Irrigation Maintenance and Tune Up Check List:                     

Look For Leaks
  •  Turn off all water and read your water meter.  On the water meter face is a red triangle.  If this moving
    clockwise you may have a water leak.
  • If you are on a well, have an irrigation professional check your system.

Check Controller
  •  Make sure the clock is set for the proper day of the week and time of day is correct.
  •  Make a list of all the stations and where they water.  Include type of plant being watered and type of
    heads.  Place list in the controller for future reference.
  •  In the controller has battery backup, replace it at the beginning of each watering season.

Inspect System
  • Repair or replace broken or missing rotor heads, spray heads, "Bubblers", and drip emmitors.
  • Make sure all heads pop-up all of the way and fully retract when the water is turned off.
  • Check for sprinklers blocked by grass, plants or other obstacles.  If the spray is blocked, remove the
    obstacle or move the sprinkler head.
  • Make sure sprinklers are vertical and flush with soil grade. Soil should be tightly compacted around the
    sprinkler.
  • Check for proper pressure.  Water will stream out of the sprinkler instead of forming a spray if the
    pressure is too low or mist excessively if it is too high.  
  • Clean or replace clogged nozzles and clean the sprinkler's trash screen if it has one.
  • Make sure all heads direct water to landscape and not to impervious surfaces such as concrete.

Set Schedule
  • Water at night, preferably between midnight but no later than 7 AM.
  • Determine the maximum run time for each zone before run off starts. This often occurs after about 5-10
    minutes for clay soils or after 18 minutes for loamy sand soils.  Decrease these times for slopes.  If
    runoff is a problem, irrigate more often for shorter periods, waiting at least an hour between watering.

Inspect Sensor
  • Make sure a rain sensor is properly installed, set at one-fourth of an inch or less and not sheltered by
    walls, shrubs or other plants.


Always FLAG Sprinklers Before You Aerate!!
Irrigation Spray Heads Watering
Impervious Surfaces.