Irrigation Notebook – Spring Fever

Robins chirping, dogwoods blooming and ice melting: signs of an inevitable spring. Seasonal start-ups mean hurried preparations for the spring rush – a rise and shine after frosty winter hibernation.

In particular, contractors need to schedule a spring fling with their clients’ irrigation systems, performing a detailed system run-through to target leaky valves, incorrect head placements or any other problems that lie unnoticed under a blanket of snow. A brief devotion to pre-season maintenance will guarantee breezy system functioning all summer long, insisted Chris Joyce, president, Joyce Landscaping, Marstons Mills, Mass. “It only takes about an hour to get a system up and running,” he identified.

WINTER’S OVER. To ease the seasonal transition, Joyce suggested accurately recording any system problems in the fall, and if at all possible, working on repairs throughout the winter. “We make major notes of any problems the system has, and try to repair those if the ground is not frozen,” he said. This way, contractors can minimize the list of start-up chores in the spring.

If the system controller is located within the client’s home, set up a meeting in early spring with the client to gain access to the controller, maintained Jason Cupp, president, The Kinkaide Co., Overland Park, Kan. Since meshing clients’ and contractors’ schedules for the start-up appointment can be a challenge, Joyce said he urges clients to install control valves on the outside of their houses. “That way, our service technicians can just monitor the system without having to make an appointment to get inside the house,” he said.

Initially, remember that patience is imperative when starting systems after a long, cold winter, Cupp reminded. “The key to turning on the system is not to water-tap the lawns,” he said. “That means don’t crank on the water and cause immediate pressure. You can hit a master valve or mainline and blow out connections or fittings very easily.” Instead, gradually turn on the water over a 30-second interval to avoid pressure surges, Cupp recommended.

Then, begin cycling through the system to identify any cracks, leaks or other problems, Cupp continued. “Look in all the valve boxes and make sure there’s no leaking in any of the valves,” he stressed. “Sometimes they don’t get blown out properly, and over the winter, water in the valve may have caused it to crack.” Also, once the zones are running, inspect the valves for leaking and adjust spray heads that may have come loose during the cold season.

Sometimes, system tweaking involves adding a new zone or replacing mainlines or heads, especially in older systems, Joyce said. “A five- to six-year-old system perpetually has a few things to take care of,” he noted. “You might have mainlines leaking, heads that need to be changed out, too much water, etc.” Further, test any additional system construction that may have occurred during the winter and change settings accordingly, he said.

SEASON WARM-UPS. Once contractors analyze and adjust the system components, they should double-check the system clock and its settings, Cupp remarked. “Verify the control box has the right time on it – maybe daylight-saving time caused it not to get set correctly,” he said. “Set the proper amount of output for each zone and make sure the control box is labeled correctly.”

As spring slowly graduates to summer, contractors must continue system maintenance, Joyce emphasized. Setting irrigation system output in the spring ensures adequate coverage for the first few months, but it won’t be efficient as weather conditions change. “The biggest problem with the irrigation system is once it is turned on in the spring, the times have to be continually changed and the water amounts have to be adjusted,” he said. “It is set in the spring for the climate and weather that we’re anticipating, but as the season goes on, the growing season changes.” Therefore, monitor systems weekly to check on water output and, again, to watch for problems such as leaks.

Constant maintenance also necessitates thorough communication with clients about their systems’ changing needs as one season ends and another begins, Cupp stated. “The irrigation system will have to be accommodated to a higher temperature and a lack of rain, but clients think they can just put a system on autopilot,” he said. “Let customers know that throughout the season, you’ll have to come out a few times to tweak to make sure you have adequate watering.”

And, even in southern regions with less dramatic shifts from spring to summer, contractors should allow for seasonal system inspections to locate any hidden flaws, offered Frank Fistner, vice president, Save On Enterprises, Venice, Fla. “Down here, we have spring all year long,” he said. “But we still run through every zone, make sure we have proper coverage and that nozzles aren’t clogged with sand.” – Kristin Mohn

The author is Assistant Editor – Internet of Lawn & Landscape magazine