Another OT question Irrigation system

Re: Another OT question  Irrigation system

John Veerkamp

you might try calling 1-800-dig-right. or the equivalent in your state. there are straight forward ways to locate buried lines. the service is free where required by law before digging. you can see if this applies to your property.

Re: Another OT question  Irrigation system

David Yoho

I don't know of an easy way to locate your lines. I've seen homes with irrigation systems with the back flow and shut off outside or under the house or in a basement area. Mine is under our house's crawl space.

Since you know where the solenoids are I'd try back tracing from there to learn where it taps into the main line. I suppose it's possible there is no back flow device especially if the homeowner did it themselves and didn't get it inspected.

I suppose you could always fork up some money and call in an irrigation expert to check things out if you aren't able to do it on your own.

Re: Another OT question  Irrigation system

Mike L

Thanks. I know the owner did not do it themselves. I checked with a few of the company's that do it in our area, and none will own up to it. I know there is no backflow or cut off for it under the house. I had a plumber come in and install a shutoff for the house when I moved in because there was not one of those either. I turned off the house water hoping to shut off the irrigation also, and it did not.

I guess I will have to start at the solenoids and dig until I find the tap. I might cut it off completely until I get a to redo the yard and flower beds.

Thanks

The local utility company's idea is a good one just not sure they would mark the irrigation lines. I might have to call and see.

Re: Another OT question  Irrigation system

Barry Irby

Is it possible you have a separate meter for the irrigation? Locally they charge for sewer based on water consumption, so many people pay for a separate meter so they only pay for the water component on irrigation.

I am near Richmond VA and locally most people have an irrigation company winterize the system in the fall and start it up again in the spring. If your seller were doing that you could get the company to walk you through it.

I checked that first

Mike L

I am on Septic so the city doesn't care how much I use. I turned off the water at the street and the irrigation was off also, so no separate meter. The PO had a leak in the middle of Dec last year and had a company come fix it for him, I was told by one of the neighbors. By the way some of the install looks it has never been winterized, by looking at it I am pretty sure a reputable company did not install it. I am on Long Island and will be home Friday afternoon. Depending on how hard the ground is I might dig around this weekend, if not by winter for sure.

I am hoping I don't have to dig up half the yard to find it.

Mike

Irrigation system- necessary?

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Do I recall your new house is Crossville, or Cookville and nearby? Check to see if you are the only person in that county with a lawn irrigation. This area gets ample rain almost all the time. If typical you have a red clay soil. It holds water well. If you have fescue grass it will brown up in late summer and spring to life in about a week or two and stay green till next July. It will likely require a bit of nitrogen fertilizer in fall and spring. Potassium will be abundant and phosphorus adequate......if soil is typical.

Or someone that installed a lawn sprinkler system may have planted grass that won't grown there without pampering. Then it becomes a matter of how much time/$ you want to spend messing with a lawn vs woodworking. Getting grass, trees flowers to grow where they don't want to takes a lot of effort. If you don't require that your lawn look perfect all year cut it off and forget it.

As far as locating lines there is technology to do that. Daughter had it done. The company located water and electric. Why not contact realtor and get contact information of previous owner to answer your questions?

Re: Another OT question  Irrigation system

Don Goodwin

Our local 811 service (central Indiana) won't locate anything other than public utilities (electrical line to house, but not line from house to barn) and wouldn't locate the propane line from the tank to the house. They gave me the number of a private (you pay for) service.

Please don't think I'm nuts for this suggestion. It has worked for me in confirming water line (plastic) from house to barn and location of septic lines (plastic and clay tiles) in field. Take two medium gauge wires (I cut a heavier metal coat hanger in half) and bend each in an "L" shape. With elbows at your side and forearms extended out from body, make a fist, holding a wire very loosely in each hand with the "L" facing forward. Walk perpendicular to where you think the irrigation line runs. When the two wires cross, you are on top of the line. Come from the other direction to confirm. This works for some people, but not all - son and I can find things this way; wife and daughter can not. No idea why this works, but the uncle who showed me this 50 years ago (shop teacher and pretty smart on things) thought it involved magnetic fields in lines with water. Fair warning - people watching you do this will think you are nuts, especially if it works for you.

PS - I'm with Bill on irrigation 

Re: Irrigation system- necessary?

david weaver

Here, irrigation is area-centric with neighborhoods (even within neighborhoods).

Our water situation is similar to where bill lives (about 42 inches a year), except it'a s little cooler here. Once in a while the yards will burn out due to heat and dry weather, but grass only really dies in spots where it doesn't want to grow in the first place.

Finding another cover (ivy was popular in central PA where I grew up for shade areas, but you have to choose the right type - nothing that climbs - and be willing to pick filth out of it once a year, and limit it to where you want it rather than letting it creep out of bounds a little further each year) is potentially an idea, but the cover has to be something that can beat weeds.

Few people on my end of the neighborhood water, which is good, because it's a true waste of money here to do it. In some other parts of it, most of the neighbors water and adhere to significant weed control regimens, presumably because their neighbors do.

We grow food in the back yard, so it's out of the question except a once per year treatment after the garden is done to eliminate creeping charlie that my neighbor has in droves (it can get to the other side of my lawn in less than two years).

