A spring opening — also called a startup or turn-on — is the process of safely reactivating your lawn irrigation system after winter. Done right, it protects every valve, sensor and head from the pressure spikes that ruin systems each April. Here's exactly what's on our checklist, what it costs across Newmarket and the GTA, and the booking window we recommend.

What a spring opening actually is

Your sprinkler system spent five months sitting in the cold, with the main shut-off closed and the lateral lines drained. That's a good thing — that's what winterization was for. But it also means every union, fitting, valve diaphragm and pop-up has had a long winter to develop tiny issues from temperature swings, freeze-thaw cycles, and the occasional curious rodent.

A spring opening is the controlled, slow re-pressurization of all of that — done by someone who knows what to look for and what failure modes to expect. It's the difference between a system that runs flawlessly through October and a system that floods your basement on the second hot weekend in May.

The 7-step pro process

This is what we do at every property. None of it is glamorous; all of it matters.

  1. Slow open the main supply valve. Cracking it open over 30-45 seconds (instead of yanking it fully open) prevents a water-hammer pressure spike that ruins old fittings. This single step prevents about half of the season's emergency calls.
  2. Visually check the backflow assembly. The double-check assembly or RPZ at the main feed gets a visual inspection for obvious cracks, weeping or freeze damage from winter. Note: backflow assembly testing and municipal compliance certification is a regulated trade in Ontario — separate from our service. If your assembly needs annual testing or has visible damage, we'll refer you to a certified Ontario backflow tester (extra charge, separate from spring opening).
  3. Walk the system zone by zone. Run each zone for 60-90 seconds. Watch every head pop up, spray, and retract. Note anything that drips, hesitates, or sprays sideways.
  4. Adjust nozzle arc, radius and tilt. Heads drift. Edges of beds get re-mulched. We re-aim every head so coverage is right for this year's conditions.
  5. Check valve operation. Solenoid clicks, diaphragm seals, manual bleed screws — every valve gets exercised and verified.
  6. Program the controller for the season. Hydrawise gets re-synced, weather-skipping turned on, schedules built per zone for early-season conditions (cooler days = less water).
  7. Pressure-test the system at full operation. Final cycle of every zone at full duration, with us watching for any leak that only shows under sustained pressure.

End to end, a typical residential 6-zone system takes us 35-50 minutes on site. Larger or older systems run longer; commercial properties can be 90 minutes or more.

🚐 From the truck

"The fastest service call I ever did was 22 minutes — perfect winterization the previous fall, brand-new system, nothing wrong. The longest was 4 hours — homeowner had 'opened it himself' two weeks earlier and we were still finding cracked fittings under three different valve boxes. Pay the $90."

When to book — the booking window matters more than you think

Three windows for the GTA:

  • March 1 – March 31: Early-bird window. Guarantees you a late-April installation slot. Best for properties with mature gardens, anyone with new sod, and any commercial site that opens the season in May.
  • April 1 – April 15: Normal window. We can usually still get you in by the first week of May. Most residential customers book here.
  • April 16 onward: Late window. We've seen mid-May or later become the new normal in heavy-demand years. Your lawn and beds will be playing catch-up the whole season.

One reality of running an irrigation crew in the GTA: bookings stack up the second the snow melts. You get calendar priority by booking ahead, not by being persistent on the phone in mid-April.

Book your spring opening — from $90

Same-day confirmation, fixed pricing, no surprises. We'll lock your spring 2026 slot and confirm by email within 24 hours.

Book spring opening

What it costs (residential and commercial)

  • Residential, 1–4 zones: $90
  • Residential, 5–6 zones: $105
  • Residential, 7–8 zones: $120
  • Residential, 9–15 zones: $165
  • Residential, 16+ zones: Custom quote
  • Commercial, 1–4 zones: $145
  • Commercial, 5–8 zones: $255
  • Commercial, 9+ zones: Custom quote

Same tier prices apply to fall winterizations. Pricing is bundled — no service call charged on top.

Repairs found during the opening are quoted on the spot before we touch anything. You're never surprised on the invoice.

FAQ

How do I know my system was properly winterized last fall?

If you can't remember who did it or you did it yourself with anything other than a low-pressure tow-behind compressor, assume it wasn't. We'll find out within the first 5 minutes of the opening.

Do you handle Hydrawise account setup at the same time?

Yes — included in the standard opening fee. Wi-Fi reconnect, app re-sync, schedule programming, weather-skip enabled.

What if you find a problem during the opening?

We diagnose, quote, and only proceed if you say yes. Most spring repairs are in the $45–$220 range and fixed same-visit.

The bottom line

A spring opening is the cheapest insurance you'll ever buy on a sprinkler system. Book yours today or call (905) 960-0181 — we'll have you running before the first heat dome of the season.