Sprinkler system winterization (Cary: how much, house, landscaping)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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My neighbors have their systems 'winterized,' but I am not sure exactly what that entails. I know I saw the fellow take off the pipes sticking up out of the ground, and shutting off some valve (don't you love my 'educated' lingo here?). We made sure the pipes to our system were protected, via some insulation and one of those fiberglass boxes, of sorts, and it wintered-over fine.
I do hope someone posts here what actually needs to be done to secure the systems. We only had two light dustings of snow here last winter, and overall, the season was fairly mild. We may have just been 'lucky' with what we did with our irrigation system -- which was actually very little. Our pipe-y things are closer to the house, though, and not sitting in the yard close to the sidewalk, like a lot of our neighbors'. Not sure how much difference that made.
With most newer systems you just need to turn off the 1/4 turn valve, which should be located between the water meter and the backflow preventer (pipe thing sticking out of the ground ). Then remove the backflow preventer itself (you will need a pipe wrench for this. it un-couples at each end, before the bend). That's all there is to it , unless you have a system drain, which will be another 1/4 turn valve located in the lowest point in the yard. These are mostly used in older systems.
The backflow preventer is the biggie though. If left out it will freeze and crack ,which will make it useless next spring. A new one is a couple hundred dollars.
Aha! NOW I understand what the plumber/irrigation fellow was doing next door last year. I was working in my yard, putting out fresh mulch, and walked over to watch. He told my husband could easily do what he was doing, but I had no idea how to explain what to do, to my spouse.
Thanks, Cary Native. Maybe we just got lucky last year? We wrapped the backflow preventer with an insulating material, and then covered the whole deal with a fiberglass box. Ours is close to the house.
I'll read this to hubby when he gets in from work. Scares me to think we may have to replace this -- we've already had some low temps this season.
If you have a sprinkler system and don't remove the backflow preventer valve you will have a water show like my neighbors did last year. They were away and when they got home they had a ice sculpture attached to the house and a mighty high water bill . You don't need to blow out the lines like they do in the east, but you do need to shut the water off and remove that valve. It does get cold enough here for problems.
With most newer systems you just need to turn off the 1/4 turn valve, which should be located between the water meter and the backflow preventer (pipe thing sticking out of the ground ). Then remove the backflow preventer itself (you will need a pipe wrench for this. it un-couples at each end, before the bend). That's all there is to it , unless you have a system drain, which will be another 1/4 turn valve located in the lowest point in the yard. These are mostly used in older systems.
The backflow preventer is the biggie though. If left out it will freeze and crack ,which will make it useless next spring. A new one is a couple hundred dollars.
Thanks for the information. I will pass it along to my more mechanically inclined better half and I think we should be set.
Apparently I have some education to obtain. I thought the PVC pipes and regulator-looking-thing sticking out of the ground by my house was a pressure regulator feeding the mains to my house. It's covered by a nice little plastic hood which hides it from view, though it's tucked between some landscaping and the foundation.
Apparently I have some education to obtain. I thought the PVC pipes and regulator-looking-thing sticking out of the ground by my house was a pressure regulator feeding the mains to my house. It's covered by a nice little plastic hood which hides it from view, though it's tucked between some landscaping and the foundation.
Your pressure regulator for the house should be under the house (I'm not sure where it is on a slab house). The backflow preventer is made a part of the code so that no water goes from your irrigation system back into the municipal water supply.
** Also, something I forgot to mention earlier- You may want to cover the open ends of the pipe (once the backflow preventer is removed) with some duct tape to keep debris from getting into the pipes.
I would like to remove my backflow preventer valve, but need a little help. I see it, sitting between two valves (which I have shut off), but I'm not sure how to remove it. It looks like if I try to unscrew it at one end, that it will try to screw in tighter at the other end. Is there some trick to this?
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