There is no question that your sprinkler system is an important part of your landscaping. If it doesn’t work properly, you run the risk of losing your flowers, shrubbery, trees, and lawn. Hand-watering your lawn and plants with a garden hose just doesn’t offer the same effective, even results that an in-ground sprinkler system does.

If you don’t have a properly working and reliable irrigation system during the summer months, keeping your lawn healthy can be a real challenge. Plants, trees, and sod are extremely expensive to replace, which is why it is important to maintain and protect your sprinkler system throughout the year. Before freezing weather arrives, you need to take the necessary steps to winterize your irrigation system.

Shut the Water Off

The first step is to turn off the water going to your sprinklers. Make sure this is done at the main valve. The shut-off valve for a sprinkler system is typically housed in a space where it won’t freeze. If this is not something that was done during the installation process, then call the professionals to have it done before frigid temperatures arrive.

Turn the Controller Off

Once all the water is turned off, you should shut off the timer, also called the controller. In some cases, timers have settings that are marked “rain mode.” If yours doesn’t, you should disconnect it from the power source. If you have a timer that is outdated, you may need to update the model, to something such as a solid-state controller, which provides digital displays for time settings, in addition to ensuring energy efficiency to reduce power bills.

Remove the Backflow Preventer

Your sprinkler system is set up with a device to prevent backflow, which is great during the lawn-watering season. However, during the winter months, it needs to be removed and put into storage until spring. Once it is removed, you need to drain the water, which can be done by:

• Siphoning the water out
• Pumping it out with a vacuum that is designed for wet/dry use
• Attach duct tape to the hose to narrow the opening
• Drain the above ground valves and store them

Remove all Water from the Pipes

Before freezing temperatures arrive, it is essential you remove all the water from the sprinkler mechanisms and pipes to help prevent any freezing, expanding, bursting, or cracking in the pipes. You can remove the water by either using a shop vacuum (which can be time-consuming) or blow the sprinkler valves out.

Protect the Hoses and Spigots

While protecting the valves and pipes of the sprinkler system is important, you also need to safeguard other parts of the irrigation system. You can protect the spigots by covering them with Styrofoam that is sold at most home improvement stores. For hoses, you should store them in a shed or other area away from snow and ice to prevent the possibility of cracking.

Winter weather can wreak havoc on an irrigation system if it is not properly protected. If you are still unsure of what needs to be done to protect your system, it is best to contact the professionals for help.