Get Your Yard Ready for Spring

The weather here on California’s Central Coast can hardly ever be described as lousy – at least consistently. But even if we have it pretty good year-round, springtime means spending more time outside. Say hello to barbeques, gardening, and just general outdoor living. So, our friendly Orcutt plumbers have come up with a list of how to get your yard ready for spring.

Check On Your Sprinklers

If you’ve got an irrigation system, it’s most likely in use year-round here in sunny California. But spring is as good a time as any to give it a good once-over. Look at all the valves, lines, and spouts to make sure that they are functioning well and without blockages or leaks.

Even if you keep the water flowing all year, the precipitation we do get may hide just how hydrated your lawn and garden will be in the coming dry months. You don’t want to find out about problems by discovering yellow spots in your lawn or your shrubbery drying up.

Clean Your Gutters

Wind and winter storms always do a good job of whipping up leaves, branches, and debris into places where they shouldn’t be – especially your gutters.

Don’t wait until the rain starts falling again to find out if you have blockages or damage to your gutters. Clean them out now so they’re ready to work how they should when it’s time.

Don’t Forget the Faucets

Turn on all your faucets to make sure water flows well. Tighten fittings if you see dripping when they’re off.

Here’s how you can find out if your faucets are leaking further down the pipeline in spots that aren’t visible: Place your thumb over the opening of the spigot and turn the water on to full. If the spray of the water is sufficient to dislodge your thumb, you are ok. If not, you’ve likely got a leak and you should call our Orcutt plumbing pros.

Make Sure Your Hoses are in Good Shape

If your hoses have been stowed away all winter long – or worse yet left outside – it’s a good time to make sure they survived the winter intact.

Over time, rubber hoses crack and break. If you live in a spot that drops below freezing at night, that process can be accelerated. It’s probably not a plumbing life-or-death situation, but you don’t want to end up with a face full of water when you turn on the backyard faucet for the first time this spring.