fertilizers are generally less expensive, but only last two to four weeks after application.

The benefits of using a fast-acting fertilizer are to provide quick greening and rapid growth, which depending on the site, could be beneficial to the overall aesthetics or be the expectations set by the owner of the property. Based on water-soluble nitrogen (WSN), the nutrients are available to the turf when dissolved in water, typically from irrigation during the hot summer months. The higher salt index of fast-acting nitrogens can burn heat-stressed turf because they draw moisture out of the grass blades or leaves, which are already a challenge to keep moist in hot weather.

To prevent leaf burn, you should immediately irrigate the area after the application of a fast-acting fertilizer to move the nitrogen into the soil and off the turf. Be sure to inspect the irrigation system prior to applying quick release fertilizers, checking for any gaps in coverage, to make sure the system will adequately water-in the product. If you find any issues with the sprinkler system be sure to call JB Irrigation! Or contact us for a “Summer System Check” for your sprinkler system if you don’t have time to check your system yourself.

Slow-release fertilizers

To reduce the potential for burn, fertilizers containing slowly available nitrogen sources are recommended especially in the summer. These fertilizers commonly contain:

  • Sulfur or poly-coated ureas
  • Water-insoluble nitrogen (WIN)
  • Organic-based fertilizers

Since the source of nitrogen in these products is controlled release, it will take longer for a noticeable impact on growth and greening. Discussing the difference between slow and quick release fertilizers with the property owner will help set the expectation and performance of the fertilizer.

Not all slow-release fertilizers contain only controlled-release nitrogen. Most products contain a mixture of fast and slow-release sources of nitrogen, providing a balance of immediate coloring while reducing burn and increasing the longevity of the product.

Slow-release fertilizers are typically more expensive per bag but could cost less per application because of the controlled nature of the product

Although the potential for burn is lower using slow-release fertilizers, it is still recommended to thoroughly irrigate the turf after application. Inspecting the irrigation system is beneficial to all fertilizer applications, regardless of the speed of release.

It’s crucial to understand and choose the correct fertilizer for your site, and understanding the sources of nitrogen in the fertilizer will also help lead to better results for you and your customer.

Reducing the risk of fertilizer burn

Preventing fertilizer burn is also important year-round. Fertilizer burn can be caused by over-applying fertilizer, in addition to poor plant health and weather conditions which could interfere with the plant’s ability to process the nutrients.

To prevent the risk of fertilizer burns, it’s best to follow these rules:

  • Understand the fertilizer being applied and the sources of nitrogen in it.
  • Apply the product correctly, always following the application instructions on the label.
  • Be accurate with your application. Measure the area of application, weigh the material, and properly calibrate your spreader.
  • Adjust your mowing to the proper height for your turf type.
  • Choose a slow-release fertilizer when possible.

Following these guidelines, you can limit the potential for fertilizer burn and keep your turf looking fantastic all year.

 

21 Aug 2019
mobile sprinkler control

Control Your Lawn Watering From the Palm of Your Hand With Our New Wi-Fi Controllers

Upgrade to an App Based Smart Irrigation Controller

With the rise of the smart home, more and more homeowners are interested in being able to see and control their irrigation right from their phone.

Some common benefits include:

  • Run system manually from any location without accessing the control panel
  • Water savings
  • Automatically watering plant the right amount based on weather
  • Alerts to electrical issues

INTRODUCING the Rain Bird ESP-ME3 Irrigation Controller with LNK

When the ESP-ME3 is installed with Rain Bird’s LNK Wi-Fi module, users can set up and manage their irrigation with Rain Bird’s free mobile app.

Already have a Rainbird ESP-ME3 irrigation controller installed by JB Irrigation?

While the ESP-ME controller itself isn’t Wi-Fi based, it’s easily upgraded to a Wi-Fi enabled controller with the LNK Wi-Fi module. With the module and accompanying app, you can operate and monitor the irrigation system from anywhere, with real-time alerts and water management tools.

Check out the following video or ask the Professionals at JB Irrigation about Wi-Fi enabled controller options.

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

 

22 Feb 2019
lawn-drain

Correcting Yard And Foundation Drainage

JB

Improving the drainage outside your home will yield long-lasting benefits.

Failure to correct inadequate drainage could lead to disastrous consequences ranging from drowned plants to structural damage.

Water is the major cause of structural problems in a home, such as decayed wood, fungus growth, and settling or upheaval of the foundation.

Provide drainage with surface ditches or underground pipes.

Most underground drainage systems consists of continuous lengths of corrugated pipes, flexible polyethylene pipe or 10- and 20-foot sections of poly vinyl chloride (PVC) rigid pipe (recommended) joined by fittings.  Clay tile and bituminous fiber pipe are less common.

Perforated pipe collects subsurface water in the uphill portions of the system.  Solid pipes connect to the perforated pipes and carry water to the discharge point.

Yard Drainage

If natural surface drainage is inadequate, or if the water table is very high, drain low spots with a system of buried pipes.

If the source of the water is a slope, place an underground interceptor line across the base of the slope to collect the water.

Divert the water around and away from the house.  If the water is concentrated in one spot, such as a low area in the yard or concrete patio, install a small catch basin at that point and run a drain line.

To plan a drain line, first determine where you want to discharge the water.  A street gutter, a drainage ditch, and a swell are potential discharge sites. Do not discharge water onto your neighbor’s property.

Lay the drain lines back from the outfall.  If you have only one low spot, one line will do.  Always install a cleanout point in the high end of the system. In most cases, this is achieved with a catch basin. Cleanouts work best with smooth-walled pipe; ribbed pipe may be damaged by cleaning tools.

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.