How Can You Protect Your Irrigation System From Winter Damage

You could put a little antifreeze in the pipes to keep it from happening — or you could try a blow-out system, which we will explain next. Many sprinkler care specialists like to winterize all of their clients at the same time, typically in the fall. What Happens When You Don’t Winterize Your Sprinklers? | Georgetown, Sun City TX. Unfortunately, this is not an option when it comes to winterizing. The backflow preventer valve, which keeps the irrigation water from mixing in with drinking water, can also be broken.

1. Protect Your Indianapolis Sprinkler System with Winterization and Blowout
2. What Happens When You Don’t Winterize Your Sprinklers? | Georgetown, Sun City TX
3. What Happens if You Don’t Winterize Your Sprinkler System
4. How to Winterize Your Sprinkler System
5. Do Sprinklers Need to be Winterized? What Happens if You Don’t Do It? »

Protect Your Indianapolis Sprinkler System With Winterization And Blowout

Too much pressure can cause damage to the valves or piping and using a small shop compressor will result in it not having enough "free" air to properly winterize the system. Different vegetation has different watering needs, and separate zones can have particular equipment for different watering regimens. When we winterize and blowout a sprinkler system, half of what we do is a proper draining of the system, then we blow air through the lines that can't be drained to get all of the water out of the entire system. How Much Does It Cost. When done correctly, this technique forces all of the water from the sprinkler system, thereby eliminating any possibility of freezing damages during the winter months. This cost covers all equipment maintenance and service. Furthermore, many sprinkler care contractors guarantee their work, so you know you won't get stuck with expensive repairs. How to Winterize Your Sprinkler System. You can quickly ruin your lawn sprinkler by miscalculating the air volume or using the wrong size air compressor. If you live in the northern half of the U. S. or in Canada, you know winter temperatures can dip well below 32°F. You need to find an air compressor with a volume of 80-100 cubic feet per minute. However, most homeowners don't have equipment or the experience to properly winterize an irrigation system. October is the best time to drain and blow out your system, since the temperatures don't fall below freezing yet.

You can sign up for an irrigation blowout here, or read through these frequently asked questions about the irrigation blowout process. So the first thing you need to do is turn off the sprinkler water supply at the main valve next to your water meter (it's usually marked as connecting to your sprinkler system and often located in the basement or crawl space). Here are four quick tips for winterizing: Tip: Wrap backflow devices in a backflow blanket for the winter or year-round. It involves using compressed air to push all of the remaining water from the sprinkler system. These businesses specialize in sprinkler maintenance and will know how to handle your system. Blowing out your sprinkler system will protect it from the damage that cold weather can do. What Happens if You Don’t Winterize Your Sprinkler System. The most sophisticated draining system a home sprinkler system can have is blow-out draining. How to insulate a sprinkler system. If your sprinkler has a backflow device, drain water from this as well.

What Happens When You Don’t Winterize Your Sprinklers? | Georgetown, Sun City Tx

If you decide to winterize on your own, make sure you know. The way you drain the pipes depends on the types of valves you use. Blowing air through the pipes and ensuring that there is not a puddle left helps homeowners gain a sense of reassurance that their sprinklers are safe. The first step is to turn off the water supply. What happens if i don't winterize my sprinkler system by faboba. Turn off the compressor after most of the water has been expelled from the system. For example, warm tropical climates, such as sunny south Florida, do not freeze, so winterizing costs $0. Let All Terrain blow out your sprinkler in Boulder to save them from the intense Colorado winter damage so you don't have to deal with any of the risks.

Although the process of "blowing out" your sprinkler system may seem simple, it's important to hire a professional lawn sprinkler contractor to handle the job. Just don't leave this chore unfinished — a professional will be much cheaper than repairing the system! Freezing water wreaks havoc on sprinkler systems, so they must be drained before the ground freezes in the late fall or early winter. What happens if i don't winterize my sprinkler system behind schedule. The heat of the air can cause the rubber seals within them to melt. Unfortunately, if your sprinkler system is not winterized and a large amount of freezing occurs, there is the possibility that the sprinkler lines will break, resulting in leaking sprinklers in the following spring and summer months, or, in the worst-case scenario. 4) Avoid warranty problems.

