The Benefits and Problems of Irrigation Systems

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Irrigation can benefit your landscaping efforts by providing artificial water to your lawn or soil. In warmer climates or during periods of drought or little rainfall in more temperate areas, irrigation can be a cost-efficient way to ensure the sustainability and diversity of your landscaping.

Automated Sprinkler System

Installing an automated sprinkler system could prove a game-changer in your efforts to showcase a lush and healthy lawn to your neighbors. A sprinkler system can have two main benefits – it helps to conserve water and, through automation, an automated sprinkler system can prevent over-watering or under-watering. As an added bonus, an automated sprinkler system can keep your lawn, shrubs and flower arrangement looking vibrant.

Increase Home’s Value 

Many real estate agents claim that a beautiful lawn is the gateway to fetching a higher price at auction. Aside from the obvious beautifying effects of a garden or fresh lawn, an automated irrigation system is probably the most cost-efficient way to increase the value of your home and property. A properly-installed automated sprinkler system can save you time, energy and money, which could be better spent on other home-improvement efforts.

Irrigation and Landscape Benefits 

Investing in the right automated irrigation system and relying on professional installation tailored to your preferences and climate can have the following benefits:

  • Increased sequestration of carbon
  • Dust control
  • Noise reduction
  • A reduction in heat and water retention benefits

Carbon sequestration is a natural or artificial process by which free-floating carbon is captured and held; this process can have environmental benefits. Further, an automated irrigation system or drip irrigation system can increase water retention and help conservation efforts by efficiently applying water only to the areas of your landscape that really need it.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Contour Furrow Irrigation
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Contour Furrow Irrigation

Cost-Benefit of Automated Irrigation 

Automated irrigation systems are normally discreet and include in-ground components. Although an automated irrigation system can be more expensive in the short run, installing an automated irrigation system could pay dividends in terms of cost and sheer efficiency down the road.

If your automated irrigation system is professionally installed, the company normally fine-tunes the system to deliver water at particular times of the day based on your needs and climate. Moreover, most professional companies offer free or low-cost maintenance should your automated irrigation system need more fine-tuning or a replacement of parts.

Water Retention and Scientific Rationale 

Whether manual or automated, a solid irrigation plan can help stave off high water bills and peak demand. On a more fundamental level, though, water is critical for maintaining plant life in your landscape, partly because water is the conduit through which minerals are transported to and within plants to promote life and lushness.

If you have ever had a herbaceous plant become very soft and noodle-like, then you know what can happen when these kinds of plants don’t get enough water. Herbaceous plants especially need high amounts of water to remain healthy and rigid throughout their growing season. In some climates in which heat and lack of rainfall pose problems, an automated irrigation system can ensure that your herbaceous plants and overall landscape is efficiently provided water.

Overall Benefits of Irrigation 

An automated irrigation system can sidestep many of the problems associated with high water demand, drought or plain poor use of water. Your lawn and garden, moreover, will benefit from a professionally-installed irrigation system that takes into account your climate, landscape and time of day. All of these factors combine to provide you with economic benefits (e.g., increased property value and more efficient use of water) while promoting environmentalism.