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During the winter months, many homeowners forget to protect their landscape sprinklers from freezing temperatures.  Normally, this is not a problem because the main shut-off, zone valves and heads are below ground and stay relatively insulated.  However, if the temperatures do dip down into the 20’s, or temperatures remain below 32 degrees for an extended period of time, your irrigation system can be damaged.

If prolonged freezing temperatures are in your forecast, here are some ways you can winterize your sprinkler system to help avoid or minimize the damage:

1. Turn off your sprinkler controller.  It is also a good idea to completely unplug the controller for the power source as well.  Sometimes, if the power goes out during a winter storm it could “reset” the controller and cause the system to come back on unintentionally.
2. Shut off your main shut-off valves.  The irrigation control box has a green cover and is typically located along the street.
3. Wrap valves that are below ground with towels to help insulate them during the freezing temperatures.  You should also wrap any sprinkler heads that were not properly installed and are visible above ground.

The areas we services (Plano and surrounding cities) are unlikely to need systems to be “blown-out” with compressed air.  This process is more popular/suitable for Colorado or areas that routinely have temperatures well below freezing for extended periods of time.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us!