Sprinklers are great for your yard.
But they can be bad for your windows (and your view).
Automatic sprinklers provide your lawn with ample amounts of water. But if they are improperly adjusted, they can permanently damage your windows. Rain water is generally fairly clean in our area. Weather systems usually come through often enough to clear out our atmosphere. But what about your tap, hose and sprinkler water?
Most water delivered by your local utility has some mineral content, also known as “hard water”. If this water is left to dry on your windows, over time it will form deposits on the glass. You may see this on shower glass, or the glass on your car. And it won’t come off, even with soap scum removing chemicals.
If you are unaware that your sprinklers are hitting your windows, hard water deposits will soon follow. If you catch it early enough, we might be able to remove it. There are polishing compounds and acids that might do the trick. These are costly processes. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do but replace the window (or live with it…)
Turn on your sprinkler system a couple times during the season and make sure that they are not hitting the windows. In windy parts, make sure they are nowhere near hitting the windows.
When it comes to hard water on glass, Sammamish is anecdotally one of the worst places around here. I’m unaware if the water quality is improved these days, but we see a lot of problems on 10+ year old houses around here, when compared to other localities. It’s not bad compared to other parts of the country, but it is a problem.