Spring is finally here! It’s time to put away the snow shovel and start thinking about spring and summer lawn care. And for lawn and garden enthusiasts, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! As you start dewinterizing your lawn and gardens, you’ll need to take special care of your irrigation system so it can start watering your lawn all season long. Read on for tips from your friends at DeFazio Company on how to reopen your sprinkler system.

Dewinterizing a Sprinkler System

Do a Dig Test

Before you can do anything, you need to make sure your lawn is fully thawed. You may feel like spring is here, but your lawn might not agree. Use a shovel to dig at least one foot into the soil in an inconspicuous part of your lawn. If you strike frozen ground, your lawn isn’t ready and you should way a week or two before dewinterizing. Starting your sprinkler system while the ground is still frozen can result in broken water lines, as the ground may be cold enough to freeze the water in the lines. It’s best not to risk it!

Check Your Control Panel

If your sprinkler system control panel is installed outdoors, you may have to clear away some dirt and cobwebs to turn it on for the first time of the year. Go ahead and turn it on and review the current settings for time, date, and irrigations zones. This is also a good time to replace your backup battery and make sure everything is in working order.

Clean Your Sprinkler Heads

Finally, you’re going to need to check and clean each of your sprinkler heads before turning on your system. This job can be time consuming depending on the size of your lawn, so try to be patient and thorough. Make sure you check each head for signs of damage, clean the nozzles and make sure there are no obstructions, and replace any sprinkler heads that are too damaged to make it through another season.

Does dewinterizing sound like too big a job to tackle on your own this season? No problem! Our team at DeFazio Company can do it for you! We offer spring startup as part of our customized lawn irrigation services. Request an estimate online today or contact us at (440) 652-6545. We are also proud to offer other yard maintenance and installation services to the areas of North RoyaltonBroadview HeightsStrongsvilleBrecksville, and Independence.