Prepare your yard for the monsoon season to prevent damage and water waste
Preparing your lawn for the monsoon season can be an arduous task, but it pays off greatly in the long run. Properly preparing your lawn will prevent significant damage to your yard and reduce wasted water usage due to the minimal drainage of rainwater. It’s important to know that preventing damage and water waste isn’t just good for your lawn; it also saves you money in the long run. This guide provides you with everything you need to know about how to prep your yard for the monsoon season to prevent damage and water waste.
Ways to Prepare Your Yard for the Monsoon Season
It’s that time of year again when the monsoons start coming in! The heavy rains and gusty winds can wreak havoc on your yard and cause a lot of damage that you might not even realize until it’s too late. Here are some things you can do to prepare your yard for this time of year so you can keep your home looking great and be ready to weather the storm!
1) Check Hose Valves
Inspect your hoses and make sure all of them have working valves. If not, replace them with new ones. The bad news is that leaks waste water and can cause serious damage. So check yours now! If you find any leaks, seal them up right away by using tape or clamps. Or better yet, turn off your water when you're done using it so no more water is wasted. Also, put a bucket under your leaky faucet or hose to catch water instead of letting it just go down the drain. You'll be glad you did later on. As monsoon season gets closer, the desert landscape rock Phoenix az becomes important.
2) Locate Water Leaks
Leaks may seem inconsequential, but they can add up and cause a lot of damage. The first step is checking your water meter, which should have a stop valve on it. This will tell you how much water you're using at any given time. If you see that your water usage is out of control, it could be because of a leak in your plumbing system. If the leak is small enough, you might be able to fix it by replacing a washer or tightening some pipes with pliers. Otherwise, you'll need a professional. Either way, don't let the leak go on for too long. A really large leak can fill an entire swimming pool in less than a day! Turn Off Water: Turning off your water when you're not using it is one of the easiest ways to conserve. For example, if you turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, then turn it back on when you rinse, this saves more than 3 gallons per minute. Let's say that three minutes per day times 365 days equals 875 gallons saved each year!
3) Drain Water Out of Sprinkler Systems
Shutting off your sprinkler system is a good first step in preparing for monsoons. You will need to turn off the water supply, disconnect the hoses from your sprinkler heads and then drain out any remaining water before you close it up. If you have an automatic timer, be sure to set it ahead of time so that you are not watering during a heavy rainstorm. Depending on where you live, this can cause problems with flooding or runoff because the ground is already saturated. Consider installing a rain sensor if you do not have one yet. Rain sensors are inexpensive and easy to install as well as maintain with monthly battery changes (we recommend replacing them at least twice per year).
4) Clean up Clogged Drains, Gutters, and Downspouts
Clogged drains can lead to water backing up into your home and causing a flood. Regularly cleaning out your gutters and downspouts will prevent this, as well as keep debris from clogging them in the first place. If you have a lot of trees in your yard, be sure to cut them back so they don’t damage power lines during storms. Keep bushes trimmed below the roofline of your house, or at least away from air conditioning units or other sensitive equipment. Consider installing a rain barrel if you don't already have one- rain barrels collect rainwater that would otherwise go into storm sewers and use for irrigation or other purposes such as washing cars. Rain barrels are easy to install, save money on utility bills, and are environmentally friendly! A good idea is to have a plan before any storms come through - make sure you have enough supplies stored in case of a power outage (flashlights, batteries, candles), medicines stocked (over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen), food stocked (ready-to-eat canned goods with no expiry date), and important documents like copies of passports/birth certificates/insurance policies backed up on an external hard drive.
5) Clear Ponds and Aquariums
Clear out any ponds or aquariums that have experienced algae growth. Use a net to skim off any algae that have accumulated on the surface and pour in some fresh water. If your pond is stocked with fish, change 25% of the water every few days. Do not allow more than 5 gallons of standing water to accumulate. Do not allow vegetation near ponds as it will impede drainage and create breeding grounds for mosquitoes, frogs, and other pests which can lead to contamination from harmful organisms such as E. coli, Salmonella typhi (a form of typhoid fever), Giardia intestinalis (a type of intestinal parasite) among others.