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Here are the top reasons you should invest in pipe insulation before Winter:

Save money on water heating.

You remind your kids to turn off the faucet when it's not in use. You wash your laundry on a cold water setting as often as you can. You time yourself in the shower to ensure you're not throwing money down the drain. Water heating is expensive, we know. Pipe insulation is a great way to combat the expense of hot water heating by keeping your pipes warmer all the time. Just imagine what even a few degrees could mean to your energy bills.

No more waiting for the water to heat up.

Don't you just hate standing outside your shower on a cold Winter morning waiting for the water to go from frigidly cold to warm and toasty? Or running your kitchen sink for a couple minutes until the hot water kicks in so you can wash your dishes? Not only does pipe insulation save you heating the water; it also saves you the amount of water you use period. Install some pipe insulation, and you're on your way into the shower much sooner!

Avoid costly repairs from burst pipes.

Depending on the extent of the damage, a burst pipe can cost you as little as a few hundred or as much as several thousand dollars. Remember: pipe bursts can mean more than just pipe replacement. They can mean repairs to your foundation, insulation, paneling and other woodwork, and even flooring. Pipe insulation can be particularly helpful if you spend any time at all away from your home in the Winter.

It's useful in Summertime, too!

While there is no doubt that your pipes are safe from freezing during our sweltering Houston Summers, pipe insulation can help prevent your cold water pipes from "sweating" in the heat. This condensation that can cover cold water pipes in the Summer can lead to mold growth, another costly and dangerous problem for homeowners.

Need some help getting your pipes insulated before the temperatures start dropping? Give us a call today.

JB Irrigation and Services can perform a professional winterization (freeze protection) service on your sprinkler system that can potentially save you thousands of dollars in damage. 

Call us at 281-744-6909 and we'll send a trained sprinkler repair professional out to fix your sprinkler problems and prepare your sprinkler system so that it can handle the next freeze with ease.

Don't wait for a freeze to call us! 

The holidays are a wonderful time to spend with your loved ones, without having to worry about things like your irrigation system. The winter brings unexpected freezes that can cause serious damage to your sprinkler system at any moment, so why not let our experience sprinkler technicians perform a winterization service on your irrigation system before your family visits for the holiday. 

Peace of mind knowing that your irrigation system is safe will make the season more enjoyable for everyone. 

Contact us at 281.744.6909, or send us an email and we'll schedule a winterization service today.

If your City or Municipality is not listed, call your water provider directly. There should be a phone number on your water bill.

City of Houston (includes Kingwood): August 15, 2011 -- Due to persistent drought conditions and continuously decreasing water levels in Lake Houston, Mayor Annise Parker today mandated the implementation of the City of Houston Stage Two Water Conservation Measures in accordance with the procedures outlined in Chapter 47 in the Code of Ordinances.

During Stage Two of the conservation plan, customers are required to:

•Repair all detectable leaks within 72 hours of discovery and

•Limit outdoor irrigation to the hours between 8:00 p.m. and 10 a.m. on NO more than two days per week according to the following schedule:
•Sundays and Thursdays for customers with even-numbered street addresses
•Saturdays and Wednesdays for customers with odd-numbered street addresses
Failure to follow requirements may result in fines. For questions or to report a violation, please call 3-1-1.

Conroe: Prohibited from watering lawns or filling pools during the day. Allowed only between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

The Woodlands: Drought Contingency Plan – Severe Water Shortage Conditions

Extreme drought conditions prompted The Woodlands MUDs, served by The Woodlands Joint Powers Agency, to move directly from Stage 1 to STAGE 3 - Severe Water Shortage Conditions - of the drought contingency plan. Residential and commercial water demands (primarily irrigation) exceeded 90 percent of capacity for three consecutive days at one or more of the seven water-production sites serving The Woodlands.

Lawn watering restrictions are mandatory. If you have a programmable controller, it must be set to the following schedule to water no more than twice a week; and all watering cycles complete by 4:00 a.m. Odd addresses on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Even addresses on Thursdays and Sundays. No more than a total of one inch of potable water applied per week.

