Summer weather is just around the corner. As temperatures begin to rise, your grass and plants will need to be taken care of once the heat hits. To start your sprinkler system after winterizing, there are a few basic tips to keep in mind so you know when it’s safe to turn back on.
1) Know where the system shutoffs are
During the winter, your sprinkler system should have been shut off to prevent any pipe damage. Locate the main sprinkler shutoff valve. Oftentimes, this is in the long irrigation tube near the sprinkler control boxes.
2) Turn on the water slowly
Don’t get too excited when you’re turning on the water. Take your time and turn the water on slowly. If you don’t, the water could come on too quickly and it could burst fittings or pop off the sprinkler heads. Turning it on slowly will help the water pressurize and flow properly through the irrigation lines.
3) Remove sprinkler heads
Before you turn on the sprinkler valves, it’s usually a good idea to remove the sprinkler heads. This is helpful because if there is anything built up in the line over the winter, it will get flushed out. This can also protect against any other damage if the valve is turned on too quickly.
4) Check each station
After your sprinkler system has been turned off for many months at a time, be cautious and check each station. If there is a line broken underground, or if there are any sprinkler heads that are broken, you’ll notice them as you check each station. Let the water run a little bit and make sure the water coverage is adequate. You may need to clean out spray heads or readjust them to make sure they’re working well.
Spring is a great time to turn on your sprinkler system and make sure it’s in good working order. You may not need to use it much until the warm Colorado summer hits, but if you have your sprinkler system checked out and serviced before a long stretch of summer heat, it will be ready to go when you need it most.
If you haven’t had your sprinkler system serviced this spring or if you have turned on the system and noticed that there needs to be a repair or replacement made, contact our team today for help on getting it up and running.