As winter approaches, it’s important to prepare your home and yard for the low temperatures. For example, if you have a swimming pool, you will need to close it for the season. In addition, if you have an irrigation system, you will need to take steps to ensure it will not be damaged by freezing temperatures. In this article, we at Laurdane Associates will provide an overview of how we prepare irrigation systems for the winter.
- Shut Off Water Supply – The first step necessary for preparing irrigation systems for winter temperatures is to shut off the water supply. This ensures that water will not enter the irrigation lines while there is any risk of freezing temperatures.
- Drain Irrigation System – Once you shut off the main water supply to an irrigation system, it is then necessary to drain all the water currently in the irrigation lines out of the system. Irrigation systems can be severely damaged if they are exposed to freezing temperatures when water is still inside them, as the water will expand as it turns to ice and can thus burst the lines and damage the sprinkler heads.
- Apply Insulation – A third step we take to protect irrigation systems from freezing temperatures is to add insulation around any exposed components, such as pipes and spigots. If these areas freeze, heat from adjacent parts of the system can leach into the colder areas, which can cause damage to spread. By insulating exposed areas, we ensure that as much heat as possible remains in your irrigation system to protect it from freeze damage.
