Ensure Your Tulsa Sprinkler System Is Ready For Spring

Before you start the sprinkler system for your Tulsa home this spring, there are several things you’ll need to do to ensure the irrigation system is not damaged.

It is always best to call a professional Tulsa irrigation company to perform the spring start-up maintenance for your sprinkler system. These sprinkler system professionals can ensure all of the components are working correctly and that your sprinkler system will conserve water, saving you time and money.  They fully understand the hydraulics involved in the piping system along with the best placement for sprinkler heads, and the best watering schedule for your specific lawn, soil, and various plants and shrubs. 

Hunter Industries also provides a great spring start-up guide with photos to help you make sure your Hunter sprinkler system is ready to use. 

But before you begin any of these start-up procedures, you’ll need to ensure the ground is not still frozen. Use a shovel to make sure the soil is frost-free at least 12 inches below the surface. Filling the system when the ground is still frozen can cause significant damage to sprinkler system pipes. 

Check all of the Tulsa sprinkler system parts such as valves, sprinkler heads, nozzles, and pipes to ensure that none are broken, cracked, or chipped. If any of these components are damaged, replace the parts before turning on your sprinkler system. It’s very important to make sure that all of the valves are working properly and not leaking. Make sure there are no leaves, dirt, or other debris blocking the sprinkler heads. Check and clean the main irrigation controller and ensure everything is set properly.

Usually about once a month, it’s important to check the sprinkler system for any leaks or broken components. Regular irrigation system maintenance will help keep your system running properly and help you save water.

When you open the main water valve, be sure to open the valve very slowly to allow water to fill the pipes. If these valves are opened too quickly, a surge of air pressure from the rushing water can cause the main lines to crack or burst. Then slowly fill each zone of the irrigation system. This high-pressure surge or “water hammer” is one of the biggest problems in sprinkler system start-ups, so read the manual for your particular sprinkler system before beginning the start-up or call a professional irrigation company to perform the start-up tasks.

Once you have filled the lines of the irrigation system, you can test the system by running each zone, starting it from the controller. Then walk through the running zone and check that the water pressure is in the proper operating range with a water pressure gauge. Low pressure can indicate a line break, and too much pressure can crack or burst pipes or sprinkler components. Also check to make sure sprinkler heads are aligned properly and watering the right areas of the lawn as well as checking valves, nozzles, and other components for leaks or cracks. Then you can set the valves to their regular operating positions.

Ensure the sprinkler system timer programs are set properly for each zone.  You may also need to replace the controller back-up battery, Hunter Industries noted.

It's best to have a professional make sure your sprinkler system in Tulsa is working properly and ready for spring. The Tulsa sprinkler system experts at Oklahoma Landscape can design, install, monitor, and maintain your entire irrigation system. We offer smart controllers and ET weather sensors to automatically adjust daily run times based on your landscape’s needs and onsite weather conditions. These sensors are economical and can reduce your water consumption by as much as 50% while creating a healthier lawn.

Call us today to ensure your Tulsa sprinkler system is working properly and running most efficiently.