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What to do if have not winterized your sprinkler system
and there will be an early, overnight freeze.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, these steps DO NOT GUARANTEE that your system will be protected from freeze damage.
They simply swing the odds in your favor.
In most (but not all) cases, these steps will protect your sprinkler system from an overnight freeze.
Longer periods of freezing will require normal winterization.
F.A.Q.: Is my entire system at risk?
No, even in a northern climate it will take days of sustained sub-freezing temperatures before the ground will freeze.
Until this happens, the majority of your sprinkler system is insulated and protected from freezing by the ground.
The parts that are susceptible to freeze damage are any and all parts that are above ground, including the following:
- The copper pipes and backflow prevention device that supply water to the system
- Any fixed above ground sprinklers (usually, but not always, located in gardens or landscaped areas)
- Above ground valves (ie anti-siphon valves)
- Drip emitters
- Hose faucets
- Lake pumps
- Any other part of the system that is not buried in and insulated by the ground
Self-Drain Systems: If you have a self-drain (aka automatic drain) sprinkler system, simply perform the winterization process.
The ability to winterize your sprinkler system "on demand" is one of the advantages of having a self drain system and will only take 10-15 minutes.
If you want to water again this season, simply reverse these steps or follow these startup instructions.
Blow-out Systems: If you have a standard sprinkler system that requires compressed air to purge water from the system, you can use the any of the following procedures to protect you system from freeze damage.
1) Insulate
You can wrap above ground components in an insulating material to prevent freezing.
Again, keep in mind that this will protect your above ground components from a light, overnight freeze.
Many people use an old blanket or sleeping bag and wrap the exposed components.
2) Run your system at night
Flowing water can not freeze.
Also, the water entering your system will be relatively warm and purge colder water from the system.
Usually the overnight low will occur just before sunrise.
Each zone will only need a few minutes of watering to purge the cold water.
You will have to determine when you have the system activate based on the weather.
For an extremely light freeze you may want the system to run once at 4am.
Or if the freeze will be more severe you may want the system to run at 2am and again at 4am.
There is one downside to this process and that is the fact that all the water sprayed will probably freeze.
This could be harmful to your lawn, plants, and/or create a hazard if it was sprayed on sidewalks or your driveway.
3) Perform 1/2 of the winterization process
This process usually works if the only above ground component is the copper supply pipes and backflow prevention device.
To start out, follow the winterization instructions and skip step 3.
This will drain the water from the backflow prevention device back into the house.
The remaining problem is that there is still water in the pipe that exits the backflow prevention device and goes in to the ground and in any other above ground components.
If you have any hose faucets attached to your sprinkler system open them 1/2 way.
Go to your sprinkler system controller and turn on each zone in the system for 1-2 minutes.
This should allow gravity to pull the water in all the above ground components down to ground level.
I want to remind you that this will not completely winterize the system for the winter.
It will, however, get the water below ground level where it will be insulated by the ground.
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© Pioneer Midwest Inc.
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