This year part of your spring sprinkler system check up includes seeing if it's there

High scrap metal prices have prompted thieves to cut sprinkler system parts off of the systems for cash

DENVER, CO - Many homeowners and commercial property managers are finding that their sprinkler system control valves aren’t where they should be this year. Tony Nickerson, owner and operator of A Better Landscape and Sprinkler Company in Denver, Colorado, has discovered more than one system missing when he and his crew of landscape and sprinkler experts showed up to perform spring maintenance on the system.

Thieves are cutting the above ground systems off at the ground and redeeming them for money at scrap metal facilities. The problem, says Nickerson, is plaguing not only homeowners but all citizens as open system parts made of metal are missing from city parks and gardens. His solution for homeowners is to recommend reinstalling the system in a protected space, either in a locked and gated area or by setting the metal housing inside the walls of the residence or garage, out of sight of thieves.

The number of incidences of systems gone missing is on the rise and is happening in neighborhoods all across the city and suburban areas of Denver. The scrap metal thieves scope out their target during daylight hours and show up with saws and shovels at night, working swiftly to cut the metal from its above ground connection, sometimes digging into the ground to access all of the metal components of the system.

“The frustrating part to most owners is that they don’t know the parts are missing until it’s time to turn on the system for spring,” says Nickerson. The problem of missing metal parts is one that first evidenced itself in the construction industry. “In this economy, thieves are going after any metal they can get their hands on and turning it in for cash.”

Every automatic sprinkler, no matter how old or how young it may be, needs annual maintenance. “Keeping the filters in the sprinkler heads clean is one of the most important things to do in maintaining an efficient sprinkler system,” says Nickerson recommends starting up sprinkler systems in April of each year, once the chance for a freeze has passed.

Filters should be cleaned monthly to keep the system in top operating condition, according to Nickerson who has been in the sprinkler installation and repair business for decades. In addition, sprinklers need an annual inspection because lines can deteriorate and break over the winter. Inspect for broken sprinkler heads and look for damp spots in the lawn that indicate a broken line underground.

“Timers on automatic systems need to be adjusted for water efficiency by zone and plant material,” recommends Nickerson.

Nickerson can be reached at A Better Landscape and Sprinkler Company at 720-314-5990 or info@abetterlandscapedenver.com