What Happens When You Don’t Winterize Your Sprinkler System?
What happens when you don’t winterize your sprinkler system? Is it really that bad? If you’re curious to find out what happens if you don’t winterize, you’re in the right place. Stay tuned to learn why winterizing your irrigation systems is so necessary.
Cracks in Your Pipes and Fittings
Water left in your pipes will turn to ice when temperatures descend below freezing. That will cause the water to expand inside your pipes and fittings. From there, it’s only a matter of time before cracks start to show up. That will ruin your pipes and fittings. If there’s a lot of water left in the pipes, they could even burst. If you don’t want to replace all your pipes, it’s crucial to winterize your sprinkler system. Doing so will save you lots of money on repairs.
Busted Sprinkler Heads
Your pipes aren’t the only components at risk during a winter freeze. The sprinkler heads are also a significant cause of concern. When water freezes inside, it builds up a considerable amount of pressure. This pressure accumulates in the sprinkler head, eventually leading to it bursting. The last thing you want is to fire up your sprinkler in the spring only to realize that the head is completely ruined.
Broken Backflow Devices and Valves
Backflow prevention devices are vital to the operation of your sprinkler systems. If your backflow device breaks, contaminated water can seep into your system. The frozen water will damage your backflow devices, which isn’t good. It will also damage your valves and parts. Even if they don’t break outright, they could incur damages that lead to failures down the line.
How To Prevent These Problems
It’s crucial to winterize your sprinkler system to avoid all these issues. As a rule of thumb, close your sprinklers during the wintertime. Ensure that you remove all the water either through the blowout method or by draining them.
Final Takeaways
What happens when you don’t winterize your sprinkler system? By now, you should know the answer to that question. Not winterizing your sprinklers is a recipe for disaster if it gets below freezing where you live. If you notice the temperature dipping below 32 degrees, draining your sprinkler should be your next step.
