As the temperatures turn colder, your grass will go dormant for the winter, and you won’t need to worry about watering it until springtime. At this time of year, we at Laurdane Associates focus on helping our clients—including you—prepare their irrigation systems for winter. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of how the irrigation winterization process works so you know what to expect.
- Shut Off Water Supply – The first step in irrigation winterization is to shut off the water supply to the system. Our ultimate goal in this process is to remove all water from the irrigation lines, sprinkler heads, and other components, so we first make sure no new water can enter the system.
- Drain Irrigation Lines – Next, we open all the valves in your irrigation system to let the water drain out. Removing water from your pipes and connecting lines is the most essential step in irrigation winterization, as allowing any water to remain inside increases the risk of freeze damage. Unlike most other substances, which contract as they freeze, water expands as it turns into ice. This expansion can cause serious damage to your irrigation lines, creating cracks and ruptures, which is why we need to drain all the water before the first freeze.
- Drain Backflow Device – The third step in irrigation winterization is to drain the backflow device. As the name suggests, the backflow device prevents water from flowing back into your water supply once it enters the sprinkler system. We’ll make sure this device is empty of water so it will not be damaged by winter freezes.
If you haven’t already arranged your annual irrigation winterization, reach out to our office to speak with someone about getting on our schedule.