People call us asking for an irrigation audit all the time. Most of them do not actually need one. What they need is a tune-up, and understanding the difference will save you money and get you the right service the first time.
A full audit carries real engineering data. Flow rate measured in gallons per minute, soil moisture sensor readings, distribution uniformity testing across zones. That level of detail matters for large commercial properties, HOAs, and sites where water use has to be documented and justified. For most residential homeowners, that level of detail is more than you need. You want a green lawn and a system that works. That is what a tune-up is built for.
A tune-up starts with a technician touching and adjusting every single sprinkler head on the property. He will replace up to five nozzles, the small plastic pieces on top of a fixed spray head that control flow and direction, if they are worn or damaged. He will seasonally adjust your controller, setting it up for cycle and soak and other best practices so your lawn gets the right amount of water for the current season and whatever local watering ordinance or restriction is in effect. Along the way, he flags every deficiency he finds. A deficiency is simply anything that is not putting water where it should go.
Once he is done, he walks you through it. He shows you what he found, what he recommends, and what it would cost to fix. From there, it is entirely your call. You can authorize repairs on the spot, get a formal quote, or decide to wait. You walk away with full information either way.
The single most common deficiency we find on a residential tune-up is a clogged head or nozzle. There are usually two reasons behind it. The first is dirty water, either from reclaimed water or from a well that is not properly filtered. Sediment and debris in the water supply work their way into the nozzle over time and cause sputtering, uneven spray, or a head that stops working altogether. The second cause is simpler: a head that has gotten buried under turf growth and keeps getting stuck instead of popping up fully, run after run, until it clogs or fails from being jammed underground.
The fix for each is different. A buried or stuck head usually needs to be cleared, reset, and sometimes raised so it can pop up freely again. Dirty water calls for filtration, and the right filtration depends on what is downstream of it. MP Rotator nozzles have narrower internal passages than standard fixed spray nozzles, so they need a tighter mesh or micron rating to stay clear. We never guess at that number. We go by manufacturer specifications every time, full stop. Beyond manufacturer guidance, the resource we trust most in this industry is the University of Florida's IFAS Extension and the research of Dr. Michael Dukes, a professor of irrigation and water conservation there. His work is about as close to a definitive source as this industry has, and we treat it that way.
The bigger point underneath all of this is that a system is only as good as its last inspection. Heads shift. Nozzles wear. Turf grows over things it should not cover. None of that shows up until someone actually gets eyes and hands on every zone. That is the entire purpose of a tune-up: catching small problems while they are still small, before they turn into a dead zone of turf or a water bill that does not match what is actually landing on your lawn.
If your system has never had a real inspection, or it has been more than a season since the last one, that is usually reason enough to get one done. If you manage a commercial property, an HOA, or a CDD and need documented flow data, moisture readings, and a full distribution uniformity report, that is when a true audit makes sense, and we can scope that separately based on your property's size and needs.
We stay in our lane here too. An audit or tune-up tells you about your irrigation system, your heads, your controller, your water delivery. It will not tell you whether your turf variety is right for your soil or your sun exposure. That conversation belongs with your landscaper or your county extension office.
Genesis exists to help support Kai'Ros House, an orphanage we are connected to in Kumasi, Ghana. We say that plainly, not looking for sympathy, just stating why Genesis does what it does.
Water that is not reaching where it is supposed to go is wasted, no matter how good the system looked on the day it was installed. Getting eyes on it regularly is how you keep it doing what it was built to do.
Genesis Sprinklers & Water Management LLC
(833) 543-6374
[email protected]
5320 Lena Rd Ste 104, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211
"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14, KJV
