When do you winterize your sprinkler system? (business, working)

[ayoitzrimz]

Originally Posted by denverian

Is this some trick the landscape people don't want us to know about? Or a special function on your system? Really... there should be an automatic blow-out built into these things!

They make auto-draining systems but they are expensive and prone to failure

[denverian]

Originally Posted by emm74

I've only seen 1℃ forecasted. But I guess that's close enough to not want to take a chance!


Thanks again everyone- since I'm in new construction, I will make sure to do some hand watering for the new trees.

What are you, a bunch of Canadians, talking in your fancy Celcius?

Denver post shows a low of 50 tonight. Not even close to freezing. Lowest it shows is Wednesday night at 38 F.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by ayoitzrimz

They make auto-draining systems but they are expensive and prone to failure

Well, I'm expensive and prone to failure... so could be a fit

[Lost Roses]

Originally Posted by denverian

Is this some trick the landscape people don't want us to know about? Or a special function on your system? Really... there should be an automatic blow-out built into these things!

I don't think it's a special trick but I, too, have only ever done the dry cycle routine and I've had the sprinkler system since 1979. My front yard is also slightly sloped and is flat in the back, albeit on two separate levels. So maybe that has something to do with it as mine is certainly not state-of-the-art!

[Timmyy]

When you say dry cycle do you mean you run a full cycle after turning the water off and then draining the remaining water at the valve?

[randomparent]

Originally Posted by Timmyy

When you say dry cycle do you mean you run a full cycle after turning the water off and then draining the remaining water at the valve?

Yes.

[ayoitzrimz]

Did mine yesterday. I can confirm the following:

1. With a self draining valve (which we have) there was hardly any water to blow out of the valve.
2. With us living on a hill and the furthest sprinkler head much lower than the rest of them there was hardly any water in the pipes (blowing 3 zones took like 5 minutes)

So, live and learn - this was our first year with this sprinkler system so I wasn't sure if I can just run it dry but from now on every fall I'll just be running it dry and draining whatever is left in the valve.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by randomparent

Yes.

I may have to try that next year.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Timmyy

I may have to try that next year.

Try it, but then use a compressor to see if it actually worked. Not worth waiting until spring to find out if your pipes exploded.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Try it, but then use a compressor to see if it actually worked. Not worth waiting until spring to find out if your pipes exploded.

^^This

If you've got a system without an automatic drain valve in each zone (like ours), the "dry run" won't work and you'll end up spending big bucks getting broken pipes repaired/replaced next spring. Just use the compressor and be done with it.