I know it's time to winterize my irrigation system when I can smell Fall in the air.
When blue skies become grey and I can feel a chilly breeze in the air, I know it's time to shut the irrigation system down for the winter.
I think October is the perfect month... depending on where you live.
The reason that you want to winterize your irrigation system (some call it blowing out your system) is because the water in your irrigation pipes will burst because of expansion when the water freezes. Some may say that you don't need to because your pipes are buried (a minimum) of 12" beneath the ground. This is not wise as your pipes may not freeze but your valves are in a valve box and exposed to the cold air which could cause a break.
We fix a lot of Backflow devices that freeze cracked during the winter because the irrigation system was not winterized. That is a costly mistake as having a contractor replace a double check valve assembly (dcva) generally starts around $500.00 (depending on the size and availability of the dvca).
You winterize your irrigation system by using an air compressor to blow air through your irrigation pipes which pushes the water out through the sprinkler heads. You will not get every last drop of water out, but there will be enough space in the pipes for water to expand without the pipes bursting.
October is the perfect time to winterize because you never know when a November Freeze may sneak up on you and catch you off guard.
Give us a call and let us set up an appointment to winterize your irrigation system!
253-261-2700
Thanks for reading the blog!
Derrik Tribble
The Lawn Psychologist
When blue skies become grey and I can feel a chilly breeze in the air, I know it's time to shut the irrigation system down for the winter. I think October is the perfect month... depending on where you live.
The reason that you want to winterize your irrigation system (some call it blowing out your system) is because the water in your irrigation pipes will burst because of expansion when the water freezes. Some may say that you don't need to because your pipes are buried (a minimum) of 12" beneath the ground. This is not wise as your pipes may not freeze but your valves are in a valve box and exposed to the cold air which could cause a break. 
We fix a lot of Backflow devices that freeze cracked during the winter because the irrigation system was not winterized. That is a costly mistake as having a contractor replace a double check valve assembly (dcva) generally starts around $500.00 (depending on the size and availability of the dvca). 
You winterize your irrigation system by using an air compressor to blow air through your irrigation pipes which pushes the water out through the sprinkler heads. You will not get every last drop of water out, but there will be enough space in the pipes for water to expand without the pipes bursting. October is the perfect time to winterize because you never know when a November Freeze may sneak up on you and catch you off guard.
Give us a call and let us set up an appointment to winterize your irrigation system!
253-261-2700
Thanks for reading the blog!
Derrik Tribble
The Lawn Psychologist
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