Failing to maintain and tune your irrigation system can result in high water build and shorter life expectancy of the entire system or its parts, and it will end up costing you much more than regular maintenance would. Here are some irrigation maintenance procedures that will help you prolong the lifespan of your system with minimum costs.
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Spring Start-up
The first thing you need to do in the spring is the start-up procedure. A thorough checkup of your whole system should verify that none of the heads or pipes broke during winter, that all parts are still functioning, and all zones are performing under normal parameters.
Check to make sure you’re getting a good overlap on all your sprinkler heads and you don’t have areas that are being blocked by large trees or bushes. Also, ensure that the zones are overlapping so that you get a consistent color across your lawn. At this time, it’s important to turn your water valve on slowly to avoid water hammer – a pressure surge caused by a rapidly opening of the valve and creating air pressure that may lead to bursts in the pipes or fittings.
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Mid-Season Maintenance
As the mild spring changes into the hot and dry summer, your irrigation system requires fine tuning to make sure it’s operating at peak performance. Inspect the sprinkler heads, to make sure that none of them are blocked or clogged by debris, and rotors, to see if they have suffered any damage and are still turning properly. At this time, it’s also important to diagnose and perform system repairs to ensure your lawn is adequately watered to sustain the stress of the summer heat.
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Fall Winterization
Another important step in prolonging the life expectancy of your irrigation equipment is winterization, a service performed during fall to ensure that the coming winter and colder temperatures do not cause any damage to your system’s components and piping.
The process of winterization, also called “winter blowout,” involves using compressed air to blow out all the residual water out of the system’s main and lateral lines and manifold and solenoid valves. An effective winterization makes use of special equipment regulated to deliver the exact amount of compressed air as not to compromise components by excess pressure or friction, so it is a good idea to contact a professional lawn sprinkler technician to perform this operation.
If you need irrigation installation services in Waterford, CT, turn to Maxum Irrigation. They specialize in offering area residents highly efficient systems that save water and result in lush, beautiful lawns. To learn more or to set up an appointment, call (860) 525-7000 or go online today.
