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How much should I expect to pay for fall shutdown (winterization) and spring start up of my irrigation here in the Triangle? And, no I can't do it myself.
Removal of the backflow preventer is essential, given that it's exposed. It will freeze and you'll end up with leaks. It's easily removed by any homeowner (after shutting off the main system water valve.)
I've never blown out in-ground lines (nor does anyone else I know). Just not necessary in this part of the country.
Also, when we get hit with days of freezing temps, remember if water is left in the backflow valve it will freeze and crack in the garage too...store it somewhere insulated and empty.
Good point. I always dump the water out of my backflow valve, being careful not to lose the O-rings on the bottoms of the pipes when I turn it over. I do store mine in my garage. I always lay it on some newspaper and give it a very heavy spray of WD-40.
Also be sure to cover up the openings of the pipes to which the valve was connected so no debris gets in them. I slip a plastic baggie over each and then tie them with a length of string.
I'm in Raleigh city limits. Can Raleigh homeowners remove in fall and reinstall in spring their own backflow preventer, or does a "pro" need to certify it or test it such as in the case of Angelus' post above (who lives in Cary)? I hope that's true, it will save me some coin.
Oh, and when should the backflow preventer be taken apart?
Last edited by cstleddy; 10-20-2009 at 06:52 AM..
Reason: added timing
I'm in Raleigh city limits. Can Raleigh homeowners remove in fall and reinstall in spring their own backflow preventer, or does a "pro" need to certify it or test it such as in the case of Angelus' post above (who lives in Cary)? I hope that's true, it will save me some coin. Oh, and when should the backflow preventer be taken apart?
I always did when I lived in Raleigh (until just a couple of years ago).
Take the backflow preventer off before the first freeze. By this time of year, it's really shouldn't be necessary to run your irrigation system anyway - you don't really need to wait until the warnings of the first impending freeze. By the time October hits, you can shut off the system and remove the valve.
For Durham County residents reading along ... Durham did allow backflow prevention devices w/o the "air gap" so those devices do not need to be the highest point in the system and are often buried in a irrigation box. These backflow prevention devices typically don't need to be removed, just mulch over the box to help retain the ground heat.
How much should I expect to pay for fall shutdown (winterization) and spring start up of my irrigation here in the Triangle? And, no I can't do it myself.
I've had it done twice. The first year it was done by the builder's landscaper who installed the system. He sent us a note saying if we didn't use him it voided our warranty (I think that borders on good 'ol extortion). He charged $100 and did nothing more than remove the backflow, blow-out the system, and reinstall the backflow in the spring.
The second year we used another service which cost $50 for removal/blow-out and $75 for installation in the spring. When they reinstalled in the spring they were on site for about 45 minutes. They ran all the zones, adjusted the heads for coverage, and replaced a few heads that weren't covering properly or needed replacement. Well worth the extra $25.
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