Tomball: addresses ending in even numbers may water lawns on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; addresses ending in odd numbers may water lawns Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays; all watering must be done before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.

Voluntary Water Restrictions
•Pearland
•Sugar Land: Residents with even numbered addresses are encouraged to water lawns on Thursdays and Sundays. Odd numbered addresses should be watered on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Other Ways to Conserve Water:

•Keep showers under five minutes
•Turn water off while brushing your teeth
•Wash only full loads of dishes or clothes
•Replace older model showerheads and faucet aerators with new low-flow models and install low water use toilets
•Inspect toilets for silent leaks by putting food coloring in the toilet tank. If colored water leaks into the toilet bowl before flushing, water is being lost due to a worn flapper
•Refrain from washing any vehicle or motorbike unless the dirt poses a driving hazard
•Refrain from washing down any sidewalk, walkway, driveway, parking lot or any other hard-surfaced area
•Refrain from filling, refilling or adding water to any indoor or outdoor swimming pool, spa or whirlpool.

Chances are your professional contractor programmed the controller when they were finished installing the system. They probably also gave you a schedule (or schedules) you could enter into the controller during different seasons of the year. If not, you should contact an irrigation professional in your area who can give you guidance as to the number of minutes each zone should water, and on how many days of the week.

Each climate has different requirements; each plant material will have varying needs, as well. In addition, be sure to account for the fact that different types of sprinklers apply water at varying rates. Please click on the link for more information on how to determine correct watering times: www.wateright.org

Here are five ways that we help clients save money on the their water bill and conserve water when we fine tune their sprinkler system.

Install pressure regulating (pressure reducing) heads to eliminate “fogging” of the water:
Converting to these type heads can easily reduce water waste by up to 30%. When a head receives too much water pressure it “mists” out fine droplets that are not heavy enough to fall to the ground immediately. The fine droplets quickly evaporate never reaching the ground. Up to 30% of the water coming out of an over pressurized head can be “fogged” and wasted.

Install SMART controller and weather sensing technology:
This type controller will automatically develop a daily program, run only as needed, and knows your specific site water needs and up-to-the minute on site weather conditions. Even our most particular, environmentally conscious, pro water conserving customers do not change their irrigation system settings on a daily basis. This is HOUSTON TEXAS. A lot can happen weather wise in a day. Daily scheduling and re-scheduling of your system with 30 years of historical weather information in the software PLUS your own on-site mini weather station that measures temperature and rainfall on your site, not the Airport.

Consider installing a basic rain sensor or wireless rain sensor:
At least keep your system from running in the rain. Also it may keep your system off for number of days, depending on amount of rain and other weather conditions.

Re-zone areas- Bed areas and Grass areas should be on separate circuits (hydrozoning):
Your grass has different water needs than your flowers and shrubbery. These areas combined on a sprinkler system result in water waste. When the grass needs water the plants may not. When the shrubs are thirsty, the grass may be fine. Your plants may not be able to take the amount of water your St. Augustine grass can. You will undoubtedly over water one area to get enough to the other.

Re-zone areas- Shade areas should be separate of Sunny areas (microclimatology):
The area that is coolly shaded under the tree all day needs much less water that the one that bakes in the sun all day. Another common example is the shaded narrow area between the side of the house and the fence. It doesn’t need to run for the same time the hot sunny middle area does. A shaded area should be on a separate zone than the full sun area allowing those areas to be separately controlled by the number of minutes it is to run.

These are just a few areas that JB Irrigation covers when performing a S.W.E.E.P. (system watering efficiently and economically program) assessment for our clients sprinkler systems. If you are in need of sprinkler repair in Houston Texas, are tired of high water bills, or just want to learn about new ways to conserve water, please contact our office and make an appointment today.

