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View Full Version : 39,000 gallons irrirgation water used?


LAshby50
09-23-2016, 07:34 PM
One of my friends bought a house in Lynnhaven a couple of years ago. Irrigation bills are way too high. They have had it checked but it keeps getting worse. I have read in some threads about a guy named Jim who has helped several people. Does anyone have this guys contact info?

Ecuadog
09-23-2016, 07:41 PM
Jim Baumgartner at (352) 504-2317.

My guy is Chip Parrish at (352) 516-2281.

Both good.

rjn5656
09-24-2016, 06:30 AM
Check to make sure you don't have 2 programs runnings (A, B). Same thing happened to our friends, they found program A running a 7 am, and Prgram B at 2 am.

ugotme
09-24-2016, 07:11 AM
This may sound silly but . . .
I was using 30-40,000 gallons until I realized I had my settings backwards! (Yes I am stupid).

When looking at "days to water" if the day is circled, no water will come on. If it isn't that is a watering day.

I thought I was watering 2 days a week but in reality it was 5 days a week!

Hope this helps!

Bogie Shooter
09-24-2016, 07:56 AM
One of my friends bought a house in Lynnhaven a couple of years ago. Irrigation bills are way too high. They have had it checked but it keeps getting worse. I have read in some threads about a guy named Jim who has helped several people. Does anyone have this guys contact info?

39000 gallons per month, for two years???

villagetinker
09-24-2016, 10:47 AM
Jim is great, have used him twice, then my neighbor used him. He found and fixed the water problem we had between the two houses.

eremite06
09-24-2016, 12:12 PM
Check to make sure the irrigation zone shut off valves are working. Mine became clogged from sentiment in the recycled water. They only last 10 or more years. I had mine all replaced.

JoMar
09-24-2016, 01:41 PM
Depends on the size of the lot as well.....if a corner lot along a busy road the grass will require more water than a corner lot away from a busy road. Also depends on the type of heads you are using. Lot goes into the scheduling. Jim is great for making sure your system is functioning well and making adjustments to insure your coverage is adequate. He will probably suggest a heavier schedule then you are accustomed to but he is mostly right. Just a matter if you can accept the trade off between what meets your expectations and the cost and which of those two things are most important to you.

Topspinmo
09-26-2016, 06:27 PM
Probably big leak or watering the storm drain. I see water running down the street for 20 mins. Sprinkler heads adjusted wrong direction water the driveway or street. IMO if you big yard and use more than 9000 gallons month something wrong.

JoMar
09-26-2016, 10:58 PM
Probably big leak or watering the storm drain. I see water running down the street for 20 mins. Sprinkler heads adjusted wrong direction water the driveway or street. IMO if you big yard and use more than 9000 gallons month something wrong.

Define big yard......I have a coner lot and usually use about 8K gallons in fall and winter. This summer, July and August were both over 25K. Yard looks great which it didn't do when I watered less. It costs me more but the results, for me, are more than worth the expense. I increased watering after two landscapers, one Master Gardner, Deans and Jim Baumgartner made it clear that water was my problem. I'm south of 466A and I suspect we have different zozia than further north which could also be part of the problem. Using enough water and having Deans take care of the fertizising and weed control keeps our yard beautiful, my wife happy and me out of the dog house.

outlaw
09-27-2016, 08:08 AM
This may sound silly but . . .
I was using 30-40,000 gallons until I realized I had my settings backwards! (Yes I am stupid).

When looking at "days to water" if the day is circled, no water will come on. If it isn't that is a watering day.

I thought I was watering 2 days a week but in reality it was 5 days a week!

Hope this helps!

Trivia: It's not just a circle. It's a circle with a diagonal line through it; the international "no" sign.

