When you schedule a free irrigation check-up with SAWS, there’s no major prep work required. But there are things you can do to help the appointment go smoothly.
By Sarah Gorton
So you’ve scheduled an appointment for a free irrigation consultation, now what? Many people aren’t quite sure what to expect or how to prepare for it.
Typically, appointments take an hour or less. One of our licensed irrigation consultants will start by running your irrigation system to see where each zone is watering, determine how long it’s watering and how much water it’s using. They’ll also check for any problems or leaks. This involves the consultant walking around your yard as well as between your controller box and meter.
Don’t worry, there isn’t any major pre-appointment prep work involved. But there are certain things you can do to help make sure the appointment goes smoothly.
- Don’t schedule other work during that appointment. Our consultants can’t look at your irrigation system if your yard is covered in branches. If you do have dangerous maintenance occurring the day of, ask the workers to suspend their work during your irrigation consultation. If dangerous conditions are present in the yard, it may result in having to reschedule your appointment.
- Keep the pathway to your controller and meter free of clutter. Clear out tools, bikes and waste receptacles from the spot in front of the controller. The same goes for the meter — if an overgrown bush is blocking it, the consultants will have a hard time taking measurements.
- Make sure there is a good lighting source in your garage. If your controller is in the front side of your garage, there may be enough light from outside to see the controller without artificial lighting. However, if your controller is in the back corner where it’s hard to see, please make sure there is adequate lighting to operate the controller. This may mean setting up a temporary lamp before your consultant gets there, which will make your appointment go much faster.
- Clean up tripping hazards and dog poop in your yard. Tuck away stray hoses and other tripping hazards in your yard. If you have a dog, please pick up the poop! Our consultants will be moving about your yard quickly in an effort to complete your consultation in a timely manner.
- Make sure whoever normally runs the irrigation system is present or can be reached. Also, if someone who doesn’t normally operate the irrigation system will be there, make sure they have all the information they need to get it going. This may include Wi-Fi passwords, controller passwords, phone passwords (for app-based controllers) or relevant paperwork relating to your irrigation system. The more information they have, the better. If possible, have the family member who runs the irrigation available for contact during the appointment should an issue or question arise.
- Keep your dog inside during the appointment. Our consultants will be going between your front and backyard, and your dog could slip out during that time. To ensure everyone’s safety, SAWS policy requires that you keep your pets indoors or secured.
Of course, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at 210-704-SAVE (7283)! We’re always happy to answer questions about your appointment or fill you in on the Residential Irrigation Design Rebate program.
