If your team offers irrigation services, the beginning of spring is also the time for irrigation startups. This is prime time to review your clients’ systems for any winter damage, as well as an opportunity to identify potential enhancements.
System Startup Recommendations
The first step technicians should take before starting the irrigation system is to conduct a visual inspection for any warning signs of potential damage. Tim Malooly, owner of Irrigation By Design, Inc., based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, says an interview with the property owner or representative can help determine if any damage may have taken place.
Other indicators of possible damage include evidence of active construction onsite, like silt fencing, removed/unreplaced landscaping or hardscaping, or tagged/disconnected plumbing.
“Depending on the nature of the damage and depending on the business arrangement with the client, the technician may be authorized to conduct minor repairs (usually up to an event budget limit) or the technician may be required to shut off/isolate areas of damage or the entire irrigation system until the client authorizes needed repairs,” Malooly says. “In any case, it is always wise to fully document findings and notify your supervisor and/or the client before leaving the site.”
Chase Coates, owner of Outback Landscape, based in Idaho Falls, Idaho, recommends stocking your trucks with essential repair parts like common nozzles and fittings to save a trip back to the shop. While most sites won’t have major winter damage, freeze/thaw cycles and snowplows can cause unexpected issues.
If your technician does encounter major winter damage, such as cracked manifolds, Coates says this may call for a follow-up visit with more manpower.
“In these cases, that zone may need to be turned off, and the repair rescheduled separately to keep startup operations running efficiently,” Coates says.
Other aspects that should be reviewed before activating the water include inspecting the point of connection and backflow device, cleaning filters and screens, and checking valves for leaks.
“If the irrigation system water supply includes a backflow prevention assembly that requires testing and tagging, ensure the required device is tested, passes the inspection, and is tagged per local requirements before introducing water into the system,” Malooly says.
For irrigation systems that pump water from a lake, river, or are a reuse system, Malooly says it is a good idea to isolate and flush the pressure mainline of residual organic matter from the previous season before introducing water into the sprinkler stations.
Coates says irrigation technicians should pay close attention to areas near basements and window wells.
“A broken drip line could run unnoticed after a technician leaves, leading to potential flooding issues,” Coates says. “Always confirm that drip zones are intact and functioning correctly before moving on to the next property.”
Coates says for larger commercial systems, opening valves gradually helps prevent water hammer and potential damage to the mainlines.
“Smaller residential systems generally do not require this level of caution but should still be checked for leaks upon startup,” Coates says.
Optimizing Water Use and Minimizing Waste
Malooly says that spring startups are not often the most practical time to augment a sprinkler system for water efficiencies, but there are still practices that can help reduce water waste.
“If you discover areas in need of repair during the spring start routine, be sure to physically shut off or withhold those areas from irrigation schedules until you can complete the repairs,” Malooly says.
Coates says technicians should verify rain and soil moisture sensors are working correctly to prevent overwatering and adjust sprinkler heads to avoid overspray onto hardscapes. They should also clean or replace clogged nozzles, as dirt and debris can affect spray patterns.
Also, watch for pressure inconsistencies between zones.
“If a zone has significantly lower pressure than others, it’s a strong indicator of a leak or break in the line,” Coates says. “Identifying and addressing these pressure drops early prevents wasted water and potential property damage.”
Coates says technicians can also swap out nozzles in heavily shaded areas for lower water output or high-efficiency nozzles.
When programming the irrigation controller, don’t set it to a peak season routine if the spring startup is before regular irrigation is needed.
“Most contemporary irrigation controllers have scheduling features that enable a user to delay irrigation schedules and seasonally adjust schedules for current conditions,” Malooly says.
Coates adds that irrigation zones should be based on sun exposure and shade, not all set to the same run time by default.
“South-facing areas with full sun will need more water than shaded zones, but too often, irrigation technicians will set all rotor zones to a standard time (e.g., 30 minutes) without considering actual site conditions,” Coates says. “Properly adjusting runtimes for each zone minimizes water waste and improves plant health.”
With smart controllers, it’s important to make sure the system has relearned the flow and update any alarm parameters to ensure accuracy during the irrigation season.
“If somebody is replacing a bunch of sprinklers, the flow characteristics of that station that they were working on might change, and it’s a good idea to relearn and re-enter the flow data into the database,” Malooly says. “That it might change from 50 gallons a minute to 55 gallons a minute, and that extra five gallons a minute, if it’s not accounted for in the database, could set off a false alarm.”
Malooly also advises checking to update any necessary firmware, software, and/or subscriptions for the smart controllers.
