Spring Tune Up
I know we still have some winter season left here, but I'm ready for spring! Obviously those who live in warmer climates like the Southeast, Southwest, and Western United States will be ready sooner than other parts of the country and the world. If you are one of the lucky souls who lives in a warmer climate, then it is about time you started preparing your sprinkler system for the upcoming seasons.
Every year at the beginning of the warm seasons I suggest to clients that they perform a "Spring Tune Up" on their lawn irrigation system. Many systems lay dormant during the late fall and winter months and now they need to be fired back up and ready for regular use!
If your irrigation system is tied to a well & pump, you will have to prime your pump back up if you drained it. Draining your pump is not required as long as you insulate your pump from freezing, but some people just prefer to drain it. Even if you did not drain your pump, it may have to be re-primed if you have a check valve or vacuum leak. If your pump is dry and you did not drain it, then you have a bad check valve.
To refill your pump, simply pour water into the pump housing (volute), this usually takes 1-2 gallons depending on the size and model of the pump. You should have a faucet or some kind of opening that you can remove to be able to pour the water in the pump. If not, then you'll have to cut the PVC at the discharge (outlet) to be able to fill the housing up with water.
If your system is tied to a municipal or pressurized water supply, and you don't have your own well & pump then you don't have to worry about the previous step. Once you can turn your system on, it is time to go through each individual zone and inspect. First you'll want to make sure that the zone has the proper pressure. If not, you'll need to check for pipe breaks or broken sprinkler heads.
Next, locate each head and observe. Make sure that the sprinkler head is not leaking from the wiper seal or base of sprinkler, make sure that the nozzle is not clogged, and make sure that the head is adjusted properly and watering the desired area. As you go through each head, make the adjustments as needed. To unclog the nozzles, you can try using a small flat head screwdriver to remove small debris from the tip of the nozzle. If this doesn't work, you'll have to remove the nozzle and screen when the system is off. Then rinse off with water to clean, or replace if too clogged.
If you run into any breaks, repair the break and then re-inspect that zone. Sometimes dirt may enter the pipes when a break occurs, so you'll have to lookout for more clogged heads. The same goes for replacing sprinkler heads. After you are done adjusting and repairing your heads, you should check and adjust the timer or automatic controller.
Make sure that the date & time is set correctly. Then program the days of the week you'd like the system to run. Every yard is unique and environmental conditions vary around the world, but a good average for lawns is to run the system once every three days. This time schedule doesn't cover all situations, it is just an average. Set the timer for specific days or once every X number days.
After that, program each zone to run for a specific amount of time. The amount of runtime depends on several different factors such as system design, landscape type, and soil condition. As a rule though, rotor heads do need to run longer than fixed spray heads. Spray heads have a higher precipitation rate or put water out faster than rotors.
After you have set your system to run back on a regular schedule, make sure to pay attention to it for the next week. Make sure that the timer is working properly and keeping time by checking it and observing that the system is coming on at the times that you set. Also, inspect your yard and make sure that everything is getting watered properly. If you notice any hot spots or dry areas, it may call for a closer look. By just spending a little bit of time, you can ensure that your lawn sprinkler system is working in peak condition.
For more tips, please subscribe to my Free Report "7 Lawn Sprinkler Efficiency Tips". You can get it at the bottom of this page. Or as always, contact me with any questions that you may have regarding irrigation.
Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com
Every year at the beginning of the warm seasons I suggest to clients that they perform a "Spring Tune Up" on their lawn irrigation system. Many systems lay dormant during the late fall and winter months and now they need to be fired back up and ready for regular use!
If your irrigation system is tied to a well & pump, you will have to prime your pump back up if you drained it. Draining your pump is not required as long as you insulate your pump from freezing, but some people just prefer to drain it. Even if you did not drain your pump, it may have to be re-primed if you have a check valve or vacuum leak. If your pump is dry and you did not drain it, then you have a bad check valve.
To refill your pump, simply pour water into the pump housing (volute), this usually takes 1-2 gallons depending on the size and model of the pump. You should have a faucet or some kind of opening that you can remove to be able to pour the water in the pump. If not, then you'll have to cut the PVC at the discharge (outlet) to be able to fill the housing up with water.
If your system is tied to a municipal or pressurized water supply, and you don't have your own well & pump then you don't have to worry about the previous step. Once you can turn your system on, it is time to go through each individual zone and inspect. First you'll want to make sure that the zone has the proper pressure. If not, you'll need to check for pipe breaks or broken sprinkler heads.
Next, locate each head and observe. Make sure that the sprinkler head is not leaking from the wiper seal or base of sprinkler, make sure that the nozzle is not clogged, and make sure that the head is adjusted properly and watering the desired area. As you go through each head, make the adjustments as needed. To unclog the nozzles, you can try using a small flat head screwdriver to remove small debris from the tip of the nozzle. If this doesn't work, you'll have to remove the nozzle and screen when the system is off. Then rinse off with water to clean, or replace if too clogged.
If you run into any breaks, repair the break and then re-inspect that zone. Sometimes dirt may enter the pipes when a break occurs, so you'll have to lookout for more clogged heads. The same goes for replacing sprinkler heads. After you are done adjusting and repairing your heads, you should check and adjust the timer or automatic controller.
Make sure that the date & time is set correctly. Then program the days of the week you'd like the system to run. Every yard is unique and environmental conditions vary around the world, but a good average for lawns is to run the system once every three days. This time schedule doesn't cover all situations, it is just an average. Set the timer for specific days or once every X number days.
After that, program each zone to run for a specific amount of time. The amount of runtime depends on several different factors such as system design, landscape type, and soil condition. As a rule though, rotor heads do need to run longer than fixed spray heads. Spray heads have a higher precipitation rate or put water out faster than rotors.
After you have set your system to run back on a regular schedule, make sure to pay attention to it for the next week. Make sure that the timer is working properly and keeping time by checking it and observing that the system is coming on at the times that you set. Also, inspect your yard and make sure that everything is getting watered properly. If you notice any hot spots or dry areas, it may call for a closer look. By just spending a little bit of time, you can ensure that your lawn sprinkler system is working in peak condition.
For more tips, please subscribe to my Free Report "7 Lawn Sprinkler Efficiency Tips". You can get it at the bottom of this page. Or as always, contact me with any questions that you may have regarding irrigation.
Scott
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com
posted by Irrigationman at
9:35 AM
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