Re: Another OT question  Irrigation system

David Yoho

I know that "divining" trick works and have done it myself. Problem is - I tried it some years back while trying to locate one of my irrigation lines. The crossed wires indicated where I thought I remembered that line to be from watching it all get installed several years before. After digging and not coming across the pipe initially, I increased its size both depth and diameter. Still couldn't find it so I gave up. Still think the darned line was there but never found it. I'm sure I probably dug deeper than necessary and it's hard to believe a couple of feet either side of "center" missed.

I've done that "trick" over a cup of water on the ground and the wires cross exactly over the cup no matter which direction you go.

I have talked to the PO

Mike L

The first place I checked is with the PO. He said he did not install it, he had it done. When I asked what company he did not remember. I am pretty sure he installed it himself. I have not used it except to make sure it worked. My concern is as simple as there is no cut off for it. I have searched under the house all over the yard etc with no luck. I turned off the main line from the city to the house and it went off also. I am pretty sure he tapped the main coming into the house before any cut offs. This is why I am trying to figure out a way to find where he tapped the line. The last thing I want is it to freeze here for the first time in XXX years and one of the irrigation line brakes.

As for the style of grass it has stayed green without me watering it.

I moved to Crossville on the north side of I40. The soil is a gray color and hard as a rock. I will be redoing the yard to make it easier on me to take care of as well as not need much attention. So flowers and a good local grass will be on the horizon for next year. I have pushed over a few trees that just were planted in the wrong place or held together with Zip ties. The roots only went a few inches deep and I was in lots of rocks. I plan on having top soil brought in to grade the yard better and hopefully have a bit of grass not just moss because of to much shade and no real soil.

Thanks

Mike

Devine answer

Mike L

I will give it a shot. I plan on digging back from the values fist to see if he tapped it there. If he did I am lucky, but he left 40 feet of wire coiled in a flower bed instead of cutting it to size.

Irrigation Meter

David Yoho

I'm in Hanover County, VA and we used to use an irrigation meter connected to our irrigation line (just beyond the backflow preventer) to meter water used for the irrigation system. The county read that meter when they read the main one and the usage was deducted from the total usage before calculating the sewer charge.

They have since done away with them and now give a slight adjustment to our bill because of it.

I know some systems are installed with the solenoids in a valve box close to the zone they are controlling. I didn't want mine out in the yard like that so they are between the walkway and the house. They get their supply from the line under the house that taps into the main line.

Depending on how many zones you have, I would think the solenoids wouldn't be located that far from the water source. Given there doesn't seem to be a backflow devise, they may have dug down to the main line and tapped it before it goes under the house. That's going to be a real treat to locate!!

Re: Rather than digging

Steve jenkins

I used a probe to follow my lines. It’s a piece of 3/8” round steel stock with a T handle. Start at a valve and just probe along following the line. I stuck in a flag every once in a while to help keep track

Thanks

really?

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Mike has seen his soil this time of year. Probably can't drive a nail in it so he may dismiss this suggestion. But, if you wait till about December when the rains come this suggestion will work if the lines are not too deep. It will be no problem inserting the probe. The problem will be hitting a small diameter pipe.

Re: really?

john in lutz

In the city I use to live, most of the connections were made as close to the meter as possible. (meter, backflow valve then lines) This gets the most pressure to the sprinkler system. For instance my water line was 3/4. They put in a 1" line for the sprinkler system. This was done right at the meter so the water for the sprinkler system was not restricted by the 3/4 line.

Not dismissing it

Mike L

I knocked over the realtors sign on the lot next to mine while I was mowing it. I don't want a weed field next door. I went to put it back up and Bill was right, I don't think I could drive a nail in it. I used a hose to wet it then put it up.

I take all the ideas given and weigh them on if they will work for me or not.

Thanks

Mike

There is a way.....

Kneale Brownson

.....aside from the dousing with coat hangers you can find on Utube where an electrical signal production device is attached to the pipes where exposed and the signal traced with a sensor. There are companies that do this.

Re: Another OT question  Irrigation system

Buckaroo

DON GOODWINS,, COAT HANGERS WILL FUNCTION FOR A FEW OF US. MAY SOUND STUPID, BUT IT'S LIKE SOME CAN FIND UNDERGROUND STREAMS OF WATER WITH A FORKED SWITCH, YES, IT WONT WORK, LIKE the coat hanger, FOR EVERYBODY. Thanks Don, I wuz debating explaining, but you did and accurate job.

SURE WHILE I'M AT THIS, SOME CAN TALK/TAKE THE BURNING SENSATION OUT OF SOME ONES BEING BURNED,SCALED, HOT GREASE ??? YOU CAN snigger all ya want, that works also, but NOT EVERY ONE CAN DO THAT.

NO i WANT RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Re: Another OT question  Irrigation system

Buckaroo

HERE IT IS SATURDAY NITE WITH only 2 response/post since i posted some old backwoods truths i've seen & lived with all my 80 years.

i aint gonna frighten folks away, so i'll get out of yalls way.

i may lurk but doubt it.