When should I start my sprinkler system in spring?

We typically schedule spring startups from mid-March through April, once the risk of hard freezes has passed. The exact timing depends on weather conditions each year.

What if you find damage during spring startup?

If we discover winter damage or other issues during startup, we'll document the problems and provide a repair estimate. Many common repairs can be completed during the same visit.

Is spring startup included in irrigation maintenance plans?

Yes. Spring startup and fall winterization are both included in our irrigation maintenance programs.

How much does sprinkler spring startup cost?

Spring startup pricing varies based on system size. Most residential systems are affordably priced and the service includes full zone inspection, head adjustment, and controller programming. Contact us for a quote.

What does a sprinkler spring startup include?

Our spring startup includes gradual system pressurization, running and inspecting all zones, adjusting misaligned heads, cleaning clogged nozzles, testing the rain sensor, and programming your controller for spring watering schedules.

Can I just turn on my sprinkler system myself in spring?

We don't recommend it. Turning on the water too quickly can cause water hammer that damages pipes and valves. Professional startup gradually pressurizes the system and catches winter damage before it causes flooding or lawn damage.

Sprinkler Spring Startup

Get your irrigation system ready for the growing season with a professional startup.

Professional Sprinkler Spring Startup in Sanford, NC & Central North Carolina

Spring startup is essential to ensure your irrigation system is ready to perform when your lawn needs it most. Our startup service includes gradually pressurizing your system, running all zones, checking for winter damage, adjusting heads, programming your controller for spring watering schedules, and testing your rain sensor.

Spring startup is the counterpart to winterization — a careful process of bringing your irrigation system back online after the winter shutdown. Simply turning on the water and hoping for the best can result in water hammer damage, undetected leaks flooding your yard, and heads spraying in wrong directions after months of dormancy. Our professional startup service reactivates your system safely and verifies that every component is working correctly before the growing season begins.

Our spring startup process begins by slowly opening the main water supply to pressurize the system gradually, preventing the pressure surge known as water hammer that can crack pipes and damage valves. Once pressurized, we run each zone individually, inspecting every head for proper operation, spray pattern, and alignment. We check valve operation, clean filters, and verify that the backflow preventer is functioning correctly — a requirement for code compliance in many North Carolina municipalities.

After the physical inspection, we reprogram your controller for spring watering schedules. Early spring in North Carolina typically requires less irrigation than summer, so we set conservative run times that increase as temperatures rise and rainfall decreases. For smart controllers, we verify that weather sensor connections are active and that the system is receiving current weather data. We provide a written summary of any issues found during startup and recommendations for any repairs or upgrades that would improve system performance.