Is Your Irrigation System Ready for Spring? Here's What to Check

Spring has arrived in central North Carolina — and for homeowners with in-ground irrigation systems, that means one important question: is your system ready to run?

After months of sitting dormant through winter, irrigation systems need to be properly activated before the growing season begins. Simply turning the water back on without a proper inspection is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes homeowners make every spring.

Why Spring Startup Matters

A lot can happen to an irrigation system over winter. Soil movement from freeze and thaw cycles can shift heads out of alignment. Hard freezes can crack heads or split fittings that weren't fully drained. Controllers lose programming. Valves seize up from months of inactivity.

None of these problems are visible from the outside. You won't know they exist until the system runs — and by then, you might have a flooded zone, a dry patch, or a broken head spraying water onto your driveway instead of your lawn.

What a Proper Spring Startup Includes

A professional spring startup is more than just turning the water back on. Every zone should be tested individually, heads inspected for damage and coverage, valves verified for correct operation, and the controller reprogrammed for current spring conditions. What worked in October is not the right schedule for April.

Signs Your System Needs Attention

Watch for these red flags as spring begins:

• Dry or dead patches that aren't recovering as the season progresses
• Wet or soggy areas near valve boxes
• Water spraying onto driveways or sidewalks instead of your lawn
• Higher-than-expected water bills after activation

Any of these signs point to a system that needs professional attention before the summer heat arrives.

Don't Wait Until Something Goes Wrong

The best time to service your irrigation system is spring — before the heat of summer arrives and your lawn is actively depending on it. Early spring activation catches problems while they are simple fixes. The same issues left undetected heading into the summer months mean a stressed, damaged lawn that can take the rest of the season to recover.