If you have recently installed a patio misting system for your outdoor living space or if you have moved into a home with a system already installed, knowing the basics of maintenance will help extend the life cycle of the system.
The good news is that these misting systems are built to last. They have a very limited number of parts that can break, fail or cause problems. With just a few hours of maintenance a year you can keep the misting system operating perfectly and, if you don’t want to do it yourself any plumbing company or general home maintenance service will be happy to do it for you.
Typical Components
With a quality misting system, you will have three or four central components. This will include the nozzles that create the micron sized droplets of water, the tubing or pipes for the water and the pump.
In some applications, there may not be a pump if there are high levels of water pressure. However, most of the top systems will have the pump to provide consistent pressure through the lines to produce the very fine droplets. Without a pump, the nozzles away from the intake line may start to drip or produce larger droplets that leave moisture and dampness in the area.
Generally, the nozzles will self-clean with water. If there is sediment in the water, typically found with well water or very hard water, consider installing a filter before the pump. This helps to prevent clogged nozzles. Nozzles can be removed and cleaned or replaced as need, but this will rarely be an issue.
The Pump
A patio misting system will use an electric pump that is very quiet during operation. The pump itself will need to have the oil checked and changed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The pump should have a meter that displays information on the number of hours it has been used. Typically change the oil after the first 50 hours and then every 500 hours after that.
Quality pumps for any patio misting system will have a filter where the water intake line enters the pump. Be sure to check this monthly and replace on a yearly basis. A good habit is to replace it every spring before you use the system.
Check the seals of the pump for leaks and also check belts (if applicable for the model of the pump). Again, the spring is a great time to do a service on the pump, but monthly leak checks will let you catch anything that may start to be an issue.
Finally, if it may freeze in your area in the winter, drain the lines and the pump each autumn after the last use of the system. This will prevent damaging the nozzles, tubing or the pump.
