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10-20-2009, 08:19 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beautiful Raleigh, NC
446 posts, read 283,770 times
Reputation: 170
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What are the steps to winterizing irrigation?
I'm in NC and I guess we don't need to blow out the irrigation lines, but I'm wondering whether I understand the steps and process...
- Shut off water to irrigation
- Remove backflow preventer (mine is above ground U-shaped).
- Cover BFP pipes (I'll use plastic baggies with rubberbands to secure)
- Drain remaining water from removed BFP and store in an area that will not freeze (wrap in newspaper and store in garage?)
- Shut off sprinkler controller (I should probably do this first)
Someone mentioned draining the irrigation lines, not necessarily blowing them out. How does one drain the lines? Should I shut off the water and run the system? |
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10-20-2009, 08:27 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hampton Cove, Huntsville, AL
11,624 posts, read 10,797,946 times
Reputation: 2957
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Really depends on your layout and system components. We lived in Colorado at 7300 feet (gets below 0F in winter) but our system had French drains so all we did was turn off the water and open a couple drain plugs. Literally a three minute job. In fact, there were times in fall when I'd do this winterize job, then unwinterize to re-activate my sprinklers for some warm, dry fall days, then winterize again. It was so easy.
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10-20-2009, 08:21 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Knoxville
1,238 posts, read 1,053,172 times
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If it never gets below freezing in your area, then don't worry. If there is a chance, then you better get the water out, or you will likely have broken pipes.
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10-21-2009, 08:19 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: The Blacklands of Texas
243 posts, read 71,965 times
Reputation: 167
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cstleddy
I'm in NC and I guess we don't need to blow out the irrigation lines, but I'm wondering whether I understand the steps and process...
- Shut off water to irrigation
- Remove backflow preventer (mine is above ground U-shaped).
- Cover BFP pipes (I'll use plastic baggies with rubberbands to secure)
- Drain remaining water from removed BFP and store in an area that will not freeze (wrap in newspaper and store in garage?)
- Shut off sprinkler controller (I should probably do this first)
Someone mentioned draining the irrigation lines, not necessarily blowing them out. How does one drain the lines? Should I shut off the water and run the system? |
Hello cstleddy,
Check out this link as it has a lot of sprinkler system info, articles, etc. and does cover system winterizing sprinklersysteminfo.com - Sprinkler System Information Center. This is another good source for sprinkler info including a winterizing tutorial Irrigation tutorials; sprinkler & drip systems, design, install and repair..
Good luck!
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