Restart and test irrigation zones — look for winter pipe damage
Spring startup is the most important irrigation day of the year. Done wrong, you flood zones, blow fittings, and miss freeze-cracked pipe until a muddy mess shows up in your lawn.
North Idaho's soil can freeze 18–24 inches deep in a hard winter. Even properly blown-out systems can suffer cracked lateral pipe from frost heave or ground movement. Always inspect, never assume.
Step-by-Step
- 1
Confirm all freeze is out of the ground
Don't start up before average lows stay above 32°F — typically late March to mid-April in Post Falls. A late freeze after startup can re-damage pressurized lines.
- 2
Reopen the mainline shutoff slowly
Open the main isolation valve 1/4 turn at a time. Rapid pressurization hammers fittings and blows PVC glue joints. Take 2–3 minutes to fully open.
- 3
Run each zone manually for 2–3 minutes
Watch for sprinkler heads that don't pop, spray in odd directions, or don't retract. Walk each zone to verify coverage.
- 4
Check controller programming
Power outages during winter often reset controllers. Re-enter your seasonal schedule. Adjust run times for current soil moisture and weather.
- 5
Inspect valve boxes for standing water or rodent damage
Standing water indicates a drainage issue. Gnawed wire insulation from voles or mice needs immediate repair before causing zone failures.
- Run each zone at the controller, not by opening valves manually — this verifies both the valve solenoid AND the wiring back to the controller.
- Mark any heads that need adjustment with a small flag so you can find them again without rewatking the whole zone.
- If you have a rain/freeze sensor, verify it resets and functions — a stuck sensor can prevent your whole system from running.
When to Call LandscapePros
If you find multiple broken heads, suspect cracked lateral line (wet spots in turf with no head nearby), or your backflow preventer didn't survive the winter, our irrigation team handles spring startups efficiently across the whole system.
Let us handle the whole calendar.
From spring cleanup to winter dormancy — we know what North Idaho landscapes need, season by season.
Restart and test irrigation zones — look for winter pipe damage: Questions We Get Asked
North Idaho's soil can freeze 18–24 inches deep in a hard winter. Even properly blown-out systems can suffer cracked lateral pipe from frost heave or ground movement. Always inspect, never assume.
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