As the ice encases the plant it partially insulates it from the harsh exterior temperatures. Sprinklers provide a 2 to 5-degree temperature difference, which is just enough to protect the plants. As long as water is constantly wetting the plant, the system should successfully protect them from severe damage.
So remember, during a hard freeze, turn off your sprinklers, not just because you might turn your lawn into a giant icicle but because you might also be responsible for street accidents.
It is best to turn on your system during the warmest time of the day when anticipating freezing conditions. Be sure the outside temperature is 40 degrees fahrenheit or above when you run your system. You ABSOLUTELY do not want to run your sprinkler system during a hard freeze as this will cause damage to your system.
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.
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.
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.
Pipes are most likely to burst when exposed to below-freezing conditions for six hours or more, which can happen throughout winter and early spring. Burst pipes could lead to a disaster, bringing severe water damage to your home.
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.
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.
Nothing should be in that area between the bottom of the sprinkler heads and the imaginary horizontal plane parallel to the ceiling that is 18 inches below. This is done to allow an even and unobstructed spray pattern from the sprinklers when triggered to extinguish the fire.
The colder weather does not evaporate moisture from the lawn as quickly as it does in the warmer weather. Most lawn experts recommend watering your grass until the soil or ground temperature reaches the 40-degree Fahrenheit mark. It is true, less water is required and needed when the temperature drops.
Watering a lawn after a freeze helps defrost any parts of the soil and rejuvenate grass and injured plants. Patience is key to bringing life back into the lawn. Hold off fertilizing grass and plants because fertilizing too soon could encourage new growth before the cold weather has left.
When your lawn goes dormant, irrigate once or twice a month. Winter irrigation keeps the grass root cells full of water and acts as an insulator, giving the cells a better chance to withstand freezing temperatures. And moist soil adds even further protection to the roots because it stays warmer than dry soil.
The scientific team found that dust-free water on a smooth, clean surface will drop well below 32 Fahrenheit (zero Celsius) before it freezes. In this state, the water is called "supercooled." But once one crystal does form, the supercooled water will freeze rock-solid in an instant.
Heat from a fire will cause the liquid to expand, once the pressure gets too high the bulb will burst and the water in the system will be released. The liquid in the sprinkler head comes in a variety of colors, which indicates the temperature required to activate the head: Orange – 135° F. Red – 155° F.
Water will not freeze with the temperature air at or above 33 degrees, regardless of how far the wind chill is below freezing. Wind chill has no effect on inanimate objects, and they cannot be cooled below the ambient air temperature.
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.
The rule of the thumb is that it takes roughly 6-hours for water in your pipe to freeze after left in an unheated area. Meaning if you lose power at your home and the weather is reaching below freezing point, you have approximately 6-hours until the pipes will begin to freeze.
As temperatures continue to drop, so does the amount of time required for pipes to freeze completely and eventually burst. Depending on various factors, the water inside pipes can start freezing in just 6 hours, though it's more common to see damage and issues after one to three days of subfreezing temperatures.
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.
This is an option if your irrigation system is equipped with a manual drain valve. Simply turn off the water supply and open the manual valves at the ends and low points of the piping. Also, make sure to drain the backflow device.
Farmers spray water before an overnight freeze because water produces latent heat when it freezes. The sprayed water on the surface of the plant will be converted to ice, and the heat trapped in it will insulate the plant from the cold environment.