Starting up a sprinkler system, and closing it for winter

Homes with clock-timer sprinkler systems use about 50 percent more water outdoors than homes without them. A system wastes more when it is programmed wrong, a head points the wrong way or a pipe leaks, and a leaking system can lose up to 25,000 gallons over a six-month watering season. In spring, you look over each zone, check the connections for leaks, aim the heads and set the schedule.

What you need

• Small marker flags
• A few empty tuna cans and a ruler
• The controller's manual

Steps

1. 1

   Run each zone and watch it

   Most systems run overnight or early in the morning, so broken heads go unnoticed. Run each zone by hand in daylight. Look for heads that don't pop up fully or are tilted, and put a flag beside any broken one.

   15 min

2. 2

   Look for leaks at the joints

   Leaks can show where sprinklers meet the piping. Between cycles, pooling water on the surface can mean an underground leak.

   5 min

3. 3

   Check the valve box

   Make sure the valves and other parts are connected securely and that each valve shuts. A valve that doesn't close completely lets water seep out even with the system off.

   5 min

4. 4

   Turn heads away from the pavement

   Turn any head spraying the driveway, sidewalk or walls back toward the yard. Each head should reach the next one, which is called head-to-head coverage.

   10 min

5. 5

   Measure what the lawn gets

   A landscape typically needs about an inch of water a week, rain included. Set out tuna cans, time how long the sprinklers take to fill them a half inch, and try that time twice a week.

   5 min

6. 6

   Set the controller for the season

   Adjust the schedule as the seasons change, and water outside the middle of the day. If water starts to run off, split the time into shorter runs with breaks between, a method called cycle-and-soak.

   5 min

Through the season

Inspect the system monthly for leaks and broken or clogged heads, or have a certified irrigation professional check it regularly. A WaterSense-labeled controller uses local weather or soil moisture to adjust the schedule on its own. Your local water utility can tell you how much and when to water.

Before the first freeze

Sprinkler supply lines are among the pipes most exposed to freezing. Drain them as the manufacturer or installer directs. Clearing the lines with compressed air is a job for an irrigation professional.

If something goes wrong