Spring Sprinkler Start-Up in Kodak & East Tennessee
Turning the system back on the right way sets up the whole growing season. Chris pressurizes slowly, walks every zone, re-aims the heads, inspects the backflow device, and programs the controller for spring — so the first watering of the year is not the one that cracks a fitting or drowns a bed. You deal directly with the person doing the work.
Ready to turn your system back on? Get on Chris's spring schedule.
Call or Text (865) 806-4619Why a proper start-up matters
A careful start to the growing season
Pressurizing the system slowly
Chris cracks the main valve and brings the system up to full pressure gradually instead of all at once. A sudden rush can crack a dry fitting or blow out a brittle diaphragm that sat empty all winter. Bleeding the pressure up lets everything seat gently.
Checking every zone and head
Each zone runs in turn while Chris walks it. He looks for heads that do not pop, nozzles that spray wrong, and any leak that showed up over the winter. A problem caught at start-up is a problem that does not kill a patch of lawn in July.
Adjusting spray patterns
Over the off-season, heads settle and nozzles shift. Chris re-aims each head so water lands on the lawn — not the driveway, the siding, or the neighbor's car. A few minutes of adjustment saves a season of wasted water.
Checking the backflow device
The backflow preventer protects your home's drinking water from the irrigation system. Chris inspects it, checks the test cocks, and confirms both shutoff valves open fully so the system runs at full pressure.
Programming the controller for the season
Spring watering looks nothing like mid-summer watering. Chris sets start times and run lengths to match how long the soil holds water this time of year, so you are not overwatering before the heat even arrives.
Opening a system that has sat empty and dry all winter is the moment most damage happens. The diaphragms have dried out, the fittings have contracted in the cold, and a full-pressure slam can crack something that would have been fine if it had been brought up gently. Chris treats the start-up as a slow walk through the whole system, not just turning on the water and leaving.
If you would rather have start-up, mid-season checks, and fall winterization all handled every year without thinking about it, see the irrigation maintenance page. Rental and vacation property owners who are not on site through the season rely on that especially.
Spring start-up questions
What does a sprinkler spring start-up include?
Chris slowly re-pressurizes the system, checks every zone and head, adjusts spray patterns, inspects the backflow device, and programs the controller for the season.
Why do you pressurize the system slowly at start-up?
Opening the main valve all at once causes a pressure spike that can crack fittings or blow out a dry, brittle diaphragm. Slowly bleeding the system up to full pressure lets everything seat gently.
When should I book a spring start-up in East Tennessee?
Most homeowners book start-up once the risk of a hard freeze has passed — usually mid to late spring across Sevier and Knox County. Call or text (865) 806-4619 to get on the schedule.
Do you check the backflow device during a start-up?
Yes. Chris inspects the backflow preventer, checks the test cocks, and confirms both shutoff valves open fully so the system runs at full pressure and protects your drinking water supply.
Do you do spring start-ups in Sevierville and Knoxville?
Yes. A Drip Sprinklers starts up irrigation systems across Sevier, Knox, Jefferson, Blount, and Hamblen counties from our base in Kodak. Call or text (865) 806-4619.
Where Chris does spring start-ups
Based in Kodak, TN, Chris starts up irrigation systems across Sevier, Knox, Jefferson, Blount and Hamblen counties. Pan and zoom to find your area.
Tell Chris What's Going On
Tell Chris about your yard or system and he will follow up with you directly.