One of the most destructive aspects of winter is the freeze-thaw cycle caused by temperature fluctuations. This affects most materials, most notably water, causing it to expand and contract repeatedly. When trapped in a hose or sprinkler system, expanding and contracting water can cause serious equipment damage. That’s why it’s crucial to prepare your sprinkler system for winter as soon as possible. When your equipment is properly winterized, it will be less vulnerable to the freeze-thaw cycle and have a longer service life.

If you haven’t winterized your lawn sprinklers yet, here are a few tips for doing it right:

• Thoroughly Drain Irrigation Equipment: Begin the winterization process by draining all hoses and other fixtures. You should also empty all outdoor spigots by temporarily shutting down the water supply and allowing the spigots to run dry. Certain sprinkler systems, such as those with electric valves, must be blown dry using pressurized air.
• Insulate Exposed Plumbing & Spigots: All above-ground sprinkler systems need to be insulated. A common method is to wrap them with specialized tape or tubing, though you can also have your pipes buried under soil. While topsoil can freeze, pipes residing far enough underground will not.
• Shut Off Systems: Since you won’t be using your sprinkler system over the winter, consider switching the controller to “rain mode” for the season. As an added precaution, disconnect it from any pumps, so there’s no chance one will accidentally activate. Some people prefer to completely shut off power to their sprinkler controller rather than use the rain mode, but this may erase all of your programming information.

If you need professional help winterizing your lawn sprinkler system, get in touch with Maxum Irrigation. They work out of Waterford, CT, and provide sprinkler maintenance services throughout the New London County area. For questions about lawn winterization or other services, call (860) 525-7000. More information about the company is available online.