Irrigation System – Winterizing

Q: Do you have any information on how to winterize a sprinkler system?

A: All you really need to accomplish is to get most of the water out of the system before extreme cold temperatures arrive. First, turn off the water valve that supplies your system. Allow the system timer to run through all of its cycles in its normal manner. Much of the water in your pipes will run out of the lowest irrigation heads.

What water remains will not be under pressure. The system should be fine when you turn it on next year.

Another alternative is to purchase a maintenance contract from an irrigation contractor. They typically will check all of your heads before draining the system in winter and will check them again in spring. They may also want to shoot compressed air through the pipes to remove all remaining water.