Table of Contents
How do I protect my sprinkler backflow from freezing?
Take an old pillow and wrap it around the exposed pipe. You may want to tie or tape the pillow in place to keep it wrapped snugly around the pipe. 5. Secure the bag tightly over the pillow.
Should I remove backflow preventer for winter?
If water freezes in the backflow preventer or the ball valves it can cause internal damage or possible crack the device or valve. To minimize the risk of freezing, it is almost always necessary to “winterize” your irrigation system and backflow preventer.
Do I need to insulate my backflow preventer?
Things You’ll Need Place excess insulation in the valve manifold to protect irrigation valves. During the winter, the backflow preventer on your irrigation system should be completely drained of water to prevent internal freezing, which can cause various parts of the system to break.
What temperature will backflow preventer freeze?
Unfortunately, backflow preventers have precise and integral components that can be easily damaged by the forces of frozen water. Be prepared to protect your backflow preventers when the temperature drops below 32 degrees…or be prepared to repair and replace all the valves in your system.
How do I winterize my sprinkler system?
Steps for Winterizing Your Sprinkler System Step 1: Shut Off the Water. It will come as no surprise that the first step is turning off the water to the system with a main valve that’s usually found near your water meter. Step 2: Turn Off the Timer. Step 3: Drain the Water. Step 4: Insulate Above-Ground Components.
How do I winterize my sprinklers without a compressor?
You can winterize a sprinkler system without an air compressor if all of your irrigation lines are buried at a slight downhill slope. Simply shut off the main water supply to your system and open the drain valves at the end of each zone.
How do I know if my sprinkler system is self draining?
Depending on the type of drain valve your system utilizes, draining could be truly automatic, or it could be manual, requiring that you pull a few levers to get things moving. One way to tell if your system is manual-draining is if your sprinkler heads have check valves on them.
How does a sprinkler system backflow preventer work?
On a fire protection system, backflow preventers rely on two one-way valves, or check valves, assembled in a series to prevent water from backing up into the supply line. Think of the check valves as one-way gates, only allowing water to flow through them in one direction.
How do I insulate my sprinkler system?
Insulate the system The main shut off valve for your sprinkler system needs protection against freezing, so wrap it with insulation such as a plastic bag and foam insulation tape. This protects it from the severity of winter and prevents it from freezing.
How do I prepare my sprinklers for freezing?
Steps to Help Protect Sprinkler Irrigation System From Freeze Step 1: Shut off Water supply to Irrigation System. Step 2: Unplug Booster Pump (not installed on all systems) Step 3: Run System to Relieve Pressure. Step 4: Open Outside Pipe. Step 5: Open Outside RPZ Valve.
Do sprinkler systems need to be winterized?
So, if you have a lawn sprinkler, you need to winterize it before the temperatures plunge to the freezing mark. If you forget to winterize your sprinklers, you run the risk that water will freeze in the irrigation valves, pipes and sprinkler heads.
What temperature should I winterize my sprinkler system?
To avoid any possibility of damage, sprinkler lines need to be drained prior to temperatures dipping below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Failing to winterize a sprinkler system before a hard freeze (air temperature is below 0 degrees Fahrenheit) can lead to expensive and time-consuming repair costs.
Do I need a backflow preventer for my sprinkler system?
Lawn irrigation systems can backflow contaminated water into your drinking water. In order to prevent this, building codes require that these systems be protected with a backflow preventer: International Plumbing Code 2006 608.16. 5 Connections to lawn irrigation systems.
What is the difference between a check valve and a backflow preventer?
Check valves are used in a wide variety of equipment, cars, planes, pneumatic and fluid systems, while backflow preventers are typically used in plumbing systems for structures. A check valve has a variety of roles but is mostly used to regulate and control the flow of fluids, especially into pumps.
How do I know if my backflow preventer is working?
For backflow preventers, you must conduct consistent inspections, repairs, and replacements to avoid water contamination. But how do you notice the signs?Water Quality Is off A bad smell. Discolored water. Particles in the water. A strange taste.
Will sprinklers freeze?
During the winter months, many homeowners forget to protect their landscape sprinklers from freezing temperatures. 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.
What happens when sprinklers freeze?
Water cal also freezes inside sprinkler heads themselves. As the frozen water expands, the pressure from the ice can pop off sprinkler heads. Another possible effect is that the water will expand inside the plastic body of the sprinkler, cracking the sprinkler down the side.
