Four Tips for Maintaining Your Irrigation System

A well-maintained sprinkler system is almost invisible. It runs every morning, your lawn looks the part, and you barely think about it. A neglected system reveals itself in patches, in runaway water bills, and in surprises at winter. Four habits keep the system in the first category.

One — schedule a spring start-up

Once a year, between April and May, the system should be pressurised, every head inspected, the controller checked, wear items replaced, and any cracked or shifted components addressed before the season begins.

Two — winterize before freeze

Toronto's freeze-thaw cycle is brutal on irrigation systems. Water left in the lines expands as it freezes and cracks pipe, valves and back-flow preventers. A fall blow-out uses compressed air to clear every line.

Three — watch the lawn for clues

Most failing components announce themselves before they go: a dry patch in the back lawn, a wet patch near a valve box, a head that is throwing further or shorter than its neighbours.

Four — keep the controller current

Watering needs change as the seasons shift. Most controllers have a seasonal adjust setting that scales every zone up or down by a percentage — a one-minute change that prevents a lot of waste in cooler weeks.