How to Winterize Your Sprinkler System: A Complete Guide
A bit of sprinkler maintenance now can save you a lot of hassle come spring
- Air compressor
- Safety glasses
- Bucket
- Channel-lock pliers
- Blow-out adapter
- Insulation tape
- Faucet/spigot covers
Learning how to winterize your sprinkler system will help ensure it works well when you’re ready to use it again in spring and prevent damage from a frozen and burst pipe. This annual maintenance task can be a DIY part of your overall winter home maintenance checklist, or you can opt to hire a sprinkler professional to make sure it’s done correctly.
Disconnect the Water or Shut Off the Valve
Stop the flow of water to your sprinkler system by disconnecting the water line or shutting off the valve so that it’s perpendicular to your piping. Exterior shut-off valves are typically located on the outside of a wall, close to a door leading inside. You can also check the meter box, often labeled “water.”
Turn Off the Sprinkler Timer
Next, switch your sprinkler timer or controller to the “off” setting. Turning off the controller is an essential part of the winterizing process because doing so ensures that the entire system shuts down and parts don’t run during the winter. In the spring, you’ll need to turn back on the controller and reprogram your settings.
Manually Drain Water From the System
Once the sprinkler system is disconnected from its water source, you can drain the sprinkler system’s water by opening the valves to the sprinkler heads or turning the system on. Wait until you see the water stop flowing from the sprinkler heads to turn the system off.
Some sprinkler systems have an automatic function that will drain water from the pipes and sprinkler heads through flush valves located at the low points in the line. The system automatically drains itself each time you turn it off. Check to ensure these valves work and that the system is successfully drained. Consult your system’s user manual for details on your automated flush valves.
Blow Out Your Sprinkler System
Expelling the residual water from your sprinkler pipes ensures they won’t freeze during the winter. You’ll need an air compressor that produces an air volume of 30 to 50 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and a pressure of 40 to 80 pounds per square inch (PSI).
Air compressors without the adequate CFM and PSI won’t be able to force the water out, and compressors that are too powerful can damage the pipes. If you have polyethylene pipes, keep the pressure below 50 PSI.
To blow out your sprinkler system:
Connect your air compressor to the sprinkler system through a quick-connect hose adapter at the blow-out port. Some sprinkler systems have a valve or connector set up for connecting an air hose to your system.
Create sprinkler zones (if you don’t have them already) and open each sprinkler.
Close the backflow valves and set the air pressure to 40 to 80 PSI, depending on your pipes.
Blow out the sprinklers by zone (start with the farthest zone). Water should spray out of each head.
Blow out any remaining water by zone.
Release compressed air by repeatedly opening and closing the manual drain valve and the valves on the backflow preventer.
Insulate Spigots and Outdoor Faucets
The final winterizing step is to protect your outdoor spigots and faucets for winter weather conditions. Consider purchasing small covers, or use foam insulation tape and a plastic bag for these outdoor fixtures to ensure they don’t get damaged by snow, ice, or freezing rain during the winter. Insulate any above-ground pipes with foam-insulating tape or tubes.
Tips for Winterizing Your Sprinkler System
Getting rid of as much moisture as possible within your sprinkler system is a recipe for success when winterizing your sprinkler system. You should also insulate any above-ground spigots, pipes, and faucets to prevent them from winter damage.
Use foam covers, pipe insulation, or even pool noodles to protect above-ground components of your sprinkler system.
Drain or blow out your sprinkler system on a dry day to allow moisture to dissipate more effectively.
Don’t forget to turn off your sprinkler timer.
Check your manual for drainage instructions to avoid damage to your sprinkler system.
Don’t forget to close the valves on your sprinkler system once you’ve drained it.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
The cost to professionally winterize your sprinkler system is between $60 and $130. The cost to DIY winterize your sprinkler system is nearly free, but to blow it out, you will need an air compressor that provides 30 to 50 CFM and 40 to 80 PSI. Many homeowners find it more time- and cost-effective to hire a pro to blow out their sprinkler system. A pro also ensures that your pipes and system aren’t damaged in the process.
An automatic system is relatively simple to drain, and a manual draining sprinkler system takes a little more effort, but neither require special tools. For professional-quality results, consider hiring a local sprinkler winterizer to properly protect your system for winter.
Why Do I Need to Winterize My Sprinkler System?
Winterizing your sprinkler system will prevent residual water in the pipes and sprinkler heads from freezing and causing expensive sprinkler repairs. Since water expands when it freezes, ice can crack pipes and sprinkler heads as it forms, leading to a damaged, unusable sprinkler system come spring. Removing as much residual moisture from the system as possible and insulating your system’s above-ground components will help to prevent the damage.
When Should I Winterize My Sprinkler System?
You should winterize your sprinkler system before the first hard frost, when the temperature drops below freezing for more than a few hours. Winterizing your sprinkler system in October is usually the right time of year, but you should check your local guidelines to find out when a hard freeze is predicted in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
While they have enough pressure, most home compressors can’t move enough air quickly enough to blow out a sprinkler system. Check to see if your compressor can produce ten cubic feet of air per minute to see if your home compressor will work. If not, you’ll need to rent or purchase the proper equipment.
An automatic drain valve will expel water each time your system shuts off, allowing excess water to be released. It’s a small cap that will have wires leading to it. You can also consult the manual for your sprinkler system to see if it came with automatic drain valves.
Your shut-off valve is likely located in a basement, utility room, or garage and is connected to your sprinkler system by a water line. Likely, you will be able to observe the water line connection going to your house and trace that to find the shutoff valve. You might also have an access panel that covers a utility box in your yard. If you have one of these, the shutoff valves for your sprinkler system are likely inside.
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