Gary Swart
In the Trades
Twenty six years ago I installed my irrigation system. I had it professionally designed, so it was mostly like assembling a model kit. There was one concern at that time. The design called for automatic drains at low spots. I wondered at the time how one would know if they were working. Would the line be safe in the cold winter? I never trusted them, so I have always blown the lines out in the fall. A couple of days ago, I started the system, and while the first zone was running, I walked in another area picking up debris. Suddenly, I notices a big bulge in the lawn! Upon inspection, I saw water bubbling out like a mountain spring. I marked the spot, and today I attacked the problem. When I finally located the pipe, actually 4 pipes for 4 zones that were laid in the same trench, I discovered not one but two of the automatic drains. Taking a lesson from Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I don't believe in coincidences. That the line would be broken after 26 years and not interfered with just didn't make sense. After exposing more of the pipe, I turned the problem zone on and sure enough, water was gushing from the automatic drain. I wish I had not been quite so quick to follow the expert's advice 26 years ago. I can get rid of these two, but there are more just waiting...and waiting.