Why Your Sprinkler System Requires Spring Maintenance

If you are a Fairfield county resident, you have probably been waiting for Spring since January, when we got the first clue that this winter was going to be a tough one. From frozen and burst pipes to ice dams, many residents are still dealing with putting the winter mess away. Now that the snow is melting, we are also noticing the extensive road damage that fluctuating temperatures, sand and salt have caused.

Because irrigation sprinklers are out of sight, most don’t think about the issues that may have occurred during the winter just a few inches below the ground. However, sprinkler systems are prone to damage, especially if they were not properly drained prior to the season. When water freezes inside the pipe, it expands and can crack it, causing a significant amount of damage to your system. The above ground portions of the sprinkler system are especially prone to this.

Although it is too late to prevent this from happening now, it is the ideal time to check if there is any damage. Summer Rain’s irrigation maintenance services include seasonal checkup, during which we examine your system and ensure that there aren’t any leaks. We will run your sprinklers to see if water is pooling anywhere on the property. If it is, this would indicate a leak, the cause of which we would then determine. If a sprinkler head is the issue, we will need to remove the sprinkler head. If the pipeline is cracked, we may be able to correct it with a pipe repair clamp. The latter depends on the extent and location of the damage. If the damage is too extensive, it may be necessary to replace the whole line.

This thorough inspection is crucial as an irrigation system that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month. Besides being a significant misuse of water, it would spike your water bill and can cause damage to your landscape.

Depending on the extent and location of the damage, reparations may be made without replacing the entire system. This scenario is much less expensive than replacing the whole sprinkler system, however it is typically still more costly than taking the preventative measures of draining the system properly prior to winter’s start.

Give us a call today at 203-629-8050 to schedule your irrigation maintenance service.