Sprinkler System Maintenance Guide: Set Up Your Irrigation System The Right Way
Summertime has arrived and that means longer, hotter days. Your lawn will need 1” to 1 ½” of water per week during the summer. Any rain you get during that week counts toward the weekly irrigation total.
If you have an automated sprinkler system, it’s time to turn it on for summer lawn watering.
In this blog post, you’ll learn how to start your sprinkler system safely and wisely, including
- Don’t Let a Rough Start Derail Your Summer Lawn Watering
- Sprinkler System Maintenance: Watch for Winter Damage
- Set Up Your Irrigation System with These 5 Easy Steps.
Starting your automated sprinkler system isn’t just about turning it on. You also need to ensure winter didn’t leave any damage behind.
Don’t Let a Rough Start Derail Your Summer Lawn Watering
Did you know a broken sprinkler head can waste up to 25,000 gallons of water within six months? If you’re paying for water, you’ll notice your bills rising astronomically.
On top of wasted money, you’re also opening up your lawn to fungal disease and damage when too much water overwhelms it.
When you turn on your sprinkler system, you can eliminate wasted water and high utility bills by inspecting it for winter damage. You should open each zone and walk through that area to see if there are leaks or ponding water around a sprinkler head.
If you find a broken sprinkler head, replace it right away to stop the leak.
Sprinkler System Maintenance: Watch for Winter Damage
Winter takes a toll on your automated sprinkler system. Before using your sprinklers for summer lawn watering, complete the following sprinkler system maintenance checklist.
- Reset your controller after winter downtime. Wipe it clean, check the date and time, swap the battery if it’s been six months, and update your summer lawn watering schedule to keep things running smoothly.
- Check each sprinkler head for dirt, rocks, or leftover winter debris that could block the water.
If spray heads are buried or clogged, your lawn won’t get even coverage—some spots may flood while others stay dry. Clear away any buildup, so water flows freely and every inch of your turfgrass gets what it needs.
- Look over each zone and replace cracked, chipped, or malfunctioning heads, nozzles, or valves. One broken part can waste water, damage your lawn, and drive up your water bill.
- Protect your system by checking the valves first. Before turning the water back on, ensure all manual drain valves are fully closed. Leaving one open can lead to soggy spots, muddy patches, or bare spots in your lawn.
- Inspect each valve to confirm it’s working correctly before moving on to the next step. Valves are the heart of your irrigation system—they control where the water goes and how much your lawn gets. A leaky valve doesn’t just waste water—it drives up your bill.
- Open the main water valve slowly to let the pipes fill gradually to avoid a sudden pressure surge. This simple step helps prevent a water hammer—a high-pressure shock that can crack pipes and damage valves when water rushes in too fast.
- Check the water pressure to prevent cracked pipes and wasted water. A simple gauge that connects to a hose can show if your pressure is too high—if it is, install a regulator to protect your system and save water.
Set Up Your Irrigation System with These 5 Easy Steps
While many irrigation brands are on the market, many homeowners have Hunter Irrigation or Rain Bird systems. Both irrigation brands have an easy-to-understand process for setting up your irrigation system for the summer.
Here are Hunter Irrigation’s instructions for opening up your sprinkler system for the summer:
- Turn the main water valve on slowly. This allows the pipes to fill gradually and prevents damage from sudden pressure surges.
- Test every zone at the controller to ensure each valve operates as expected.
- Walk through each zone, checking the pressure and ensuring every sprinkler head is aimed, rotating, and covering the area well. Clean any clogged filters and adjust the height if the heads have shifted.
- Lock in your watering schedule by reprogramming the controller and swapping out the old battery if it’s not working.
- Clean your weather sensor. Wipe away dirt or debris so it can do its job, and shut off watering when rain’s in the forecast.
Additionally, the EPA says to save water, consider these tips:
- Head-to-head coverage where each sprinkler reaches the sprinkler head next to it.
- Ensure that each sprinkler provides uniform coverage without any dry spots.
- Consider a WaterSense Controller that uses local weather or tracks soil moisture to adjust programming when there’s saturated soil.
- Set up your controller to go off in shorter cycles, which is called “cycle-and-soak.” Cycle-and-soak allows for water to percolate into the soil, as well as helps with deeper root growth.
Learn more: Stay Green: Expert Lawn Watering Tips for Summer
Let TomBom Sprinkler Services Handle the Details
Does sprinkler system maintenance seem overwhelming? We realize that there are many details for setting up your irrigation system for summer lawn watering.
Take the pressure off when you contact us for TomBom sprinkler services. We’ll get your automated sprinklers ready for summer lawn watering.
Sources:
EPA.gov, Sprinkler Spruce-Up.
HunterIrrigation.com, Spring Start-Up Checklist.
RainBird.com, Springtime Sprinkler Tune-Up Checklist.
