Steps Involved In Winterizing Your Sprinkler System

Low outdoor temperatures can cause problems for your sprinkler system, which may in turn cause problems for your landscape design in the spring. You need to take care of your irrigation near Westchester County all year long, but it’s especially necessary during the winter when water turns into ice and expands. There are different components of your sprinkler system you’ll need to drain and break down if you want to keep your irrigation system up and running and your landscape design intact. Read ahead and take a look at the steps involved in winterizing your sprinkler system.

System and Pump

Since water expands as it freezes, you don’t want any left in your sprinkler system when the weather gets cold. This can damage or completely destroy your irrigation system, which is bad news for your landscape design when the warm weather comes back around. You can start winterizing your sprinkler system by shutting off the water supply. Then you’ll need to drain the remaining water out of the system using an air compressor. Pressurized air will blow through the system, removing any leftover moisture. Not all systems have pumps, but if yours does, you’ll need to drain it and then remove it.

Backflow Device

A backflow device makes sure that water only flows in one direction. This is the reason sprinklers shoot water out without letting any back in, so it’s also the reason your landscape design looks so nice. There are different kinds of backflow devices, like atmospheric vacuum breakers, pressure vacuum breakers, and reduced pressure backflow prevention devices. Regardless of which kind you have, you’ll need to drain it out completely before the water inside freezes. Find out which type of backflow device your irrigation system uses, and ask your plumber if you need help.

Irrigation System

Finish winterizing your sprinkler system by connecting the compressor to the downstream blowout fitting. You may need to create a blowout fitting if your irrigation system doesn’t already have one. Make sure you get this done before the winter so you don’t have to worry about damages or repairs.

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