sprinkler system winterization?

[nzwasp]

Does anyone not do this in winter?

I dont know if its necessary or not?

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Its a good idea, you don't want to burst your lines and plastic sprayers.

My parents didn't do it the first year in our place and one line burst that we had to dig up to repair and most of our plastic sprayers broke from the water freezing and expanding in them over winter/spring.

[Lex350]

Always do this.....what's the issue? It only coast $75 on average.

[schocker]

You just blow it out with a compressor no :confused:

[turbotrip]

we rarely do it now

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by schocker
You just blow it out with a compressor no :confused:

Never done it but I assume so. There's probably a blow down hook up location.
From what I've seen on commercial sites, it takes about 30 min.

[hedge]

Mine is fed off the tap so I built an adapter to fit the hose bib and blow it out with my air compressor. Been doing it this way for years and never had a problem.

[Tik-Tok]

I just hook my compressor to a fitting I installed in the supply line, manually open all the valves, and let it run for a few minutes.

Paying $75 is ridiculous, lol. It isn't like you need to get ALL the water out of the line, so long as the lines aren't completely filled, then the expansion from the water freezing isn't going to burst anything.

[nzwasp]

Im thinking of not doing it this year. I dont think any of my neighbors do it and all our sections are sloped so the water runs away from all the heads.

If i had a compressor I could probably hook it in to the outside tap that feeds the system and blow it out myself although no idea how to do this.

[Waldi]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
I just hook my compressor to a fitting I installed in the supply line, manually open all the valves, and let it run for a few minutes.

Paying $75 is ridiculous, lol. It isn't like you need to get ALL the water out of the line, so long as the lines aren't completely filled, then the expansion from the water freezing isn't going to burst anything.


you can justify this way buying compressor as it will pay for itself after 3 -4 years.

[MushiSushi]

We bought a new house last year and I didn't get around to calling someone to winterize the sprinklers. Everything was fine in the spring.

However, this year I think I'm going to call someone to get it done.

I do want to try and do it myself, but I'm just not sure where to start. I don't know how it was set up, nor do i know where I should hook up the compressor.

Kijiji has a few guys doing it for $50. Can something go horribly wrong?

Thanks,
Ed

[blitz]

Even if you don't burst a line the first year, the ice expansion in the lines can still weaken the material and lead to failures in future years. Good insurance to do it, IMO.

[mr2mike]

Diy.
YouTube how to do it with your sprinkler mode.

[BMDUBS]

I am in the irrigation business (large commercial) and a blow out is cheap insurance. Most homes have Poly Ethylene lines which can take some freezing but as some other posters have pointed out there are other brittle components in the system namely your sprinkler heads and valves/manifold.

It is cheap insurance to do this as service rates are $70-$100.00/hour in the industry. Chasing leaks is a PITA when they are from frost breaks as when you fix 1 section, you reintroduce pressure and the next component fails.

Not to mention the damage you do to the landscape from excavation.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[thinmyster]

id like to know too

[Tik-Tok]

You can just piece one together from HomeDepot. This is mine.

http://i.imgur.com/E3NqTpi.jpg

[codetrap]

.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Cos]

.

[Waldi]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
I just hook my compressor to a fitting I installed in the supply line, manually open all the valves, and let it run for a few minutes.

Paying $75 is ridiculous, lol. It isn't like you need to get ALL the water out of the line, so long as the lines aren't completely filled, then the expansion from the water freezing isn't going to burst anything.

Agreed on the cost, in fact you can justify to get compressor based on 3-5 years payout just for using it for sprinkler system winterization, and in terms of hookup, I used washer connector to make this hose.

[thinmyster]

how big is your guys' compressor (CFM)? and what psi do you set it at?

[Cos]

.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by thinmyster
how big is your guys' compressor (CFM)? and what psi do you set it at?

8.5cfm, and I keep the psi low, around 40, so I don't wreck the valves.

[blitz]

I'd say tank size matters more than CFM in this case. I have a 5 Gallon, I run it at 60 PSI until the air pressure is around 40, then I shut the valve and let pressure build up fully to 125 again and repeat.

[ExtraSlow]

Just a tip, that brass air hose/hose bib fitting is sold at Hobo Camper Country on Edmonton trail for $9.95 if you don't feel like putting together your own from parts.

[Cos]

.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[ExtraSlow]

Huh, now I wonder if it'll work on my sprinkler. I need it for the RV too, so at least I'm sure it'll work on that.

[benyl]

so I have been paying $75 - $150 every year to blow mine out. the guy comes with a compressor trailer. Its fucking huge!. Can these little shit compressors do the job?

So 40-50 psi? I don't want to fuck up my system.

[Cos]

.

[benyl]

Originally posted by Cos


http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/media/img/air_water.jpg



So I know I need this fitting (female) as mine is connected to my water supply inside. It then has a spout like a normal water hose fitting on the outside before dropping into the ground.

Where do I get it? Or do I piece it together like Sugar?

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Cos]

.