What happens when you don’t winterize your sprinkler system? Is it really that bad? If you’re curious to find out what happens if you don’t winterize, you’re in the right place. Stay tuned to learn why winterizing your irrigation systems is so necessary.
Cracks in Your Pipes and Fittings
Water left in your pipes will turn to ice when temperatures descend below freezing. That will cause the water to expand inside your pipes and fittings. From there, it’s only a matter of time before cracks start to show up. That will ruin your pipes and fittings. If there’s a lot of water left in the pipes, they could even burst. If you don’t want to replace all your pipes, it’s crucial to winterize your sprinkler system. Doing so will save you lots of money on repairs.
Busted Sprinkler Heads
Your pipes aren’t the only components at risk during a winter freeze. The sprinkler heads are also a significant cause of concern. When water freezes inside, it builds up a considerable amount of pressure. This pressure accumulates in the sprinkler head, eventually leading to it bursting. The last thing you want is to fire up your sprinkler in the spring only to realize that the head is completely ruined.
Broken Backflow Devices and Valves
Backflow prevention devices are vital to the operation of your sprinkler systems. If your backflow device breaks, contaminated water can seep into your system. The frozen water will damage your backflow devices, which isn’t good. It will also damage your valves and parts. Even if they don’t break outright, they could incur damages that lead to failures down the line.
How To Prevent These Problems
It’s crucial to winterize your sprinkler system to avoid all these issues. As a rule of thumb, close your sprinklers during the wintertime. Ensure that you remove all the water either through the blowout method or by draining them.
Final Takeaways
What happens when you don’t winterize your sprinkler system? By now, you should know the answer to that question. Not winterizing your sprinklers is a recipe for disaster if it gets below freezing where you live. If you notice the temperature dipping below 32 degrees, draining your sprinkler should be your next step.
Many homeowners don’t know what happens if you don’t winterize your sprinklers. They assume they can leave their sprinklers out year-round without making any preparations for freezing weather. Unless they live in an exceptionally warm climate, failing to winterize could result in expensive repairs in the spring.
The Risks of Not Winterizing Your Sprinkler System
Many of the risks associated with winter relate to the fact that when water freezes, it expands. Expansion and crystallization of ice within pipes, garden hoses, and sprinklers lead to severe damage. Water lines to the sprinkler system can burst, and ice can destroy drain valves and the sprinkler head itself.
Homeowners can avoid the risk of damage by getting a sprinkler blowout by Specialized Property Care before each winter.
Ways of Winterizing Your Sprinkler System
Manual Draining
If your sprinkler system has drain valves and the water runs downhill within the system, you can turn off the water and let excess water run naturally from the sprinkler lines. If your sprinkler has a backflow device, drain water from this as well. Closing the valves after draining prevents water from reentering the sprinkler system after draining is done.
Automatic Drain
If your sprinkler system has an automatic drain system, it will drain automatically when you cut the water supply and run the sprinkler to lower the water pressure. The backflow device will have to be drained manually.
Sprinkler Blowout
The sprinkler blowout technique is more effective for sprinkler systems that require you to push water up an incline or ensure a more thorough water removal. The sprinkler blowout involves using an air compressor to force air through the sprinkler lines, valve, and sprinkler head.
The Sprinkler Blowout Process
What happens if you don’t winterize your sprinklers? You won’t have to find out if you schedule a sprinkler blowout this fall. With Specialized Property Care, all you have to do is provide contact details and payment through our online form — we’ll send you an email confirmation of your scheduled appointment.
We will calculate the strength of the air compressor needed based on the size of your sprinkler system. Then, our technician will blow air through the sprinkler lines, valves, and sprinkler heads, and close them so water does not enter.
Choosing Specialized Property Care for Your Sprinkler Blowout and Sprinkler Repair
If you don’t winterize your sprinklers, the entire system can experience failure and need to be repaired. Specialized Property Care is the top choice for professional sprinkler winterization and sprinkler repair service in Sioux Falls, SD. Our owner Charles Haddock offers a personal customer satisfaction guarantee.
For a free estimate, call 605-307-5892 today. Ask about our new customer discount.