February 18
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Winterizing your irrigation system is best done during late autumn. However, if you haven’t done so yet, perhaps because you live in a relatively warm region that is now experiencing an unexpectedly cold winter, it’s not too late. You can still prevent severe damage to your hoses and other irrigation equipment by following the steps below.
It’s vital to remove all water from the sprinklers and pipes before freezing temperatures can start damaging them. There are two main methods to do this, both of which are discussed below.
Irrespective of the method you use, the process starts by shutting off the system’s main water supply. Your next step is to switch off the timer or controller or to change it to rain mode. This makes sure no signals will be sent to the valves. If your system came without a rain mode, you will have to disconnect the controller from the power source to shut it down. Use your smartphone to take pictures (or write down) start times, run times, and stations so it won’t be a problem to reset the controller at the start of spring.
If your sprinkler system already has flush valves installed in the lower sections, you are in luck. Every time the system is shut off, these valves will open to drain any remaining water. All you have to do is to regularly check the valves to ensure they’re still working properly.
Luckily, if the system came without automatic flush valves, it’s not difficult to install them. All you have to do is to add tee-fittings at low points in the line. Two to three of these valves for each sprinkler valve are normally enough for a zone if it branches off in various directions. And the best news is that they work in nearly all soil types except maybe clay. Some are even fitted with back-flow preventers so contamination can’t get into the line.
If you prefer the manual route, start by opening all manual valves, including those close to the manifold. To make sure they’re completely drained, elevate the fittings slightly. If any water is left in the tubing it can lead to cracked fittings.
Your next step is to locate the backflow preventer. As the name indicates, its job is to stop water from flowing back into the system. It has to be removed and safely stored until the end of winter.
Now you get to actually draining the water from the system. There are two ways to do this: vacuum or siphon out the water, or blow out the water by using a compressor.
You might be able to drain the water from your irrigation system by using a siphon. If that does not work, a shop vacuum that has both a wet and a dry mode could be effective to suck all the remaining water from the system.
If the vacuum or siphon methods take too long to do the job or don’t do it properly, your next option is to blow the water from the pipes. This is the most common option among homeowners for a very good reason: it works better (and it’s much easier) than the previous options. With this option, however, you are going to need a fairly large compressor with a rating of at least 50 cubic feet/minute.
Once you have the compressor ready you need to proceed as follows:
After all the water has been drained from the system, you can proceed with removing the faucet assembly. Here we are referring to things such as the filter, timer, and pressure regulator. These should be stored indoors, away from freezing temperatures. You must also seal the faucet’s open end by covering it with some kind of secure barrier. A female hose fitting will also do the job.
Next drain the rest of the water equipment e.g. hose splitters, hose-end nozzles, watering wands, and hoses before them safely for the rest of the winter months. Nozzles and watering wands in particular should be stores in a location where they won’t be subjected to freezing temperatures.
The water to the exterior faucets has to be shut off at the interior turn off. After you have closed those valves, return outside to open the faucets until no more water comes out, i.e. the line has been drained completely. Next, the exterior faucets have to be protected with a cover that offers proper insulation. Normally faucet covers are made from foam and they are kept in place with wing nuts. Another option is to use insulated bags that are simply tied in place.
It’s also a good idea to invest a couple of dollars in hose-end plugs that serve as covers on the open ends of hosepipes. Make sure the end caps are loose enough so that water formed by condensation is able to drain during the winter months.
To keep gaskets, O-rings, and washers pliable and soft, all you need is a few drops of silicone-based lubricant. You will find these parts on the insides of timers, watering wands, hosepipes, and irrigation system parts such as pressure regulators, filters, hose connections, and valves.
The last step in winterizing hoses, sprinklers, and irrigation systems is to examine quick-connects and hose ends, and replace everything that's loose, rusty, dented, or broken. Just in case you are not already aware of this: it’s cheaper to cut off the end of your garden hose if you want to add a new coupling than buying a brand new hose.
Don't forget about winterizing your other garden tools like your gas power string trimmers.
What steps do you take to make sure your yard and home are all winterized?
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