With spring starting to set in, it’s time for you to start de-winterizing your property and preparing for the warmer weather. One aspect of this is de-winterizing your irrigation system. You should hopefully have taken some steps to protect the irrigation system for the winter to prevent any damage from occurring, and now is the time to get it set back up for summer usage.
Here are a few tips for you to keep in mind as you prepare to de-winterize your sprinkler system in Burlington County, NJ.
Make sure you don’t start too early
It’s better to wait a little longer to de-winterize than you might think you need to. After all, once you get your first string of warm days, it’s easy to get excited and think spring is back for good, especially if it’s also paired with the return of some buds on trees and plants and if the birds are chirping once again. However, it’s important that you wait until the very last freeze before you get your sprinkler system up and running again. Usually this means early to mid-April. Otherwise, if your system is already filled with water and you have a freeze, it could cause some significant damage to your system.
As you de-winterize your sprinkler system, you should clear it of any air remaining in the system, remove any debris you find and then finally begin flowing water through the system. But first, you’ll want to make sure you perform careful checks of each part of the system to make sure it’s functioning properly.
Check for damage
Winter can be tough on sprinkler systems, so make sure you check every single sprinkler head before you turn it back on, ensuring the heads didn’t sustain any damage and that the filters didn’t get clogged up. Unscrewing the sprinkler heads will allow you to remove any debris that got inside. If you do notice any cracks or leaks, you should get a professional technician out to resolve the problem before you start running your system.
Check the drainage system
There’s a lot more erosion that happens during the winter months than you might suspect. There’s a lot of precipitation that happens in the winter, in the forms of rain, freezing rain and snow, and this combined with constant freezing and thawing cycles can result in some big-time issues in your drainage system. If the drainage system does not seem to be properly functioning, it will not take long for water to start building up in the yard or backing up into your system.
A good drainage system is crucial for the proper operation of your sprinkler system, so if you notice any issues with drainage, be sure to check with a professional before the major watering season begins.
If you’re in need of any assistance with your irrigation system in Burlington County, NJ, we encourage you to contact the team at Star Sprinkler Systems Inc. today with any questions you have about de-winterizing your irrigation system.