This year our customers who sign up for a service on our "LAWN SPRINKLER SYSTEM SERVICE AGREEMENT" will recieve a S.W.E.E.P. evaluation at no additional charge. S.W.E.E.P. stands for System Watering Effectively and Economically Program. The S.W.E.E.P. program is designed to help our customers conserve water and save money by reducing the amount of water their sprinkler system uses; while still maintaining a lush lawn and beautiful landscaping.

Please call us if you have any questions or did not recieve your service agreement in the mail.

Change heads or nozzles to the same precipitation rate (balance coverage)

The application of water is not balanced. Rotor heads and Fan-spray heads should not be on the same zone. Sprinklers of mixed manufacturers should not be on the same zone. The differing application rates of the sprinklers cause uneven coverage.  You are forced to over water some areas (waste) to get just enough water for another area.

Consider bringing your system up to code

Texas State Law requires all Sprinkler systems to have an approved Backflow Preventer installed. ANYTHING that is in or on your lawn can be “sucked” back through your sprinkler system into your drinking water supply. Pet waste, fertilizers, pesticides, just to name a few. It’s for your health, safety, and the protection of the public drinking water supply.

Raise heads too low in the grass

The grass blades are obstructing the spray patterns. We recommend changing out your 2”, 3”, or 4” heads with 6” pop-up heads. As grass grows it builds its own elevation upward. Dead grass blades, runners and root system all make up your lawn’s thatch. As thatch builds up so does the level of your lawn. Your lawn slowly inches upward leaving your irrigation heads too low. If the head can not spray out like it should, the result is that all the water pools immediately around the head (waste, runoff), while the rest of the areas receive no water.  Your heads may only spray correctly if the grass is freshly cut.

Raise heads that have become too low in bed areas

Change these heads to a 12-inch pop-up. When the system was originally installed, it probably reached and covered as it should. You need now to account for your plant’s growth. Now that the plants have grown the sprinkler spray has become blocked. The plant adjacent to the head receives all the water (way too much,=waste) where it should be broadcast over the entire area. The Plants that aren’t right next to a head do not get any water.

Install freeze protection components on system

During the winters of 2010 and 2011 a hard freeze in the Houston area damaged tens of thousands of sprinkler systems. Average freeze repair bill was about $400. Also is the potential to waste 1000’s of gallons of water if the burst is not detected immediately.

If you have already experienced sprinkler damage due to the freeze, call us at 281-744-6909 and we'll send a trained sprinkler repair professional out to fix your problem and prepare your sprinkler system so that it can handle the next freeze with ease.

Of course, you shouldn't wait for a freeze to call us. We provide freeze protection services that could save you a lot of money on unnecessary repairs.

Adjusting sprinkler heads can be a tricky (and wet job). Don't worry, our professional Service Technicians can do it for you. Many of our customers have us come out on a Service Call for adjustments alone. A system (or single head) out of adjustment will undoubtedly waste water. Water will cause damage if sprayed on or into your home on a regular basis. Keep that water in your lawn where it's needed! And remember...even though your lawn may be going dormant for the winter, it is still very much alive and needs water! Call us now for same day service! 281-744-6909

If you just want to do it yourself...Below are links to a few sprinkler adjustment videos: 

How to adjust the Hunter PGP sprinkler head radius.

How to  adjust the Hunter  PGP sprinkler head arc.

For more information on adjusting Rainbird sprinkler heads, visit the links below.

How to adjust the Rainbird Rotor sprinkler head arc.

How to adjust the Rainbird Rotor sprinkler head radius.

Can't get it adjusted right? The gears might be stripped. Call to have a Service Call scheduled, Or, New sprinkler heads can be purchased from our Sprinkler Warehouse by going to http://www.jbirrigation.com/parts-store

No one predicted the severity of the January 2010 cold snap throughout the Houston area. We made thousands of freeze related repairs. Be prepared so you do not have another costly repair. JB IRRIGATION & SERVICES has the special backflow preventer insulating pouches and pipe insulating materials already, and they are now stocked on our service trucks. It's not too soon to schedule your system Winterization in advance of the first possible freeze! Call now to schedule 281-744-6909

Weather is unpredictable by its nature, but before the cold strikes, let JB IRRIGATION & SERVICES have you covered!

