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HALP - freeze coming tonight, what to do with sprinkler system

S

spidey07

No Lifer
1st year in new home with 10 zone inground sprinkler system, maybe 40 heads.

We've got a freeze warning for tonite, I know it's mainly for plants and I've harvested everything I can but what should I do about the sprlinklers?

I have two trains of thought:
1) Let it run as normal, keep the water moving in the cold hours 0500 and 0700
2) Shut controller off and shut water supply off

I'm leaning towards option 1 as the main lines are 4-6 inches underground. I think I'm asking for trouble if I keep it off and pressurized. But then again that water is 4-6" deep and should be OK for a light freeze.
 
Tonight you'll be ok, but you should figure something out for winter. I'd bleed the lines, but I don't know how to do that for sprinklers.
 
Is there a place where you can disconnect the water source? if so, you can blow out all the water with compressed air.
 
Turn off the water main that is inside the house or on the manifold in the ground should be sufficient.

First few days of freeze will not be enough to freeze underground pipping. However, you might want to blast the stagnate water out of the pipping ASAP.
 
sdifox said:
Is there a place where you can disconnect the water source? if so, you can blow out all the water with compressed air.
Click to expand...

That's the normal way to deal with sprinklers in the winter. Turn off the sprinkler system where ever it ties into the house system. MOST of the time, there's a "blow-out" connection that you can connect to compressed air.

4-6" below grade isn't deep enough to keep the lines from freezing.

http://www.hunterindustries.com/winterizing-your-irrigation-system

http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/winter.htm
 
I think I'll be OK for tonight before landscaper can blow it out, my main question is should I let it run or not. Right now it's only a frost warning, was freeze warning. Louisville KY
 
spidey07 said:
I think I'll be OK for tonight before landscaper can blow it out, my main question is should I let it run or not. Right now it's only a frost warning, was freeze warning. Louisville KY
Click to expand...

The first freeze in KY won't be enough to damage anything. I'd let it go, and take care of it before Nov.
 
lxskllr said:
Tonight you'll be ok, but you should figure something out for winter. I'd bleed the lines, but I don't know how to do that for sprinklers.
Click to expand...

Yep, he'll be fine until persistent cold sets in. If OP's system is like mine, shut off the irrigation source. Rent or borrow an air compressor, hook it up to the blow-out connection at the backflow valve, blow out the lines (I think mine blows out at like 100psi, but don't remember exactly off hand). When the water is all out, disconnect and leave your valves (drains in the ground boxes and backflow) open halfway for the Winter.

...or wait until one of the 10,000 inevitable solicitors show up on your door and pay them $30 to take care of it in 5 minutes.
 
We have to have some official closing, the company submits something to the city for the back flow. They basically blow it out in the fall and check things out in the spring, about 90 bux a pop.
 
Yes, your sprinkler system will not freeze up with the first frost.

Blowing out the sprinkler system? Really? The installations I'm familiar with (an admittedly small number) are all laid out with drains at low points in the underground piping. You just open the drains after turning off the water supply and you're ready for winter.
 
Surely you can't be serious 😱

Your underground water lines will not freeze this early in the season, the ground temperature is still pretty high.

edit: oh, well, probably trolled again I did not see who the OP was 🙁
 
Last edited:
Drako said:
Surely you can't be serious 😱

Your underground water lines will not freeze this early in the season, the ground temperature is still pretty high.

edit: oh, well, probably trolled again I did not see who the OP was 🙁
Click to expand...

Yes, I understand that. It was the heads I was concerned about and weather I should run the water or not.

Oh well, google tells me blowing the lines out myself isn't a good idea. I'll pay the 40 bucks to have somebody else do it.
 
If you're still worried, run out to the store & get a few containers of salt. Pour the salt all over the ground near the sprinkler heads. Salt water doesn't freeze until a very low temp, so this will prevent any damage from freezing until it's significantly below 32F. 😛 🙂
 
DrPizza said:
If you're still worried, run out to the store & get a few containers of salt. Pour the salt all over the ground near the sprinkler heads. Salt water doesn't freeze until a very low temp, so this will prevent any damage from freezing until it's significantly below 32F. 😛 🙂
Click to expand...

Now that's just wrong.
 
DrPizza said:
If you're still worried, run out to the store & get a few containers of salt. Pour the salt all over the ground near the sprinkler heads. Salt water doesn't freeze until a very low temp, so this will prevent any damage from freezing until it's significantly below 32F. 😛 🙂
Click to expand...

Excellent idea. Saves labor mowing the lawn in warm weather too. I've threatened to salt my yard. Spread rock salt with a push fertilizer. That way neighbors can see me taking an active interest in my yard, and I can blame the failure on goblins or something. I hate grass.
 
Peanut butter on the tips and linseed oil on the threads. It's the only way to keep everything from freezing solid and cracking.
 
Blowing out the lines with air is the usual thing to do for larger installations. Not sure what residential systems are like.
 
You waited this long to bleed the lines? This should have been done at like end of august when the weather starts to dip near below zero at night.

Same thing with removing the hose from the outside faucet, and making sure the inside valve is shut off. I learned the hard way that this needs to be done even with frost free valves... they aren't truly frost free. 😛 Removing the hose is not enough, it needs to be shut off indoors. I've also been told to leave the outside one open, which makes sense.

As for the sprinkler system I'd blow air in it. Hopefully there's an inlet somewhere for an air compressor. Idealy you want to pump in very dry air, but any air is better than water.
 
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