Winterize Self Draining Sprinkler System

There are several ways to drain your pipes.

Winterize self draining sprinkler system.

To completely remove water from the system a purge must be completed using compressed air. As a general rule you should winterize your system at least a week before the first freeze is expected. Many offer sprinkler winterization services this time of the year. Winterizing is fairly easy to learn and most do it yourselfers already own the necessary tools for the job.

For more home repair how tos home improvement help technology tips garden hints re. Where you live plays a big part in which steps you will need to follow. After opening the valves the water in the mainline of the system should drain out on its own. A manual drain valve an automatic drain valve or the compressed air blow out method.

Protect valves and backflow preventers. Winterization is an important part of maintaining a properly running lawn sprinkler system. These are the ones at the lowest points in the sprinkler system which is where water collects when the system is shut off. Next open the manual drain valve at the end of that zone if equipped.

As temperatures outside drop below the freezing point of water water in your sprinkler system pipes can freeze into ice and expand causing your pipes to burst as a result. Keep an eye on the local weather reports in the newspaper or on television for when the first freeze of the year is expected. Then turn off the water supply and set the system timer to open just one zone. Locate the manual drain valves situated downstream of each zone valve.

If you don t know your system type it is best to use the blowout method. How to winterize a sprinkler system. Manual drain auto drain or blowout. To minimize the risk of freeze damage you ll need to winterize your irrigation system.

In this how to guide to winterization we will take a look at the steps involved in winterizing your sprinkler system in a cold climate. Get your self draining underground sprinkling system ready for winter. In areas where winterization is mandatory irrigation systems are installed using one of three types of water removal. Step 1 shut off the water supply.

Then connect the air line to the blow out port as shown. However since there could be potential safety risks we recommend contacting your local irrigation specialist.