Chipmunks are such tiny, cute animals, how could they possible cause any issues, right? Wrong! In fact, chipmunks and other small rodents can actually destroy your irrigation system. Who knew!? They chew into irrigation lines and plastic sprinkler heads in order to find water. This can cause extreme damage to your sprinkler system and cause you a lot of unwanted stress and expenses.
So what should you do to prevent your sprinkler system being damaged by rodents?Although there is not one permanent solution to keeping these pests at bay, there are many methods you can do in order to make your lawn less appealing to them and minimize the damage that can occur to your irrigation system.
First, it may be helpful to identify what kind of chipmunk, squirrel, or rodent is causing all this damage to your sprinkler system. Since squirrels are classified in many states as game, trapping permits may be required. No toxicants or fumigates are registered in the state of Georgia. In order to help you identify squirrels and the legal status on trapping these creatures, visit Georgia Wildlife.
Repellent can be sprayed inside the sprinkler box itself. However, this may be harmful to children or pets. Removing all piles of wood and old leaves where they could be hiding might prevent them from staying in your yard. Without a nice home to nest in, these rodents will most likely move onto a new area. Increasing the number of predators in your yard might also scare the rodents away. Cats and dogs usually frighten smaller animals, as well as hawks and owl decoys. This can help keep them away at night and not just during the day.
Providing physical barriers may also help prevent these animals from destroying your systems.Heavy mulch or pine straw would help prevent pesky ground rodents from chewing the lines from both above the ground and below. Although doing this might be labor intensive, it might be less expensive in the long run, rather than constantly having to fix the damage the rodents cause to your systems. Make sure that all parts of the sprinkler box are sealed in order to prevent wildlife from getting into it. Wire mesh can be used to line the bottom of the sprinkler box. Consider using wire mesh or something that will weigh it down for the top of the box in order to conceal it from wildlife.
Adequately removing their food source might also lead them away from your system. Chipmunks and squirrels are attracted to bird feeders, seeds and nuts. Making sure that these sources are protected can help derail chipmunks to another location. Do not use mothballs in your garden. They can be a significant environmental hazard. Mothballs are highly poisonous to child and pets and the chemicals are harmful to our water supply.
One of the easiest and least harmful methods to stopping these animals is by setting up traps in your yard! You can purchase traps almost anywhere. Simply place the traps in flowerbeds and bushes that you know the rodents travel through. Make sure to check the traps frequently. You might be surprised by how many fury friends you catch!
These little animals may seem unimportant, but they are capable of causing a great impact. Do not over look them! They cause damage to your irrigation system, as well as your sprinkler heads. This can cause you to spend extra money every single year just to replace sprinkler heads and pipes. Let’s be real…nobody wants that! That is why it is important to stay aware and informed about what is happening in your backyard because let’s face it, chipmunks are cute…until they are chewing away at your sprinkler system!
If any damage has occurred to your irrigation system please contact Sprinkalawn! It does not matter whether you purchased the system through us or not, we are still happy to help!