What It Means
Winterizing sprinklers means getting every drop of water out of an in-ground irrigation system before the ground freezes. Colorado State University Extension explains that water freezing inside the system breaks pipes, fittings, valves, sprinkler heads and pumps, and it recommends blowing the lines out with pressurized air rather than trusting the drain valves. The backflow device needs its own treatment, because some types must never get compressed air.
Try It: Step Through a Sprinkler Blowout
Step through a blowout as Colorado State University Extension describes it. In step 3, pick the backflow device you have.
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How It Sounds at Home
- "We need to get the sprinklers blown out before the first freeze."
- "The irrigation guy is coming Thursday with the compressor."
- "A head cracked over the winter, we must have missed a zone."
The Breakdown
How often
| Job | How often | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Blow out the whole system | Once a year, each fall before freezing weather | Buhata's own suggestion, based on CSU's warning that freezing water breaks the system |
| Check the backflow device type before blowout | Every time | CSU Extension |
| Leave the controller powered | All winter | CSU Extension |
Why the blowout matters. CSU warns against trusting manual or automatic drain valves to empty the system, and recommends pushing the water out of every zone with pressurized air instead.
Make it last between winters. Buhata's own suggestion: when you turn the system back on in spring, run each zone and walk it, looking for heads that don't pop up or spray unevenly. That's where winter damage shows first.
Good to Know
Shut off the water to the system first, and call a licensed irrigation contractor for anything beyond this routine, including repairs to the backflow device. Buhata's own suggestion: if you don't own a suitable compressor, or aren't sure which backflow device you have, hire the blowout out, since blowing air into a pressure vacuum breaker or reduced pressure device can ruin it. Buhata also suggests eye protection while the air is running. Your outdoor faucets need their own fall routine: the American Red Cross says to drain and store hoses, close the inside valve that feeds each outdoor faucetHose bibAn outdoor faucet on the outside wall of a house, threaded so a garden hose can screw onto it. Also called a spigot or outdoor faucet. See more, and leave the outdoor faucet open to drain.
FAQ
When should I winterize my sprinklers?
Buhata's own suggestion is once a year in fall, before the first hard freeze where you live. Colorado State University Extension explains that water freezing inside the system breaks pipes, valves and heads.
Do I really need to blow out my sprinkler lines?
CSU Extension recommends expelling all the water with pressurized air and says not to trust manual or automatic drain valves to do it.
Can I blow out a backflow preventer?
It depends on the type. CSU says an atmospheric vacuum breaker clears when each zone is blown out, but a pressure vacuum breaker or reduced pressure device must never be blown out, because the heat of the air can melt its rubber seals.
Do It in Buhata
Maintenance (Household X) and Reminders
Add "Blow out the sprinklers" to Maintenance in the Household X add-on on a yearly schedule each fall, and set a Reminder a week ahead to book it.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Hose bib
An outdoor faucet on the outside wall of a house, threaded so a garden hose can screw onto it. Also called a spigot or outdoor faucet.
- Frozen pipes
Water pipes in which the water has turned to ice, blocking the flow and building pressure that can split the pipe and flood the house once it thaws.
- Pipe insulation
Foam or fiberglass sleeves and wraps fitted around water pipes to cut heat loss from hot water lines and help keep exposed pipes from freezing.
- Lawn care schedule
A year-round plan that puts each lawn job, from mowing height to seeding and fertilizing, in the season that suits your type of grass.
Sources
Colorado State University Extension, "Home Sprinkler Systems: Preparing Your Sprinkler System for Winter"; CSU Extension, "Home Sprinkler Systems: Backflow Prevention Devices"; American Red Cross, "Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes"
- extension.colostate.edu/resource/home-sprinkler-systems-preparing-your-sprinkler-system-for-winter
- extension.colostate.edu/resource/home-sprinkler-systems-backflow-prevention-devices
- www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/winter-storm/frozen-pipes.html
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