The winter weather is steadily creeping our way, as much as we may not like to think about it. Therefore, it’s important you get a head start on winterizing your sprinkler system. Chances are, you no longer need to use it, as the hot and dry season is over, so it’s better to get that system winterized now before the cold weather hits, as you never know when it will truly arrive in force.
There are a variety of tasks and chores associated with winterizing your sprinkler system. Getting this maintenance done with your irrigation system will help you avoid having to pay for unnecessary sprinkler system repair in Burlington County, NJ in the spring that follows.
Here’s an overview of the steps you need to take to winterize your sprinkler system.
Turn the outside water off
Believe it or not, this is the step most people forget, likely because it’s so simple that they don’t even think about it. The very first thing you should do is turn off the water source to your sprinkler system—it’s not enough to just turn off the hose spigot. Wherever your main water supply is located, go and shut it off at the source and get all your exterior water off.
Get rid of water in lines and parts
After you shut the water off, there’s probably still going to be some water sitting inside some of the components in your sprinkler system. This means you should go through all of your valves, filters, backflow devices, pipes, regulators, hoses and sprinklers to make sure there isn’t any water inside of them. Open them all up, switch the controller to “on” and let the system run, bleeding the pressure that could potentially build up inside the main after you switch off the water supply.
Once this cycle is complete, put the controller to “off” and leave it there until spring. Getting all the water out will prevent any standing water inside the system from freezing and expanding during the winter, which would potentially damage those components.
Cut back on your watering
Once you’ve got your sprinkler system turned off, you need to cut back on your watering until the spring. By now, you really shouldn’t need to do much in the way of watering, as there should be plenty of moisture trapped in the ground from rain to keep your plants healthy until spring. The air temperature is not hot enough that it will evaporate as quickly as it does in the summer. If you absolutely need to water, use a watering can or hose, and do not turn your irrigation system back on.
We get it—having to go around your home and winterize a lot of your outdoor equipment can be a pain, especially when you have plenty of other chores and tasks around the house to worry about. But for its long-term integrity, it is important you perform this simple maintenance task each year. For more information about sprinkler system maintenance in Burlington County, NJ, contact the team at Star Sprinkler Systems Inc. today.