turning in ground sprinklers on in the spring - the conclusion

[slag]

Finale -- So I turned that valve in the box and water shot up into my face. DOH, need to close those air bleeder valves first!! Turned the water back off in the lawn box, shut the valves with a screwdriver, turned the water back on, went and hooked up the control box, set the times and boom, they all worked. No valves to turn on in the house, nothing more to do. Easy Peasy!!

First time with sprinkler system so bear with me. Last fall I had a company come out and winterize the sprinklers. I was at work but my wife said the guy showed up, she showed him where in the garage our controller was (electric box plugged into the wall), he went outside, did his thing, turned the controller off and unplugged it and said he was done.

Not knowing exactly what was done, I asked my neighbor next door what to do to summerize it. His system must be completely different from mine. He has an anti siphon valve on a water line outside his house and I don't. He said he has a valve he turns on in his basement and I have no valve, nor did the guy last fall come in to the house to do anything.
My neighbor also said there's no reason to do anything in the box in the ground, but my other neighbor across the street said thats where all the stuff is located and he also has no valve to turn off in his basement.

So.. is there a simple guide to knowing what to do to get the sprinkler's going again, or, do i need to call the company back out and be present when they are there?

I thought it would be as simple as turning a valve in the box in the ground to allow water to flow back to the system and then turning it on to pressurize the line but maybe that's not the case?

My neighbor also said its against code not to have an anti siphon valve but I don't seem to have one and my neighbor across the street also said he didn't have one.

 

[NutBucket]

Just because it's not code doesn't mean it's not done. Just means its not up to date.

 

[slag]

Just because it's not code doesn't mean it's not done. Just means its not up to date.

When I had my home inspection done in July, nothing was said about it. Then again, maybe the inspector did not know? Home was built in 2006-2007.

 

[NutBucket]

IMHO inspectors focus on obvious safety hazards first. Having an anti-siphon valve is a good idea but it isn't an obvious safety hazard.

 

[boomerang]

You have a valve somewhere, I can guarantee you that. There has to be a means to shut off the water to the system.

Why don't you start with taking the cover off the box and looking. Take a picture if need be and post it here. There is a water line coming in, there are solenoid controlled valves and there are lines leading out to the various zones.

The water is coming from inside your home somewhere. There would not be a shutoff valve outside as it would have to be below the frost line. If you can identify the line feeding water into the distribution box, you may be able to get an idea where it is being fed from in the house.

Your controller has a clock. It will need to be plugged in and the clock will need to be set. Maybe a picture of that would be helpful also to those here that would like to help.

 

[gorcorps]

Ask your wife if she knows where he hooked up the compressed air. There has to be some sort of valve system or your line wasn't winterized.

 

[slag]

Had several inches of snow on Easter. Looks like I need to go in there and clean it up. I also see a valve and some release valving it appears so maybe its all contained in here. My next door neighbor was trying to tell me that all needed to be above the ground, above the highest sprinkler point.

 

[boomerang]

First pic at bottom. Is that valve open or closed?

It's hard to tell what's what with the standing water.

 

[NutBucket]

It doesn't. Looks like all you need to do is open the valve at the bottom of the 1st pic.

 

[boomerang]

It doesn't. Looks like all you need to do is open the valve at the bottom of the 1st pic.

I have to admit that I don't jack about Kansas winters but I've got to believe there is more to this than just opening that valve. If the system needs winterization, that tells me the temps go below freezing and that tells me that the line from the house is going to freeze unless the water is turned off inside.

 

[slag]

I have to admit that I don't jack about Kansas winters but I've got to believe there is more to this than just opening that valve. If the system needs winterization, that tells me the temps go below freezing and that tells me that the line from the house is going to freeze unless the water is turned off inside.

I'd tend to think the same. The previous owner used this service from this company in years prior to my purchasing the home. They should know what they are doing and have a guarantee that it will work in the spring. I would tend to think there should be more to this than just turning on a valve in that box, but I've walked my basement furnance room where a valve would/should be and there's nothing there I can see.

hmm..

 

[boomerang]

I'd tend to think the same. The previous owner used this service from this company in years prior to my purchasing the home. They should know what they are doing and have a guarantee that it will work in the spring. I would tend to think there should be more to this than just turning on a valve in that box, but I've walked my basement furnance room where a valve would/should be and there's nothing there I can see.

hmm..

Somewhere there is a line going outdoors. It could be under a sink. But to ask a dumb question, why would the line necessarily be in the furnace room? Do you have sillcocks for hoses at locations around the outside of the house? Where are the shutoffs for those?

Let me ask this, is the basement finished with a drop ceiling?

I'm starting to think that it may be best for you to call this company and make sure you're there when they show up so they can explain what's required to get the system going in the spring.

 

[waffleironhead]

There should be a shutoff somewhere inside since your frost depth is 2 feet. The good news about your picture is you have your backflow prevented right there. That is a double check valve assembly. Assuming it is now warm enough to start the system, you could turn that valve and see what happens.

 

[slag]

Somewhere there is a line going outdoors. It could be under a sink. But to ask a dumb question, why would the line necessarily be in the furnace room? Do you have sillcocks for hoses at locations around the outside of the house? Where are the shutoffs for those?

Let me ask this, is the basement finished with a drop ceiling?

I'm starting to think that it may be best for you to call this company and make sure you're there when they show up so they can explain what's required to get the system going in the spring.

I don't have a drop ceiling. I have a finished ceiling. I have outside faucets but they come into the basement wall and the shutoff is recessed 18 inches in so its not in danger of freezing.

Going to have another look when I get home and see what I can find.