One of the best ways to keep your Glen Carbon, IL lawn looking at tiptop shape during the spring and summer is by having an irrigation system. Once the warmer months end, however, it will be time to make preparations in your yard for the winter. While many will take to raking the leaves, many with irrigation systems often forget about winterizing their irrigation system. If you do not prepare your irrigation system for the winter, the harsh weather can cause damage to your entire system. This damage can even lead your pipes for your irrigation system to burst and flood your yard or even your house. Don’t forget to winterize your irrigation system and have to pay for the damages. Here we have some tips on how to best prepare your irrigation system for the winter.
Keeping an Eye on The Weather
To start off winterizing your irrigation system in your Glen Carbon, IL yard, keep your eye on the upcoming weather. You should start preparations before the first time you believe the frost will arrive in your area. It may be a good idea to run your sprinkler one last time before you have to leave your sprinkler off, this will give your yard one last watering before things get too cold and it damages your lawn.
Drain Your System
When you are ready to turn off your sprinklers for the rest of the year, it is important that you drain your system. The ways in which one goes about draining their pipes will vary depending on the types of valves used by the system. If you cannot determine what kind of valves are used, contact your local irrigation expert to assist you.
Blow-Out Method of Draining
An effective way of making sure your pipes are completely drained for the winter is through hair-drying them. This method is referred to as the blow out method. With this method of draining, you will blow compressed air in order to push all of the remaining water out of the sprinkler system. For this you will need eye protection, a 10 cubic-feet-per-minute air compressor, and a quick-connect hose adapter which will connect the compressor to the blow-out port of the sprinkler system. Once the compressor is connected to the sprinkler system, the air pressure is increase slowly in order to push out all the water. It should spout out of the drain valves and sprinkler heads. After the water stops, make sure you cut the air flow. There is even more ways to drain out your pipes and protect your irrigation system from the winter. Need help winterizing your irrigation system in Glen Carbon, IL? Give our team of professionals over at Diversified Services a call today!
