Spring Irrigation Start Up
We’re nearing the home stretch as this Colorado winter comes to an end. We all know what that means…here comes the sun! With gorgeous Colorado sunshine, however, comes heat and dry air that can turn our green perky lawns to mere clumps of brown straw where our prized grass once grew…Oh, the joys of drought seasons in our state. Anyhow, spring is the time of year that we spend preparing ourselves for the coming summer months. One of the biggest and most important tasks that most people go through is starting their irrigation systems back up as the weather betters.
Spring irrigation start up begins with a few steps to make things go smoothly, rather than having an epic water disaster in your yard. The winter months take their toll on underground water lines, and through these months the pressures in the pipelines can change.
Here’s the Process
1.) It’s important to ensure that the ground is completely thawed before starting up your sprinkler system for the first time. Use a shovel to check the soil, and then remove one sprinkler head in each water zone of your yard.
2.) Gather extra pipe fittings and other sprinkler accessories before starting anything, as some parts may need to be replaced. Being prepared for spring irrigation start up can alleviate some of the stresses of the process.
3.) Start by letting water fill only the mainline. This runs between the irrigation source and the zones beyond it. Only open the valve about 25% and let the system fill slowly! After this line is filled, continue the same process with each zone following the mainline. Remember to be slow.
4.) Keep an eye out where you removed sprinkler heads while filling each zone; when the water runs clear and free of air bubbles; the zone has been filled successfully. Now you may replace the sprinkler heads and run each zone for about 2 minutes, letting any air escape that has been trapped in the process. Again, be sure to do these things slowly to guarantee accuracy.
5.) Check your preprogrammed water settings, and once those have been confirmed, you may run your sprinkler system as usual. Open the mainline and rely on your personal settings to make sure your lawn stays green all summer long!
Summer, Here We Come!
Taking these simple steps for spring irrigation start up, you can avoid disastrous water wastes and replacing potentially expensive sprinkler parts!