The Short Answer
Wait until hard freezes are over, close the backflow preventer's test cocks, open the irrigation supply slowly, then open the backflow device's valves slowly and check it for leaks. Run each zone one at a time and walk it, looking for geysers, weak heads and wet spots. Fix leaks before setting the watering schedule.
Spring start-up is when most freeze damage is found, and it's the busiest time for sprinkler leak repair in Romeoville. Catching it zone by zone keeps a small crack from becoming a flooded yard.
Before You Turn the Water On
- Walk the yard and look for heads damaged by snowplows or shovels along walks and driveways.
- Check that valve box lids are in place and the boxes aren't filled with debris.
- Look over the backflow preventer for visible cracks in the body or bonnet.
- Replace the controller's backup battery if it has one, and check that the date and time are right.
The Start-Up Sequence
- Close the drain valves and test cocks that were left open for winter, and set the backflow device's ball valves to closed.
- Open the irrigation supply slowly, a quarter turn at a time. Opening it fast sends a pressure surge (water hammer) through the system.
- Open the backflow device's inlet valve slowly, then the outlet valve. Watch for spraying or dripping from the body, canopy or test cocks.
- Run each zone manually for a few minutes. Let air bleed out through the heads before judging the pressure.
- Walk every zone while it runs, looking for geysers, bubbling at the base of heads, weak spray and new wet spots.
- Adjust heads so they spray on the lawn, not on walks, siding or the street.
Common Start-Up Problems
| What you see | Likely cause | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Water spraying from the backflow device | Freeze-cracked body or bonnet, or a failed poppet | Backflow repair |
| Geyser from one head | Cracked head body or broken riser | Head repair |
| All heads weak on one zone | Cracked lateral line or fitting | Pipe repair |
| Zone won't turn on | Valve, solenoid or wiring problem | Valve repair |
| Zone won't turn off | Debris or damage in the valve | Zone won't turn off |
After Start-Up
Once every zone runs cleanly, set the watering program. In Romeoville, from May 10 through September 10, lawn watering is limited to odd or even calendar days by address, from 6 to 9 a.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. A smart controller can apply that schedule automatically.
Illinois also requires testable backflow devices to be tested every year by a licensed tester. Many homeowners schedule it right after start-up. See backflow testing in Illinois.