How to Blowout Your Sprinkler System

With winter just around the corner and temperatures dropping across the country, it’s time to ensure your sprinkler system is prepped for the colder months. When it gets below freezing, the water in your pipes expands, which could potentially cause cracks or bursts in and around your home. Purchasing and installing a new sprinkler system, plus replacing or repairing anything damaged, is both costly and inconvenient. To protect your property and ensure everything is up and running when spring rolls around, tend to the system before the first big freeze. To blowout your sprinkler system and prepare for the cold, winter months:

1. Start by turning off the water. Depending on the age of the home and local building codes, your master shut off valve may be located in a closet, basement, utility room, shed or even outside your home (HGTV). Once found, turn the valve clockwise to halt the flow of water. The valve should turn by hand but, if it’s stuck, carefully use a pair of pliers.
2. If your system has a backflow preventer, a mechanism to ensure contaminated water doesn’t flow back into the home, ensure the backflow valve is tightly shut. The backflow preventer may be located behind your water meter or affixed to your home’s exterior.
3. Rent or purchase an air compressor. With many homeowners eager to blowout their sprinkler systems before it’s too late, compressors can be hard to find this time of year. Reserve one early or consider investing – so you’ll be set for years to come. 
4. Connect the air compressor’s hose to the threaded outlet drain valve located near your backflow preventer. You may also need to purchase an adapter to successfully connect the hose.
5. Ensure the compressor shows no more than 80 pounds per square inch of pressure (Family Handyman, 2019) on the gauge. Turn the valve to the zone furthest from you and observe the air pressure pushing the water out of each sprinkler head. Once the mist turns to air, you’re clear to move to the next zone and so forth. Depending on the size of the compressor, you may need to repeat each zone. 
6. Once the system is completely blown out, disconnect the hose, unplug your system’s timer and remove the batteries. Your sprinkler system is ready for winter!

One of the worst things that can happen to an irrigation system is frozen water embrittling the pipe walls. Cracks and bursts can be costly, inconvenient and destructive. With a proper blowout, you can rid the system of all traces of remaining water, avoiding many of the potential damages that come with changing seasons. Then, spend the colder months cool, calm and collected, knowing your irrigation system is set up for success come spring!