Winterization
Winterization season is upon us!! That dreaded time of the year when temperatures drop, and pipes begin to freeze. Clients often ask us if winterization is necessary. Sprinkler systems are an investment, and like any investment maintenance is necessary. Sure, you can drive you car with old dirty oil, but eventually your engine will fail. A $40 oil change has turned into hundreds, or thousands of repairs. We always suggest protecting your investments. A frozen backflow preventer, or cracked valves, and manifolds can cost you $200-$400. Digging up your front yard to chase cracked pipes can be just as costly sometimes these repairs can range into the $1,000’s. While many homeowners choose to blow out their system on their own there are several reasons why we suggest hiring a professional. First, this can quickly become an all day process. Winterization requires large capacity air compressors with an air flow rate between 15 and 30 CFM (cubic feet per minute). Small 1-3 gallon consumer air compressors will not be able to push enough air through your system. This being the case you will constantly have to shut down, and recharge your sprinkler lines. Improper winterization may result in melting, or exploding your sprinkler pipes, and heads. If your PSI, and CFM is to high. If it’s too low your pipes may freeze. Because of the complicated nature of this process we recommend contacting an irrigation professional to have these services performed.
