No matter what part of the U.S. you live in, winter is coming and that means a drop in temperature. Ensure your customer’s irrigation system is ready to run at top performance come spring by following these five winterization steps.

Step One: Perform a Walkthrough

Running the system and preforming a walkthrough will give you an opportunity to correct any existing issues that may have cropped up during the past year.

Jeffrey Knight, Ewing’s Director of Learning and Development, said clogged nozzles or emitters, broken heads, missing emitters and heads out of adjustment are all things to look for and fix.

Step Two: Turn Off the Water

Find the isolation valve that allows water to service the customer’s house or building. Once located, turn off the water for the irrigation system.

Step Three: Open the Test Cocks

Next, find the test cocks on the backflow device.

Knight said they are typically found off the side of the backflow device. Slowly open them to relieve any water pressure that may be built up.

Step Four: Manually Open and Close All Station Valves

By manually opening the station valves, you will relieve any mainline pressure that might have built up in the system. After the pressure has dissipated, close the valves.

Step Five: Blow Out the System

Areas that experience repeat temperatures below 30 degrees will need to be completely blown out to expel any water from the pipes. Failing to properly blow out an irrigation system can cause cracked pipes, broken backflow preventers and long-term damage.

For more information on how to completely blow out your irrigation system, watch this video. 

Bonus Tip! Winterizing Flow Sensors

By Brent Mecham, Industry Development Director at Irrigation Association

When an irrigation system has a flow sensor, remove the flow sensor from its fitting and replace it with a plug locked into place so the introduced air will remain in the piping versus escaping where the flow sensor is located. When replacing the sensor in the spring, ensure it is pointed in the proper flow direction.

Brent Mecham is the Industry Development Director for the Irrigation Association. His certifications include Certified Irrigation Designer, Certified Landscape Water Management, Certified Irrigation Contractor, Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor and Certified Agricultural Irrigation Specialist.