An important part of keeping your home or business landscaping looking beautiful and staying healthy is watering. Irrigation systems are a worthwhile convenience, especially for larger spaces. Don’t undermine the performance of your system by skimping on maintenance. To avoid breakdowns, follow these three basic maintenance tips.

How to Maintain an Irrigation System

1. Early Season Checkup

Ideally, your irrigation system should be checked in the spring. Some experts suggest a quarterly checkup if you live in a hot climate. A typical spring system inspection includes priming the mainline and confirming correct operation at each zone. Walk the property while the system is running to verify and adjust coverage and note any areas that may need repair or replacement parts. Check the rain sensor as well. If you haven’t installed a rain sensor, consider adding one to your system to conserve water when it rains.

2. Mid- to Late-Season Inspection 

Weather, dirt, animals, and plants can interfere with function, especially during the summer season when your irrigation system is most needed. As spring water levels in your soils decrease, you may have to adjust settings to compensate for lack of summer rain. Inspect the landscaping for adequate watering, cleaning dirt and plant growth away from sprinkler heads as you go, and ensure that you’re not watering sidewalks, driveways, and pavements. Reposition your system if needed.

3. Winterizing

Winterize your system to avoid damage and costly repairs. Blow out the lines, heads, and valves and make sure the system is completely drained and turned off before the first frost date. If you’ll be using an irrigation system throughout the year, make another round of inspections to detect leaks, malfunction, and damage. Adjust settings for increasing or decreasing winter rainfall. And have your system inspected once a year by a professional service.

Irrigation systems need routine maintenance and care to keep your landscaping healthy. Oasis Landscapes & Irrigation, in Columbia, MO, offers irrigation system installation and repair, winterizing services, snow removal, and lawn maintenance. In business since 1989, they assist both commercial and residential clients throughout the region, including Ashland, Jefferson City, Fulton, Kingdom City, Montgomery City, and Mexico. Call (573) 446-0858 to schedule a service call, or visit their website to view the full range of their sprinkler service offerings.