Follow these 5 easy steps to make sure your sprinkler system is ready to water your lawn this year.
1. Inspect
Check all of the indoor and outdoor valves to ensure that nothing was left open during the winter. Be sure to visually check valve boxes, pipe drains, and spigots, as well as any areas of exposed piping for ruptures, cracks or breaks.
2. Turn on the system
Slowly turn on your irrigation system using the main shutoff valve. If you don’t know where your valve is, try the garage, basement or in a crawl space. Some systems have a main shutoff inside the valve box. If any leaks were missed during the visual inspection, they will become obvious once your system is on.
3. Inspect again
Set the irrigation clock to “Off” before checking your system again. Setting the clock to the “Off” position will prevent the system from running while you reinspect your pipes. Each lawn zone has its own valves—be sure to turn the clock off before turning any of the valves on.
4. Run each zone
After rechecking for leaks, be sure to run each zone and check the watering coverage. Adjust as needed to ensure that sprayers are still aimed in the right direction and your lawn has the proper coverage needed for consistent hydration.
5. Begin watering
Program your irrigation clock to water deeply. It’s best to program each zone to water the number of minutes required to water ¼–½” per watering. Rain gauges and tuna cans can be used to measure output and ensure that your lawn isn’t being under or overwatered.
Remember every lawn is different. The best way to avoid watering mistakes is to get to know your soil. Be sure to water only as frequently as your lawn requires and follow all of our watering guidelines to grow a greener lawn this season. Looking to get your irrigation system ready for winter? Learn more about winterizing your sprinkler system now.
