Winterization
Every year, before the first freeze, the ritual of irrigation "blow out" becomes the priority for all irrigation systems in regions located where the frost level extends below the depth of installed piping.
Why Should You Winterize?
Living in the Northeast temperatures can drop well below 32°F. So, if you have a lawn sprinkler system, you need to winterize it before the temperatures plunge to the freezing mark. If you forget to winterize your sprinklers, you run the risk that water will freeze in the irrigation valves, pipes and sprinkler heads. When water freezes, it expands causing the parts of your system to burst and destroying your sprinkler system.
Because the arrival of freezing weather varies from season to season, we recommend sprinkler winterization between late September and first of November each year.
Winterization Checklist
- Turn water off to the sprinkler system and drain vacuum breaker and interior pipes.
- Where applicable, remove and/or drain pump, suction line, check valve and filter.
- Deactivate controller and valves. Remove battery from solid-state controller.
- Clear all lines of water with compressed air, and, if applicable, open all manual drains and faucets.