As a commercial property owner, one thing you want potential clients to see is a healthy, green environment. Alongside being beautiful, it gives a positive impression of how well you can maintain the entire property. And with spring in its full bloom, it’s time to turn on your irrigation systems and begin watering again.
Nevertheless, in doing so, you need to take a few significant steps to ensure you don’t damage pipes or any other irrigation components during your spring sprinkler start-up process. It’s always best to get the help of a professional irrigation specialist.
When Is the Best Time for My Spring Sprinkler Start-Up?
The ideal timing for starting a sprinkler changes region-to-region and year-to-year, but it eventually comes down to frost. It’s always good to wait until the threat of frost has passed. If you start up the sprinkler too early, you may run the risk and expense of having your backflow preventer freeze again. You should, therefore, monitor the weather and wait for the temperatures to remain above freezing all through the night consistently.
Spring Sprinkler Start-Up Checklist
Below is a spring sprinkler start-up guide to ensure that your system is in optimal working condition.
Turn On Your Control Panel
The de-winterization process starts at the center of your sprinkler system, specifically the main irrigation panel. Mainly, the panel is located outside, and you may need to clear out the surrounding dirt to gain access.
Check the existing settings and fine-tune the time, date, and irrigation zones when turning it on. If the batteries are at least six months old, consider replacing them.
Inspect Your Sprinkler Heads
The next step is checking the sprinkler heads to identify any damage that might have occurred during winter due to plow damage or freezing. If you were by any chance late to winterize your sprinkler system, then it’s possible to have ruptured lines. If the nozzle is damaged, unscrew the head and get a replacement to ensure that all your irrigation zones are equally watered.
Open The Main Valve
Turn on the water by gradually opening the system’s main water valve to fill pipes with water. If the valves are opened quickly, the main sprinkler lines get subjected to uncontrolled flow, high surge pressures, and water hammers, which may cause them to burst or crack.
Check Your Irrigation Zones
Once the system is set, it’s time to check your irrigation zones. Make sure the spray patterns are hitting all the desired areas. You can control each zone at a time using the control panel. If you notice any malfunctioning sprinkler heads or sprinklers with unusually low pressure, you should have the issue taken care of as soon as possible.
Set Timer and Frequency
Once everything is good to go, adjust the timer and frequency throughout the season depending on seasonal trends and weather to accommodate the needs of all your irrigation zones. The timer ensures that you don’t forget to turn off the sprinkler since it automatically turns off once the water is enough.
Maximize the Potential
While the spring sprinkler start-up process may be a bit challenging, taking enough time to do it the right way and at the right time increases your odds of having a healthy, green environment.
If you want to take the uneasiness out of your start-up process, then it’s time to call the professionals. Here at Strategic Grounds Management, we’ll help your sprinkler system stay efficient throughout the year. Contact us today to learn more.