What Happens If You Don’t Winterize Your Sprinkler System

Make your appointment now to reserve the most convenient time slots and enjoy these savings: Open the hose bib found on the mainline of the sprinkler. This is the most complicated and time-consuming draining method. Most lawn sprinkler developers recommend the air blow out system to winterize an irrigation system. We recommend the best products through an independent review process, and advertisers do not influence our picks. The sprinkler blowout technique is more effective for sprinkler systems that require you to push water up an incline or ensure a more thorough water removal. Whichever method you choose, your sprinkler system should now be fully drained — now you're ready to insulate. Not to mention the poly pipe becomes weaker each year that you don't blow the water out of it, because the water expands and contracts the pipe during each freeze, creating weak spots and eventually cracking. Open the compressor valve, gradually adding air pressure. One of the things that happen when you don't winterize your sprinklers is damage to your irrigation system, including the pipes. If your system doesn't use potable water, it might not have a backflow preventer. What if I DON'T Winterize my Sprinkler System? In that instance, we're just hoping that evaporation takes place in the ground. Come spring, it will be up and running again ready to revive your lawn and flowerbeds.

You can save money by purchasing an annual irrigation service contract that includes winterization and inspections. 14 Resolutions for Your Lawn & Landscape in 2023. They can blow out the lines of your system and ensure that no remaining water is left to freeze and expand in your pipes or sprinkler heads. The one "small thing" we'd encourage you not to forget is winterizing your irrigation system. Some compressors you will need to watch the PSI gauge and turn off the compressor when it reaches the 50 PSI mark. Completing all winterizing projects in the early Fall is key. While you are exploring your options for winterizing your sprinkler system, ensure that all pipes are free from damage. Schedule online or give us a call today: 970-500-5321. Usually, these systems will come with instructions in the operation manual of how to do this properly. If you have any water left in the pipes as the soil is frozen, then you are probably going to have potential problems after the soil has thawed. Sprinklers that aren't winterized lead to more trouble in the long run. Next, you need to close the backflow isolation valves. If you haven't started winterizing your systems yet, now is the time to start or to start thinking about it, depending on the region you live in.

How To Winterize Your Sprinkler System

Long story short, if you use the compressor you picked up at the local hardware store, you may have a ton of pressure, but it also leads to a lot of wear and tear on your system! Manual drain outlets are no longer always sufficient. Also, the cost of winterization may be higher if you live somewhere that doesn't usually freeze but is getting unusually cold weather. Typical 100PSI air compressors that one might buy or rent are designed for high pressure, which might cause your sprinkler pipes or sprinkler heads to disconnect and create leaks when your lawn sprinklers are turned back on. From the moment our irrigation technicians arrive, the total process takes roughly 30 minutes. Cover the exposed pieces in plastic and secure it with foam insulation tape. It also saves you from the headache of the groundwater seeping into your basement. The steps to completely drain an irrigation sprinkler system to prevent damage are straightforward and can be done by the homeowner or hired professional if needed.

Carefully monitor the pressure during the blow out to ensure it remains below the compressor's maximum capacity. Water expands in its solid state and will crack the pipes if there's too much ice. There is one potential problem with that method – sprinkler pipes are not always installed with the pipes parallel to the ground; there are often peaks and valleys in the pipe. Doing this releases pressure on the pipes, removing any air pockets. You should also move any pets indoors during the blow out process. These systems have shut-off valves at low points or ends of the piping. The best way to prepare your sprinkler system for the winter (and upcoming spring) is by staying on top of maintenance throughout the year. After all, your sprinkler system is the longest lasting appliance in your house. In most parts of the country, you ought to shut down your sprinkler system in the fall and bring it back online in the spring. These systems have automatic drain valves that self-drain when the main water supply shuts off.

Do Sprinklers Need To Be Winterized? What Happens If You Don’t Do It? »

Manual drainage systems often need a blowout because water may stay in low areas of the system. Safety goggles are a must when draining the system. At the freezing point of 32 degrees, Fahrenheit water left in your sprinkler system can expand and burst the pipes. Check the local forecasts for guidance on estimated last frost days in your region and use a shovel to check the ground is easy to pierce and warm before flipping the switches. Don't rely on gravity or the system to properly drain just by opening up the valves.

You have a 50/50 chance that your system won't freeze during those frigid months if you don't winterize it. Make sure you read and understand all the steps before winterizing your sprinkler system. The size of your yard and the type of services affect the price. If your system uses valves to prevent backflow, you must shut them off before continuing. Once each sprinkler station is clear, switch off and disconnect the compressor. Our owner Charles Haddock offers a personal customer satisfaction guarantee. You could also consider hiring a standalone sprinkler service company if you don't use TruGreen and prefer not to DIY your lawn care. Sprinkler Winterization Plan. Reasons Sprinklers Do Not Need to be Winterized. Another scenario is if the irrigation lines were set up on a slope. We provide winterization services in Greater Indianapolis and surrounding areas to keep your sprinkler system running all year smoothly.

The blowout method involves blowing compressed air into your sprinkler system's pipes.