Shut off the water supply to the irrigation system. The main shut off valve for your irrigation system needs to be protected against freezing. Make sure it is wrapped with insulation (foam insulation tape and a plastic bag) to protect it from harsh winter temperatures and prevent it from freezing.
In order to keep your irrigation system performing in tip-top shape, you should ensure that it receives regular maintenance. You also need to ensure that your system is shut off during the winter season if you live in an area that sees freezing temperatures.
To avoid damage from freezing, shut off your system before cold temperatures arrive. Watch the weather and the long-term forecasts to know when the time is right to shut down your irrigation system. Most years, you'll want to turn it off by Halloween.
However, if you wait too long to winterize your sprinkler system, the pipes and valves could crack and break when a cold snap moves in. This could result in needing a full system replacement. So, when is the right time to turn off your sprinkler system in the winter? Just before the first frost.
During the periods of prolonged winter drought, if the air temperature is above freezing and the soil isn't frozen, you should water every two or three weeks for 15 to 20 minutes – just enough to provide moisture to the crown and roots of the plants and counteract the drying effects of winter winds.
Shutting down your irrigation system ensures underground pipes won't break once the temperature starts to drop below 32° F. Cracked sprinkler pipes, broken sprinkler heads and costly irrigation system repairs are something no one wants to deal with next spring!
How long does each zone take? Typically each zone takes about two to three minutes to blow out. Time should also be allowed for the contractor to set up and take down. As an example, if you have a five-zone irrigation system, you can expect the total time – including setup and takedown – to take around 20 – 25 minutes.
It takes a sustained hard freeze of around 28 degrees to potentially cause sprinkler damage.
To avoid any possibility of damage, sprinkler lines need to be drained prior to temperatures dipping below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Failing to winterize a sprinkler system before a hard freeze (air temperature is below 0 degrees Fahrenheit) can lead to expensive and time-consuming repair costs.
To minimize the risk of freeze damage, you'll need to winterize your irrigation system. In areas where winterization is mandatory, irrigation systems are installed using one of three types of water removal: manual drain, auto drain, or blowout.
Turning on the sprinklers after the main water feed has been shut off will not adequately drain you lines before freeze weather. In rare instances some sprinkler system installations may have been setup with slope on the distribution lines out to the very tail end of each line.
Turf grass can turn brown and go dormant but stay alive for three to four weeks. If you live in an area with water restrictions, it's a good idea to let your grass go dormant between waterings. When you reach three or four weeks without rain, water the grass long enough to moisten the top 5 inches of soil.
Gradually reduce watering until the average nighttime temperatures are in the low 30s, then stop. Water won't penetrate once the ground freezes. “Watering in colder climates can lead to disease, so it is critical to reduce how often and how long you water your lawn,” Rossi says.
If your grass is too long, it's at risk for disease. The ideal grass height for winter is between 2 inches and 2.5 inches. This keeps grass short enough to resist disease spread, but not so short that it becomes overly stressed by cold temperatures.
Next, you will need to cover any above-ground backflow preventers, sprinkler heads, and valves – be sure that the air vents and drain outlets are not blocked. Cover the exposed pieces in plastic and secure it with foam insulation tape.
While you may be eager to get your lawn back to its pristine green state, it is important to remember that temperatures at and below 32 degrees Fahrenheit put your sprinkler system at risk of freezing.
Normally, this is not a problem because the main shut-off, zone valves and heads are below ground and stay relatively insulated. However, if the temperatures do dip down into the 20's, or temperatures remain below 32 degrees for an extended period of time, your irrigation system can be damaged.
At the freezing point of 32 degrees, Fahrenheit water left in your sprinkler system can expand and burst the pipes. Call on Home Inspection Geeks to take a look at your winterizing needs.
A sprinkler system will freeze if the temperature falls below 32° F (0° Celsius).
Pipes can freeze in as little as six to eight hours, meaning they can freeze overnight. If the outside temperature is below 32 degrees F and your pipes are unprotected, your chances for a frozen pipe increase.