Backyard Water Management - Getting The Most Out Of Your Water With A Backyard Reno

If you're wondering how to make your water work for you in the coming warmer weather, we've got you covered. Your local Irrigear Independent Experts know all the tips and tricks for maximising the benefit you get from the water available to you in your backyard - and their knowledge covers your specific area, so you know you're not trying to adapt general info by yourself. While each household will need their own personalised plan to really make the most of their space, below we've outlined a few ideas that can help take your backyard to the next level for Summer and beyond. 

Outdoor Living

Having outdoor living spaces in your backyard allows you to create a comfortable flow between your home and yard. They also greatly enhance your entertaining abilities (if you're into that kind of thing) and can make cleaning up after gatherings with family or friends far easier, as all the outdoor mess doesn't get dragged inside. You've got plenty of options on this front, but for this article we're going to focus on the two main elements of outdoor living that require significant water management - kitchens and showers.

Outdoor Kitchen 

The addition of an outdoor kitchen to your home is a fantastic way to increase your property value, but it also makes the summer heat far more bearable (wave goodbye to heating up the whole house while cooking dinner) and turns barbecuing into a family affair. Keep your appliances out here simple, give the BBQ plenty of space (it is an open flame after all) and consider including a water filtration system for your outdoor sink, so nobody has to duck inside to grab a drink. 

Outdoor Shower

Outdoor showers are a great way to prevent the mess from outside finding its way inside, but that doesn't mean they can't provide a luxurious experience. Your main design focus here will, of course, be privacy, but feel free to get creative with the look and feel. Just remember to keep it conveniently accessible from the pool if you're adding one. 

There are, of course, plenty of other ways to make outdoor living more comfortable at your place - think fire pits, a deck with blinds to keep the elements out, edible landscaping, etc. - but outdoor kitchens and showers are among the main inclusions that can have significant restrictions on placement and are therefore more logistically complex. It makes sense to consider these first and build the rest of your backyard renovation around them.

Luxurious Backyard Renos

If you're wanting to make your backyard feel a little more luxurious, the inclusion of a pool, spa, swim spa, or water feature can greatly enhance the appeal of your space. Each of these options bring the water within your space to the forefront of your design and require careful planning, but when executed correctly, can really improve both the appearance of your backyard, and your wellbeing. 

Pool

Backyard pools are perfect for cooling off on a hot day, floating around reading a book, or getting a few laps in to help boost your movement for the day. Regardless of what you intend on using your pool for, having the right pool equipment and maintenance procedures are key to your enjoyment, so be sure to consider all the logistics prior to installation.

Spa

A spa is the ideal addition for those looking to create a tranquil backyard retreat. Although you’ll need to ensure you have the proper spa setup, they tend to be fairly low maintenance when configured correctly and can significantly boost the feeling of luxury in your outdoor space.

Swim Spa

Enjoy a morning swim but don’t have the space for a full size pool? A swim spa could be the perfect option. The jets in these kinds of spas are configured to produce a current, so you can swim to your heart’s content while staying in place. Pair this with a small plunge pool and a sauna for the ultimate wellness backyard reno, or keep it compact with just the swim spa.

Water Features 

Water features such as ponds and waterfalls add an element of visual interest while also enhancing tranquillity in your space with the sound of moving water adding to the sense of peace. Generally only suited to larger backyards given the space they take up, statement water features can greatly increase the visual appeal of your home, while smaller water features can be placed almost anywhere (even balconies) to add the gentle sound of flowing water to a space.

Backyard Maintenance 

Finally, there's no point making the most of your water for aesthetics and recreation if you're going to have to spend hours on end maintaining your backyard. With this in mind, the less glamorous water management additions for your backyard are arguably the most important. 

Drip Lines

If you have any kind of plant that prefers their water to be directly delivered to the soil rather than sprayed over them - like some vegetables for example - drip lines will be an incredibly useful addition to your backyard. Not only will they help your plants grow happier and healthier, but they'll also reduce the workload involved in keeping your backyard looking and feeling good. 

Sprinkler Systems 

A solid sprinkler system is also a must have for most gardens as this is usually how lawns and many other varieties of plant prefer their water provided.

Bonus points here if you configure your sprinklers in a manner that allows them to provide a way to cool off on a hot day, or the ability to switch them on at will if there's something (or someone) on your lawn that you don't want there.

Automated Garden Irrigation

Finally, automated garden irrigation is the glue that holds everything else together in a simple, easy-to-use package. By connecting your sprinklers, drip lines and other watering methods to a centralised hub that's able to be automated, you've found the ultimate time saving hack while also boosting the efficiency of your system - what's not to love?

Ready to select your new backyard water management products? Or looking for assistance in designing your system? Head down to your local Irrigear Independent Experts to get personalised advice today.