Thank you for visiting the Hessenauer Sprinkler Repair and Irrigation blog and website. Today is the first day of 2015 and we look forward to developing more healthy relationships with new irrigation and drainage customers here in the Orlando and Central Florida area. Today we would like to provide our online readers with winter sprinkler irrigation tips and information.
Although the temperatures here in Florida rarely drop below freezing, it is important to understand proper sprinkler irrigation system practices, should the temperatures drop to below freezing, no matter what part of the world it is.
Without proper preparation your sprinkler system could be damaged by freezing temperatures. Follow these steps to protect your sprinkler irrigation system from unnecessary damage in freezing conditions.
Should temperatures sustain below freezing for an extended amount of time, consider shutting off the water supply to the irrigation system using the main valve, which should be insulated to protect it from harsh winter temperatures and prevent it from freezing. Protect your valves and backflow preventers. Insulate backflow preventers and valves if they are above ground with insulation tape for this, and be sure not to block the air vents and drain outlets on backflow preventers.
PVC pipes have a bit of resistance to freezing, but fittings that hold it in place are very vulnerable to cracking into sharp chunks. Polyethylene pipes or commonly called as poly pipes can accommodate the expansion of freezing water, but the fittings like those in PVC pipes, can break apart.
It could be necessary to turn off the controller or timer. Most controllers have a “rain-mode” which simply shuts off the signals to the valves. At this point, the controller continues to keep time, the programming information isn’t lost, and the clock continues to run throughout the winter. The only change is that the valves will not activate.
Drain the pipes. Remove the water from the pipes and sprinklers because it could freeze, expand and break the pipes. There are a few ways to drain the pipes including a manual drain valve, an automatic drain valve or the compressed air blow-out method. Since there could be potential safety risks we recommend contacting your local irrigation specialist for professional winterizing.
Call us at 407-302-2227 for a quick reply to questions regarding sprinkler systems below freezing and winterizing residential or commercial irrigation sprinkler systems in Orlando or Central Florida. Bookmark our blog and website for more news, tips and advice concerning sprinkler irrigation and drainage.