How to Winterize a Sprinkler System | Fall Property Maintenance, by Property Prep LLC on YouTube. 6 min 33 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 33 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Shut off the water to the system at the basement ball valve on the supply line feeding the sprinklers.
Open the drain on the supply line and let it empty completely before you go outside.
Find the outdoor master valve and remove its cap or plug so you have a connection point for the compressor.
Set the compressor regulator to 75 psi and hook the hose up at the master valve. Keep the pressure at or below that.
Open the valve boxes and run one zone at a time, letting each run until only air comes out of the heads.
Pump or vacuum out any water standing in the valve boxes, since a box without a gravel base holds water.
Clear overgrown plants such as hostas away from the sprinkler heads so they spray freely and you can see them work.
Cap the system back up, then turn the controller off for the winter so it can't run a zone by accident.
Tips and common mistakes
Never exceed the pressure the system is rated for; 75 psi is what this crew used, so use a regulator rather than full tank pressure.
Blow one zone at a time and never leave a zone valve closed with air trapped in the line.
Wear eye protection and keep people and pets away from the heads while air and water blast out.
Add the sump pump and dehumidifier filter to the same fall checklist while you are in the basement.
Questions
What is a sprinkler blowout?
It is using compressed air to force all the water out of an underground irrigation system before winter. It is the usual way to winterize sprinklers in cold places where the ground freezes.
When should I winterize my sprinklers?
In the fall, before freezing temperatures set in. In cold states like Wisconsin that usually means doing it as part of your fall cleanup.
What happens if I skip it?
Frozen water can split pipes and fittings. You often don't find the damage until you turn the system on in spring and it leaks or stops working.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
