Spring Sprinkler Start-Up Service

Spring Start-up is the set of steps necessary to turn on your sprinkler system after it’s been shut off for the winter.  This process goes by several different names, including ‘Sprinkler Turn-on’, ‘Sprinkler Summerization’, or ‘Sprinkler System Set-up”.  The Utah winter and snowpack can be hard on your sprinkler system and cracks can appear, and various components can be knocked out of alignment and require adjustment.  When it’s time to turn the system back on, all of the valves need to be turned to the right position and water needs to be turned on gradually to ensure the system is pressurized safely.  We step the through process of inspecting all of the critical components of your irrigation system, including your main and lateral lines, valve manifolds and backflow device, as well as going through hydrozone by hydrozone and sprinkler head by sprinkler head, to ensure each component remains in proper working condition and is adjusted properly to ensure optimal irrigation coverage of your landscaping.  We also program your sprinkler controller for optimal irrigation levels.  A Spring Start-up is the optimal time to have preventative maintenance performed to ensure a long lifespan for your sprinkler system.     

A lot can happen to your sprinkler system over the winter months.  Below are some of the common issues we find need to be addressed to re-energize your sprinkler system for the coming summer:

• Sprinkler heads Adjustments and Replacement - A lot can go wrong with sprinkler heads over the long winter.  Sprinkler heads can crack or break over the winter or under the Utah snowpack.  Sprinkler heads can also get clogged or become overgrown by grass or trees or obstructed by dirt, etc., and need to be cleared out or repositioned.  Sprinkler heads also can be knocked or bent out of position, preventing a proper irrigation pattern, requiring adjustment.  
• Valve/Valve Box Issues - Valves can develop issues over the winter.  Cracks can develop in valves and connected wires can break or become loose.  Electric solenoid valves need replacing or recalibrating.  Leaks can lead to standing water in a valve box.  Valve boxes that house our valves can be damaged or their lids inadvertently lost, or can become overgrown or covered by dirt.  We inspect all of these issues and take steps to ensure your system is set up for success for the summer
• Backflow Preventer Issues - Backflow preventers can warp, leak or develop cracks and oftentimes, issues with backflow preventers cannot be identified visually.  We’re able to perform the necessary checks, and also to perform you Annual Backflow Preventer Testing at the time of your Spring Turn-on.  
• Broken Pipes - Sprinkler pipes can break for many reasons, and the effects of winter are a big precipitator, especially if your irrigation system wasn’t properly winterized.  We thoroughly inspect both main line and lateral sprinkler lines during our Spring Turn-On service.
• Controller Lapses -  Frequently controllers lose power during the winter, and if not properly backed up with batter power, can lose memory of sprinkler hydrozone watering settings.  These issues are not usually a problem with newer smart controllers, which come with non-volatile memory.  We replace the backup batteries in non-smart controllers during our Spring Turn-on Service.
• Rain/Freeze Sensor - these sensors can provide important intelligence to your sprinkler system controller, but can encounter issues during the winter months, from dead leaves or bugs to mold growth or otherwise warping out of shape.  These issues can cause them to cease functioning properly.  We inspect for these issues to ensure and take steps to ensure they’re working properly.

Generally the best time for a Spring Start-up is sometime between late March and mid May.  The timing of turning on your sprinkler system is heavily dependent on the weather and the duration of the winter.  To safely turn on your sprinkler system, the ground needs to have thawed, and temperatures above freezing.  We recommend waiting until the risk of further hard freezes is very low. 

Salt Lake City Sprinkler Repair and Installation Pros has some of the most experienced sprinkler technicians in the business.  We have the experience from servicing thousands of sprinkler systems in a wide range of situations, to know exactly what to do in any situation that might arise with your lawn sprinkler system.  Many of the critical skills required to properly service and turn on your irrigation system come down to finesse and experience.  We know exactly how to slowly ramp up the pressure in your sprinkler lines, and have the eye to spot small a problem that will shortly become a big problem, and we know how all of the sprinkler components interconnect and can recognize what might appear to be a minor phenomenon that can cause real damage to your sprinkler system or landscaping in the near term.  Hiring us is to perform your Spring Start-Up is an investment in preventative maintenance of your lawn sprinkler system.

A Spring Start-Up can actually save you a lot of money.  We do this in the following ways:

• Programming a proper watering schedule: Many property owners wind up wasting water and money by incorrectly watering their lawn.  This includes overwatering, turning on their sprinkler watering cycles too early, not making seasonal adjustments to watering patterns, and watering during hours when a meaningful portion of the water evaporates rather than irrigates.  We address these issues by programming your controller for watering cycles to run at the proper times of day and for the proper duration needed for each hydrozone of your sprinkler system.

• Preventing water waste: A proper Spring Start-Up will prevent water waste, beyond running on a proper watering schedule, by ensuring that sprinkler heads are working properly and reaching the necessary coverage.  Frequently blocked sprinkler heads wind up just wasting water, and many property owners then overwater, attempting to compensate for dysfunctional sprinkler heads that could be easily remedied to achieve the necessary irrigation with much less water.  Additionally, when we spot issues such as broken pipes or valves early, which can lead to big water waste, we stop the issue before you waste water on it all summer.

• Spotting Issues Early:  When we inspect your system as part of our Spring Start-Up Service, we will spot issues before they get out of hand.  When sprinkler system problems go unaddressed, the cost of remediating them only goes up.  Landscaping dies, dry spots grow, more sprinkler system components require repair, and in severe cases, significant landscape erosion and even foundation damage can occur, not to mention the water waste and cost involved, which we mentioned above.  Having a Spring Start-Up Service gives us a chance to nip these issues in the bud and it will save you money in the long run.

Given the wide range of scale and scope of different irrigation systems, the cost of our Spring Start-Up Service depends upon a number of factors, including the number of hydrozones, sprinkler heads, drip irrigation lines, as well as the number of water supplies and the condition of your sprinkler system.  We typically charge between $80-150 for our Spring Start-Up Service, depending on the scope or your sprinkler system.  It is important to note when comparing the cost of our service to others that our Spring Start-Up Service is a full service that includes a considerable number of steps and greater time expenditure beyond just turning on the water to your system.  

Any sprinkler system repairs or enhancements/alterations/upgrades are quoted separately, and Annual Backflow Preventer Testing also is billed separately.