Winterizing your sprinkler system during the winters will keep it running better and for a more extended period. Whenever the frost level drops during the winter season, the water left in your irrigation system’s pipes can freeze and cause damage. It is essential to learn the ways to winterize a sprinkler system to prevent any damage to your irrigation. With proper winterization, you can help your irrigation system from warding off or freezing down. There are many basic steps and methods that you can use for winterizing your sprinkler system.
The method and steps to use gradually depend upon the type of irrigation system you have at your place. This article will help you by providing basic techniques for winterizing your sprinkler system in full detail. If you are not sure that you will be able to do good work, it is better to contact the professional rather than damaging any system. Below listed are some of the basic tips and methods of winterizing.
Contents
Tips to winterizing your sprinkler system:
Manual valves
Many irrigation systems are equipped with manual drainage that allows you to remove excess water from your system by only opening a valve. If you have such a system installed at your place, you have to cut your water supply to that system and look for the manual valve and low point of those piping. Open the valves and drain out all the water from your system, including the water from backflow devices as well. Some sprinklers have an additional wall installed to them called check valves. If your system has a check valve installed, it will allow your water to flow in one direction. With check valves installed, you only need to raise the head of your sprinkler to drain out all the excess water from your system. Close all the valves after draining out the excess water from your system.
Automatic valves
Many irrigation systems have automatic valves installed on them. This automatic valve automatically drains the excess water from your system if the pressure falls in a certain number. These valves can also be activated by cutting off the water supply to the system and running the sprinkler’s head to relieve the water pressure in your system. Apart from this, you may also require to drain the water from backflow pipes and shut off valves. If your system has additional check valves installed in them, you may have to remove the water from them separately.
Blow out
This method will want you to force some compressed air through your irrigation system, which will eventually discharge all the excess water from your sprinkler head. This method can turn out to be hazardous if you use it in the wrong type of irrigation system and attempt it without taking proper precautions. Suppose you haven’t worked with an air compressor or practiced blown-out irrigation before; you should save yourself some frustration and extra cost by contacting a professional first. You would need an air compressor ( 80-100 CFM), safety glasses, and a coupler fitter for this method. Firstly, shut down the water supply and connect the air compressor to your irrigation system using a coupler fitter. Then find the highest sprinkler head and pass the compressor further down, and turn it on. Gradually open the wall of the air compressor, which will add more air pressure to your system. Remember not to exit the pressure of more than 80 PSI. After all these steps, you can see an active spring from one of the irrigation heads.
Insulation
Ensure to shut off the water supply to your irrigation system before the temperature outside hits the freezing point. You need to protect your sprinkler system’s main shut-off valve from further damages to your irrigation system. Try and wrap your sprinkler with insulation, packed in pine straw and sheltered from subzero temperature. If your system doesn’t have a shut-off valve make sure you install one of those to your system, which will prevent you from buying an expensive sprinkler system repair.
Lawn care help
If you are not comfortable winterizing your sprinkler system, there are many agencies and professionals that provide lawn and sprinkler services that will provide you services throughout the winter season. It is better to contact the professional first if you feel that you cannot do proper and satisfactory work to your sprinkler system. It will further avoid any extra cost and repair.
Conclusion
Installed sprinklers in your lawn help you save a great deal of time and effort to create a lavish and green loan for your house. However, that doesn’t mean that your sprinkler wouldn’t need any repair or maintenance. Suppose you have proper knowledge and information on how to winterize your sprinkler system throughout the season. In that case, it will help you protect your system valves and pipes and protect them from any further damages that can be caused.