Topspinmo
10-01-2016, 04:34 PM
Define big yard......I have a coner lot and usually use about 8K gallons in fall and winter. This summer, July and August were both over 25K. Yard looks great which it didn't do when I watered less. It costs me more but the results, for me, are more than worth the expense. I increased watering after two landscapers, one Master Gardner, Deans and Jim Baumgartner made it clear that water was my problem. I'm south of 466A and I suspect we have different zozia than further north which could also be part of the problem. Using enough water and having Deans take care of the fertizising and weed control keeps our yard beautiful, my wife happy and me out of the dog house.

Corner lot with grass IMO big yard. I would see how much water running down the street (if any?) and make slight adjustment in timing minutes. If water is running off you lawn and down the storm drain for half or more the time your watering IMO your wasting water? You can change the heads on sprinklers to adjust amount of water or adjust the time.

Most yards seem to have several problems. Sprinkler heads adjusted wrong, sprinkler heads broken, too many sprinklers being used in small area creating run off problem. When I walk in the morning no go by storm drains I here water gushing down the drain from early morning watering. It not on little gush but flooding gushing sound.

If all this fine then you have super big corner lot which some people have.

golfing eagles
10-01-2016, 05:26 PM
This may sound silly but . . .
I was using 30-40,000 gallons until I realized I had my settings backwards! (Yes I am stupid).

When looking at "days to water" if the day is circled, no water will come on. If it isn't that is a watering day.

I thought I was watering 2 days a week but in reality it was 5 days a week!

Hope this helps!

Don't feel bad. I dated a girl from Bethpage in college and she was also, well, let's say naïve instead of stupid. But it probably worked out better than your water bill:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Henryk
10-01-2016, 05:48 PM
One of my friends bought a house in Lynnhaven a couple of years ago. Irrigation bills are way too high. They have had it checked but it keeps getting worse. I have read in some threads about a guy named Jim who has helped several people. Does anyone have this guys contact info?

Jim Baumgartner at (352) 504-2317.

I used him two days ago. Thorough. Explains everything. Has all the spare parts (none of this "gotta go get a part nonsense"). Funny, personable guy. Would recommend with no reservations.

Did checkup/tuneup and replaced 8 pop-ups. I think the price was reasonable.

Nucky
10-01-2016, 05:50 PM
Since I'm here everyday I decided to run my system on manual. My brother in law who lives in Miami did some extensive repairs and everything is up to snuff except the timer. For the time being I will be the timer. Once the lawn is perfect I will invest in a new timer. The lawn was totally neglected for 6 months so I know it is going to take time to bring it all the way back. My water bill was at 12,000 gallons last month.

Stdole
10-01-2016, 08:23 PM
I can tell you from experience..... LARGE YARDS ON CORNERS OR IN THE OUTSIDE CURVES ALONG WITH 4 SHRUB ZONES... Two to three times a week for 12 min. on shrubs and
35-40 min. on lawn zones will take 25,000 to 30,000 gal. per month... most lawn experts want more time than that on the lawns.. but thats my max.. don't forget many of these
large homes have 3 to 8 large palms that also take single or double dedicated lines... like the former post.. make sure you only have one program running... not 2 or more..

JoMar
10-01-2016, 08:35 PM
Corner lot with grass IMO big yard. I would see how much water running down the street (if any?) and make slight adjustment in timing minutes. If water is running off you lawn and down the storm drain for half or more the time your watering IMO your wasting water? You can change the heads on sprinklers to adjust amount of water or adjust the time.

Most yards seem to have several problems. Sprinkler heads adjusted wrong, sprinkler heads broken, too many sprinklers being used in small area creating run off problem. When I walk in the morning no go by storm drains I here water gushing down the drain from early morning watering. It not on little gush but flooding gushing sound.

If all this fine then you have super big corner lot which some people have.

Thanks, I do have very little run off. Sprinkler controller and heads are adjusted every six months by Baumgartner. My objective was to have a great looking healthy lawn and until I increased the water and listened to Deans, it didn't. May not be for everyone, but it works for me.