Winterize Sprinkler System
Winterize Sprinkler System
Temperatures in the winter can get freezing cold, but it’s not only you and your pets that you have to keep in mind: you need to consider your sprinklers, too. In New Jersey, the cold winter weather is enough to freeze any water left inside of your sprinkler system. Frozen water expands, and expanding ice will cause your pipes to rupture and burst.
Winterizing your sprinkler system should be a key part of your yearly routine, unless you are ready to pay for the costs of replacing it every spring. At Wetscape, a Royal Irrigation Company, we’ve winterized countless sprinkler systems across New Jersey. Give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to come over and winterize your sprinkler system the right way.
How to Winterize Your Sprinkler System
Are you considering a DIY approach to save some money? If so, it’s essential that you know what kind of irrigation system you have to choose your preferred water removal method: auto drain, manual drain, or blowout. If you are unfamiliar with your irrigation system type, opt for the blowout method.
The blowout method has 5 steps:
- Turn off the water to the sprinklers at the main valve
- Connect a low-pressure air compressor to your sprinkler system
- Keep your backflow device safe from any air pressure
- Blowout the zones in your sprinkler system for two minutes each, forcing them to eject any existing water in the pipes
- Repeat the blowout for each zone for another minute, ensuring that any remaining water is gone
Why You Need Professional Help
Doing it yourself is risky, and requires equipment that you probably don’t have. Unless you are willing to purchase equipment to winterize your sprinkler system and trust yourself to do it perfectly every year, it might be better to go with a team of professionals. Why?
- Costly If Not Done Right: If not done properly, a sprinkler system that isn’t totally winterized can lead to huge costs. You will have to repair or replace the broken pipes in your sprinkler system.
- You Need the Right Timing: A professional team can be scheduled to come over as soon as you need them, but if you leave it up to yourself, it might take you a few days or weeks of preparation and securing the right equipment. If you wait too longer, the weather might already be too cold, and your sprinkler system might already be damaged. For New Jersey, we recommend October or November.
- Potentially Damage Other Equipment: Other equipment in your yard or property can also be damaged if your sprinkler system isn’t winterized, such as water lines to sheds, pool equipment, hose bibs, cabanas, and more.
Your Questions, Our Answers
Q: Is my sprinkler system doomed if the weather freezes it without warning?
A: If you wake up one morning and winter has come earlier than expected, don’t worry – no heavy damage has been done yet. Go outside, insulate all exposed pipes and the above ground backflow devices. To insulate them, you should cover them with blankets and towels. Keep these in place until your system can be professionally winterized.
Q: Will this cost also include spring reactivation?
A: No.
Q: I have an auto drain sprinkler system. Do I need to winterize it?
A: An auto drain sprinkler system doesn’t actually drain the entirety of the pipes. Only half are drained out, while the main line still needs blowing out.
Ready to winterize your sprinklers? Call us today and schedule your appointment.