How To Maintain an Outdoor Mist System
If you didn’t maintain it at the end of the last season, now is the time to check your mist system and get it ready for the hot season.
The first thing to do is replace the sediment filters on your misting system. If you have secondary filters, such as a polyphosphate filter for hard water, replace that too. Then check the fittings to make sure they’re tight and secure.
Reconnect the system, then examine the water pump (or water supply) to check that it’s functioning. Some water pumps require lubrication so check yours and oil it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Inspect the electrical connectors to ensure they’re secure and inspect the wire’s insulation for cracks, repairing any that have worn out.
Now start the water and follow the length of the misting lines, checking it for leaks. If your mist system utilizes stainless steel mist tubing, this shouldn’t be much of a issue. Just examine the joints and connectors for leaks. Cinch up any connectors that may have become loosened. If you’re using PVC tubing, you’ll need to test the whole system for cracks and breaks.
The next thing to perform is to confirm the misting system nozzles aren’t blocked. Misting nozzles that leak profusely are likely to have enlarged orifices and must be replaced with a new one. Blocked nozzles will have no water running from them, or a little spray and perhaps some dripping.
After you’ve turned the pump off, remove and replace the old nozzles with new high-quality mister nozzles. Make sure they have the same size orifice as the originals. Remove the blocked nozzles and check for debris in the fixture and also in the base of the nozzle. If they are clear, then check the nozzle pin hole on the face of the nozzle. If you dwell in a region that has mineralized water, the mist nozzle could be clogged by lime deposits. If there are mineral deposits on the face, gently scrape them off being careful to not damage the orifice. It may be possible to just simply scrape the deposits off of the top of the misting nozzle. If the deposits are in the misting nozzle orifice, it may be possible to clear the blockage by soaking the nozzles in lime removing solution overnight.
You might save a lot of time by just replacing all the old nozzles with new ones.
If your mister system uses AmFog mister nozzles, you can tell the thread size by the marking on the side of the nozzle – cross-hatching is 12-24 thread, while straight up and down grooves are on 10-24. The color of the o-ring on the AmFog nozzles tells you which orifice it has. Be sure you’re looking at the o-ring on the nozzle itself, not the o-ring on a nozzle extender or anti-drip body.
Now that you’ve taken care of the maintenance on your misting system, it’s time to start enjoying a cooler summer!
