Reticulation Repairs

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Tips to Keep Your Reticulation Ticking Over the
Winter Period Winter has arrived in Perth, and
with it comes the yearly sprinkler ban for most
household in Perth. Enforced by the WA Water
Corporation, the permanent winter sprinkler ban
applies to all scheme and bore water users in
Perth, Mandurah and some parts of the South West,
from 1 June to 31 August each year. During this
time handheld watering and maintenance testing of
bores are still permitted, but anyone using
their sprinklers between June and August risks a
100 fine. A malfunctioning reticulation
controller is not an excuse for not complying
with the winter ban, so its important to check
the settings on your reticulation system
especially after a power outage. You can be
fined even if your reticulation controller
malfunctions so follow these tips to ensure
your reticulation system is all in order, and
whether it requires reticulation repairs!
Check the reticulation control box Check to make
sure the cover works properly and closes to
protect the electronics from sun or water
damage. Its also important to check that the
wires are not loose, even though this may not be
possible on all types and brands of reticulation
boxes. Finally and most importantly, the battery
should be replaced once a year. The battery keeps
all programming information inside the control
box whenever electricity is lost during
blackouts. If not regularly replaced, an ageing
battery will begin to leak its contents into the
control box, possibly leading to permanent damage
to the unit. Check for damaged sprinklers, and
fix them! Lawn sprinklers sit under the ground
exposed to the soil. For this reason, soil can
often enter the sprinkler, blocking its flow
pattern, or seizing it from easily popping up and
down as required. To test your sprinklers, turn
on the reticulation, and walk slowly around the
area being watered, taking note of any
sprinklers not rising properly, and not spraying
properly. Remove, dismantle and wash any
affected sprinkler parts under running water to
clear out any sand or grit that may be blocking
them. Put the sprinkler back and test your system
again. If the sprinkler fails to work, as all
sprinklers will over time - then its best to
replace the lawn sprinkler with a new
one. Install sprinkler surrounds To slow down
dirt and grit entering into sprinklers, and to
ensure easy action of the unit popping up and
down, it can be a good idea to install sprinkler
surrounds around sprinklers. They are
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easily installed by cutting away the lawn, and
removing some soil from around the sprinkler, and
inserting the surround. The surround should be
placed so the top is flushed with the top of the
lawn. Any excess soil should be removed between
the sprinkler and the surround. Now, if all of
the above sounds like something you dont feel
like tackling personally, or maybe you just
dont have the time to spend your entire weekend
in the garden, you can always rely on Lukes
Landscaping and Irrigation Services for all your
reticulation repair needs. With a specialist
reticulation division that can service and repair
your existing reticulation or modify and improve
old systems to bring them up to scratch, Lukes
Landscaping is only a call away for any
reticulation repairs for your Perth home.