Your sprinklers are essential for maintaining a lush, beautiful lawn year-round. However, Winter in Florida can make managing more challenging. Seeking help from irrigation services ensures your system is winterized properly. This article will guide you on how to winterize sprinkler system, and hiring a professional for sprinkler service near you is a great way to protect your system from harsh winter conditions.
During the winter months in St Augustine and surrounding areas, your sprinkler system may stop working due to frozen and solidified ground caused by snowfall and freezing temperatures. In such cases, contact a lawn care specialist to repair your sprinkler system at earliest and prepare it for the cold season.
4 Easy Steps to Winterize Your Sprinkler System
If you live in a region that sees heavy snowfall or has freezing temperatures, winterizing is essential for your sprinkler system. Even though it is cold, you still want to water your garden and keep the plants and trees alive. Here’s how to winterize sprinkler system, either with the help of professional irrigation services near me, or by doing-it-yourself.
1. Check the Weather
As the temperature reduces, the sprinkler system may start getting damaged and begin cracking. You need to regularly check the weather to find the right time to winterize the sprinkler system. The process involves blowouts, draining, and maintenance of the system by a professional irrigation services. Winterize the system at least a week before you are anticipating the temperature to go berserk. Preparing yourself in advance is the best way to save the sprinkler.
2. Insulate the Sprinkler System
If you live in a place where there is heavy snow, it doesn’t make sense to use the sprinkler for your garden. You can shut off the main valve to stop the water supply. After that, you need to insulate the lever system as it is more prone to freeze in snow than anything else. You can hire an expert sprinkler repair near you, to insulate all the assets, including the level, sprinkler head, and the above ground piping that might freeze as the temperature continues to decrease.
3. Drain the Pipes
One of the most important things that any lawn sprinkler repair, will suggest is to drain the pipes. You don’t want the water to freeze in the pipes and then crack them up. Since you are shutting off the water supply to the sprinkler, there is still some leftover water that can damage the sprinkler system. Ensure that there’s no water. You can contact Johnny’s Turf a local irrigation specialist to come and check the pipes if you are not sure that they are completely empty.
4. Disconnect the Controller
If you have an automatic sprinkler system, disconnect the controller. When you shut off the valve, the system automatically disconnects with the controller. Remove any wiring that may lead to potential security hazards. This will eliminate any possibilities of the pump being accidentally activated, which often leads to overheating. You must check that the wires of the lever are also removed so that no hazard takes place even if some snow melts and gets inside the irrigation system.
Winterizing your sprinkler system is essential for its longevity. Hiring a local professional to assess your system ensures proper winter care, keeping it safe from the cold. This way, your sprinkler will be ready to perform flawlessly come spring and summer.