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Spring Sprinkler System Tune-ups by Your Denver Service Experts


May 4, 2016

A few simple steps will go a long way toward keeping your grass green as well as saving you money this summer. As the temperature warms and the lawn thaws, there is no better time than right now to make sure your automatic sprinkler system is ready for another season of efficient lawn and garden watering in Denver. At Water Solutions Sprinkler Service, we are comprised of a staff that includes professionals that specialize in sprinkler system installation and maintenance. To make sure your watering system is ready to go for summer, here are a few tips to get you started.

Make Sure Spring is Really Here

It is Colorado, after all. Although all signs might be pointing to the arrival of spring, the soil beneath the landscape is always the last to thaw. Starting your sprinkler system while the ground is still frozen can result in damage to the pipes. 

Control Issues
Run a check of your irrigation controls and programs. This includes making sure the date and time is correct and that the settings are appropriate for your landscape’s watering needs. It's also a good idea to see if your back-up battery in the timer/controller needs to be replaced.

Going with the Flow
Uneven distribution can lead to too much water in some areas and not enough in others, both resulting in an unhealthy landscape and wasted water. So check for rocks, dirt, sand, and other debris that may block the even flow of water from sprinkler heads. Make sure they haven’t become buried during the winter.

Inspection
Replace cracked, chipped or worn components, such as sprinkler heads, nozzles, valves or pipes. A broken sprinkler can damage lawns, gardens, and water bills, so it's important to check and replace them as needed. Nozzles and sprinkler heads are designed to withstand normal irrigation wear and tear, but can come up short against lawn mowers, snow shovels and snowplows.

Valves
Inspect each valve to make sure it is operating properly. Before turning on the water, make sure all manual drain valves are returned to the closed position. 

Water Hammer
An initial pressure surge can result in pipe bursts and damaged valves. Water hammer is that high-pressure surge that occurs when a valve is first opened. When restoring water to your sprinkler system, open the main water valve slowly to allow pipes to fill with water in a gradual and controlled manner, thus preventing a water hammer – and costly damage.

Check the Pressure
A system with too much pressure will result in cracked pipes, busted valves, sprinkler head leaks, and inefficient watering. When you first turn the main water valve back on, it is important to make sure the water pressure is at a safe operating range for sprinkler systems. Invest in a water pressure gauge that can be used to measure water pressure in your home and yard. 

Does getting your sprinkler system up and running again this spring sound like more than you want to take on right now? At Water Solutions Services, we are your go-to Denver sprinkler system experts. We can tune up your system, fix any problems, and you can rest assured that we always have an interest in delivering our best to you. We offer free estimates for stress-free sprinkler maintenance in Denver. Call us today at (720) 435-1495 for your free estimate.