Turning on Your Colorado Sprinkler System

As the winter weather turns to the warmth of spring, your home’s lawn and landscaping will once again require the services of your Colorado sprinkler system that has lain dormant during the cold winter months. Hopefully, your system was fully winterized and shut down by a professional sprinkler company such as our expert team at Colorado Sprinkler Service. If so, your first option is to give us a call and we’ll come out to inspect your system and return it to service.

If you would prefer to turn on your system yourself and know the location of the main valve, you only need to follow a few simple steps.

Read Your System Manual

Valve locations and instructions for turning on your system vary depending on the manufacturer of your sprinkler system. Always consult your manual for specific instructions for your irrigation equipment. This manual will also delineate what tools you might need for the job.

Remove the Sprinkler Heads

Before you begin, remove the sprinkler heads at the highest point of each zone to allow air and debris in the pipes to be flushed out as the system is turned back on and the lines refill.

Locating the Main Valve (Shut Off Valve) and Filling the Line

The shut-off valve for the sprinkler system is usually inside an irrigation tube near the control box for your sprinkler system. Locate this valve and turn it slowly, opening the mainline approximately one-quarter of the way, allowing it to fill with water. The key element in this step is to fill the lines SLOWLY, taking your time to minimize the pressure surge. Filling the mainline rapidly could cause the pressure to damage your system.

Filling Each Zone

After the mainline of your irrigation system is filled, fill each zone, one at a time, very slowly opening the valve for each zone. Again, filling these lines slowly is essential to avoid damaging your system with a pressure surge.

Replace Sprinkler Heads Removed for Winter

As you fill each zone and water pouring out of each one runs clear, turn off the water to that zone and replace the sprinkler heads you removed previously. Then turn the water back on in that zone. Repeat until all zones are filled and all sprinkler heads are replaced.

Once you’ve followed those steps and the sprinkler system is refilled, test your system by running each zone for approximately two minutes. Check each zone for breaks or leaks and make sure all sprinkler heads are spraying correctly. Once the test is complete, you can open the main valve to its full operating position and set your timer.

Need Assistance? Colorado Sprinkler Service Is Just One Phone Call Away. Contact Us Today for Help in Returning Your Colorado Sprinkler System Back to Full Operation After the Winter Season.