If you’ve just recently installed an irrigation system this summer, you may have forgotten to ask or do your research about the ins and outs of mowing your lawn with sprinkler heads throughout the property. You might be asking, “Can you mow over sprinkler heads?” and “Do I need to remove my sprinkler heads before I mow?” Have no fear, if you didn’t consider these questions when the technician came to install, we have the answers for you right here, right now. Keep reading for a step by step guide on how to cut your grass without damaging the sprinkler heads.
Turn Off Your Sprinkler System
This one might seem obvious to some, but… you never know. Always better to mention it first just so there’s no confusion. Besides, wet grass will stick to your shoes that much easier- cutting your lawn on the drier side is a better situation for everyone.
Locate Your Sprinkler Heads
There are a few ways to ensure you don’t damage your new sprinkler heads. The most common is to walk around the lawn and clearly mark each sprinkler head with a small brightly colored flag. This is especially important if you don’t have “pop up” sprinkler heads that are on the taller side. Make sure you don’t miss any! If you don’t mind just avoiding the flags then this could be all you need, and you can trim the area around the mover with a weed wacker or plenty of other tools quite easily.
Do A Dry Run
If you want to go without the flags and skip the after trim, it’s going to require slightly more prep. While the motor is OFF, bring the mower around the lawn and test it’s height clearance (don’t forget to remove the flags).You most likely don’t need to test every single one, because all your sprinkler heads should be around the same height. If you are feeling confident about the height clearance then you should be good to go!
Raise The Blade Height
If you are feeling a piece of the mower hit the top of the sprinkler head, and you don’t want to use the flag method, then it’s time to make some adjustments. Check with the lawn mowers instruction guide or user manual to see how to adjust the height of your blade. This allows for more height clearance. Keep in mind that you won’t get quite as close of a cut and this might require you to cut your grass more often.
Contact Berardi Irrigation
It’s inevitable at some point that you’ll damage a sprinkler head. If this does happen, check out our guide on how to repair your irrigation system, or contact us for any repairs you might need! Give us a call at (781) 828-2029 or contact us here.