Channel 2 News reporter Carl Willis covered the Water Rate story earlier this June.

For you convienience and further information we provided the link below to the story on Channel 2's website...

http://www.click2houston.com/news/23765657/detail.html

All MUD districts under The Woodlands Joint Powers Agency...The Woodlands MUD #2, Montgomery County MUD's #6, 7, 36, 39, 40, 46, 47, 60, 67, and The Woodlands Metro Center MUD. Up to $150 rebate.

The following taken directly from www.wjpa.net

We offer a 50% rebate, up to $150.00, on the purchase and installation of a rain sensor, or the installation of an ET Smart Controller, for your sprinkler system.  A rain sensor will detect the presence of rain and shut off your system automatically.  This alleviates the large problem in The Woodlands of numerous sprinklers running during a rain event.  The ET Smart Controller offers several ways to save water.  It considers evaporation and transpiration rates, humidity, temperature and rainfall before allowing the sprinkler system to apply water. Contact Customer Service at 281-367-1271 for information on obtaining your rebate, up to $150.00!

Water is wasted and many lawns are over-watered. Water District officials say over-watering is the most frequent mistake homeowners make in lawn care. Too much water promotes a shallow root system, which causes grass and plants to become vulnerable to hot/dry weather. The demand for water is ever-increasing.

Residents and business owners are urged by water district operators to install the new "Smart" controllers on their automatic sprinkler systems. These "Smart" Controller/Sensor combos don't just detect rain and shut down. They detect moisture, temperature, and humidity and self adjust accordingly. Each "Smart" controller is uploaded from the factory with about 30 years of historical weather data for your area. The historical data is used to "predict" upcoming rainfall and temperatures. The "Smart" controller adjusts water output accordingly, automatically.

These types of "Smart" control systems are important because they save water, and in turn, save money. The cost savings could be substantial during a wet year. Our goal is to have all of our customers fitted with this technology. Basically, we think the "Smart" controllers are just the prudent thing to do. The State of Texas thinks so too. Recently The Texas Legislature has passed laws requiring all new systems to have rain and/or weather sensing technology installed. The aquifer that supplies our area with water is being over-pumped, and whether the device saves 100 gallons or 10,000 gallons we think it is worth it.

More information on SMART controllers can be found at: http://www.rainbirdespsmt.com/_pdf/esp-smt/Sales_Brochure.pdf  the manufacturer of the SMART control systems we install. 

The best way to get your system up and running in the spring is to have JB Irrigation and Services go through your startup procedure. We will be able to check and make sure all the components are working properly and help to ensure that your system is ready to work for the season.

Contact us to schedule an appointment.

If you decide to attempt to start up the irrigation system yourself, please refer to this checklist for important steps to follow.

1. Before turning on any water to the system, make sure all manual drain valves are returned to the "closed" position.
2. Open the system main water valve slowly to allow pipes to fill with water gradually. If these valves are opened too quickly, sprinkler main lines are subjected to high surge pressures, uncontrolled flow and water hammer.
3. Verify the proper operation of each zone valve by manually activating it from the controller.
4. Walk through each station on the controller, checking for proper operation of the zone. Check for proper operating pressure (low pressure indicates a line break or missing sprinkler), proper rotation and adjustment of sprinkler heads, and adequate coverage. Check and clean filters on poorly performing sprinklers. Adjust heads to grade as necessary.
5. Reprogram the controller for automatic watering. Replace the controller back-up battery if necessary.
6. Uncover and clean the system rain sensor, if applicable.
7. Finish and clean any in-line filters for drip irrigation zones.

It’s a good idea to check it frequently during the peak watering season to make sure that everything is functioning correctly and water is being applied as needed to the plant material. Users will often do a quick run through of each zone after they have finished mowing and trimming. A handy tool to have installed in your irrigation system is one of our popular remote controls. These time-saving devices allow you to walk around your property and turn the valves on and off without having to keep going back to the controller.