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.
You'll want to winterize your sprinkler system at least one week before the first “hard freeze,” a term that refers to when the outdoor air dips below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Keep an eye on local weather reports so that you can get a good sense of when the first hard freeze will take place.
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.
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.
Running the sprinkler system when it is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below is cause for concern. Let's take a look below at the best ways to protect your sprinkler system in the winter months.
You should shut off your irrigation system just before temperatures in your region begin to dip below freezing at night.
Wherever the frost level reaches below the depth of irrigation systems, winterizing can help prevent damage from freezing. It can also ward off costly repairs in the spring. Luckily, you can avoid frozen and burst irrigation pipes.
Pipes are at risk of freezing when temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but they most commonly freeze at temperatures of 20 degrees and below. (Keep in mind, wind chill increases the risk of freezing.)
A sprinkler system will freeze if the temperature falls below 32° F (0° Celsius). Now, most indoor sprinkler systems are inside of buildings or homes where the temperature won't ever drop into the danger zone.
That's why fish survive under ice covering a pond by swimming in the warmer, denser water at the bottom of the pond. But the property of water that "is most fascinating is that you can cool it down well below 32 degrees Fahrenheit [zero Celsius] and it still remains a liquid," says Molinero.
On the Fahrenheit temperature scale, water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. On the Celsius scale, water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees. So, to convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius, you subtract 32 from the temperature, multiply by 5, and divide by 9.
If you have not blown out your sprinkler system, you will be fine. It takes a sustained hard freeze of around 28 degrees to potentially cause sprinkler damage.
If your grass suffers late fall, it will have trouble rebounding in the spring. Therefore, you need to winterize your sprinkler system about a week before the first freeze. That week won't harm the grass and will give you enough time to get the job done if the frost comes a bit early.
Anywhere from 55-62 degrees will keep your pipes from freezing while cutting your heating bill dramatically. PROCESS: While the weather outside is frightful and inside is so delightful, sooner or later you'll have to brave the blizzard and leave the house.
Any of those circumstances could lead to pipes freezing – especially when the outside temperature is 20 degrees or colder. Generally, keeping your home at 55 degrees or warmer will prevent pipes from freezing.
We all know that freezing begins at 32° F or 0° C, but at what point do pipes freeze within our own homes? Temperatures only need to drop to about 20° F for a few hours to put exposed pipes at risk.
Manual valves should be left in the open position throughout winter to prevent repressurization. Some sprinkler heads have both side and bottom pipe inlets. If you use the side inlet, install a drain valve on the bottom inlet to prevent the case from freezing.
A wet fire sprinkler system requires freeze protection if any portion of the sprinkler system is located in spaces where temperatures cannot be maintained at or above 40°F. While antifreeze does a great job of preventing wet fire sprinkler systems from freezing, it also has the potential to make fires worse.
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.
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.