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As the cold days of winter melt away, we can get one of our most expensive pieces of equipment up and running to ensure quality turf along with beautiful landscapes--the irrigation system. The procedures in this article can be used on both residential and commercial irrigation systems, regardless of the different sizes.
1. Before filling the irrigation system, check that the ground is not too cold since most systems are only installed in the one- to two-foot range (residential systems are less than a foot deep). If the ground is frozen, water may freeze in the pipes and cause the system to fail. To confirm that the soil is frost-free, a spade should be able to be inserted into the ground.
2. Make sure you have some spare parts, such as fittings, PVC pipe, cement, primer, sprinkler head, riser, poly pipe, nozzles and valve parts available in case a problem arises during startup.