Spring start-up
- Check the backflow preventer and the connection for visible damage.
- Open the main supply slowly to avoid pressure shock.
- Run each zone one at a time and walk the yard.
- Look for geysers, soggy areas, heads that do not pop up and zones with low pressure.
- Reset the controller schedule and rain sensor.
Mid-season checks
Once a month, run each zone and look for broken heads, clogged nozzles and misaligned spray patterns. Mowers and foot traffic break heads often. A zone valve that does not fully close will keep weeping into the soil, so check for wet spots when the system is off.
Test for leaks with your meter
With the controller off and no other water in use, read the meter, wait two hours and read again. A change means water is moving, which may be a leak in the irrigation system, the service line or the house. Shut the irrigation supply and test again to isolate it.
Fall drain-down
Water left in lines can freeze and crack pipes, valves and fittings. Drain or blow out the system before the first hard freeze, and shut off and drain the backflow preventer as recommended by the manufacturer. Disconnect garden hoses at the same time.
When to call for help
If you find a leak you cannot locate, or you suspect a buried line, see irrigation system leak detection, exterior leak detection and underground water line leak detection.
