Irrigation Winterization in Plano, TX

Sprinkler Blowout in Plano

While this area does not see much snow during the average winter, you can count on experiencing freezing weather, especially at night. If your residential or commercial property has an automatic irrigation system, then the sprinklers must be properly winterized once the temperatures start to drop.

Many landscaping companies wrongfully state that an irrigation device should be winterized when you mow the lawn for the last time each year. Truth is, the equipment must be protected before the first frost hits. As such, November tends to be the most adequate month of the year to effectively winterize an automatic sprinkler system in this area.

If you are unaware of how an irrigation system operates, then consider hiring a licensed technician to prepare your unit for the winter months. Otherwise, the water left inside the equipment will eventually freeze and shatter vital components. In which case, you will need our Richardson sprinkler repair.

Effects of an Improper Winterization

Backflow preventer – Most irrigation systems have a backflow prevention device that is connected to a potable water supply. When cold weather damages that device, the water inside the system can potentially flow back into the main supply line and contaminate the drinkable water.

Underground pipes – Above ground leaks might be easy to spot, but shattered underground pipes that froze will be difficult to detect. This can lead to excessive water bills once the system is reactivated.

Control valves – The zones of traditional sprinkler devices are controlled by irrigation valves. Cold temperatures can not only crack these valves, the leaks could reduce the water pressure of the system and damage the electrical components found inside the valve box.

Sprinkler heads – When the water inside the PVC risers freezes, the spray nozzles will break. This can lead to unresponsive sprinkler heads or inconsistent irrigation patterns.

How to Winterize a Sprinkler System

Shut off the water supply – The technicians will first close the shut off valve to deactivate the main water supply used by the sprinklers. Then, the backflow valve will be turned off to avoid damaging the backflow preventer during the winterization process. Lastly, the manual drain valves will be opened to extract the water that is inside the supply lines connected to the irrigation system.

Drain the pipes – Most companies use an air compressor to drain the remaining water from the underground pipes and other essential components. The technicians will “blow out” one zone at a time to ensure that the air does not escape through other parts of the system. This is a dangerous task that should not be performed by an unexperienced individual.

Deactivate the controller – The technicians will configure the settings of the controller or timer to turn off the irrigation valves during the months of cold weather. This will prevent the sprinklers from activating until the equipment is restarted during the spring.

Sprinkler Activation After the Winter

While you may be tempted to perform the system activation during the early spring, chances are great that the ground is still frozen. Wait until the growing season to restart your irrigation sprinklers, which begins the first week of March in this area. By then, the soil should reach normal temperatures due to the warm weather of the season.

Before restarting your irrigation system, inspect the backflow preventer to verify that it was not damaged by cold weather. After that, open the water valves slowly to avoid creating a water hammer with an unexpected pressure surge. Then, configure the controller and replace its backup batteries. To finish, manually test each zone and search for external leaks or faulty sprinkler heads.

Around mid-season, consider hiring a licensed technician to service your irrigation device. We recommend you get a full system audit, sprinkler tune-up, and backflow test at least once a year. This will keep your unit operating at peak performance and minimize the risk of system malfunctions.