New Year Maintenance Tips for Your Sprinkler System

The holiday season has come and gone and now it’s the start of a new year.  It’s the time of year that we think about what’s to come and things that will need to get done.  Although not much has changed with regards to your Plano sprinkler system over the past couple of months, it’s always a good idea to include your sprinkler system in your thoughts of the New Year.  To help you guide that thought process, below are some items to think about and consider.

1.    Keep an eye on the weather.  Although we will be getting out of the freezing temperatures hopefully soon, it is still cold out there overnight.  Keeping an eye on the weather and forecast will help to prevent any frozen and broken surprises when you wake up in the morning.  This will also hopefully help to steer clear of the need for emergency McKinney sprinkler repair.

2.    Check your system after taking holiday decorations down.  If you used decorations with stakes that needed to go into the ground, check to see if any accidentally punctured a sprinkler system line.  Were your decorations on bushes or in flowerbeds?  Check to see that your shrub risers haven’t become misaligned and are now spraying on the house and windows.  If you had lights on your roofline, check to make sure that your rain and freeze sensor hasn’t become damaged or moved.

3.    Start thinking about your spring plans.  Want to revamp your yard or do something a little different in your flowerbed?  Now is a good time to start considering what your options are and what your budget will be.  This will give you the time to draft ideas and talk with your Plano sprinkler professional before springtime rolls around.

4.    Schedule a system check.  Now is a good time to schedule a system check to discover and tackle any big issues.  Many people wait until the springtime to go through everything.  By that time many McKinney sprinkler repair companies are pretty booked up and if you have new plants in the ground, waiting for an appointment may be rather frustrating.  Beat the rush and take care of that at the beginning of the year.  Then you’re ready for spring planting.

5.    Check your rain and freeze sensor.  Check to make sure that your rain and freeze sensor is free of debris (there may still be some leaves up there in that gutter).  Spray your rain and freeze sensor with water on the sensor pad.  Making it wet will mimic a rainfall.  A red light should come on your controller indicating that the system will not water.  This means that it is working and will help to protect from dangerous icy conditions and also from wasting water.

6.    Check your system after a freeze.  Prolonged freezing temperatures have the potential to cause the water in the pipes to freeze, cracking the pipes and creating leaks; however, the soil generally acts as an insulator.  Run your system through the test cycle after a prolonged freeze.  Catching a leak or other damage early on can help to save water, money and avoid future icy conditions.