A residential landscape irrigation system is the best way to keep your lawn and garden plants hydrated throughout the warm months of the year. However, when winter approaches in Minnesota, steps must be taken to winterize your irrigation system before the ground freezes. Continue reading to learn how to winterize your irrigation system and why this should always be a part of your landscape winterization process.
How to Winterize Your Landscape Irrigation System
- Turn off the water supply to your irrigation system. Your irrigation should be connected to a main shut-off valve that you’ll need to close. If your irrigation system has a backflow preventer, this needs to be turned off as well.
- Drain your irrigation system. There are a few ways to do this but in Minnesota, where winters are so cold, the blow-out method is the most reliable. For this method, you’ll need to buy or rent an air compressor, preferably one with a higher cubic-feet-per-minute rating. After connecting the air compressor to the blow-out port of your landscape irrigation system, set the pressure level; this may vary based on your system, but will probably need to be in the 40-80 PSI range. Finally, open each zone of your irrigation system, blowing water out of the pipes one-by-one. If you’re uncomfortable with this step, hire a landscape maintenance company in the Twin Cities to do it for you.
- Now that you’ve prevented pipes from freezing, insulate your above-ground irrigation system components. Exposed pipes, valves, and backflow preventers are examples of above-ground equipment that should be protected from the sub-zero temperatures of a Minnesota winter. You can insulate these components with a variety of materials, including designated covers, insulated bags, and foam insulation tape.
- Shut down the controller for your irrigation system. To prevent system damage, it is important that the irrigation system doesn’t accidentally turn on in the middle of winter.
- Store any components if needed. Depending on the style of your irrigation system, it may have sprinkler heads, hoses or other components that can easily be detached and stored during the winter to prevent damage.
- Before next spring, inspect your irrigation system for damage. Even when you take all the right steps, Minnesota’s harsh winter weather could still damage your irrigation system. It’s crucial that any damage be repaired before you activate your landscape irrigation system next spring.
Why You Should Winterize Your Irrigation System
Winterizing your landscape irrigation system can save you a lot of money and time in the future. The primary reason that it’s beneficial to winterize your irrigation system each year is to prevent damage. Pipes filled with water are likely to freeze and burst during the subzero temperatures often encountered in the Twin Cities during the winter months. Components such as valves and sprinkler heads can also suffer freezing damage if not properly winterized.
If your irrigation endures severe damage during winter, it could cost thousands of dollars to repair and force you to manually water your lawn and gardens next spring. Plus, winterizing your irrigation system each year will help to extend its lifespan, reducing natural wear and tear so that you can go many more years before you need to replace pipes and other components. It’s also worth mentioning that an improperly winterized irrigation system is prone to leaks, which can result in flooding and water damage; more expensive repairs that can be avoided with proper winterization.
And finally, winterizing your irrigation system in Minnesota will save you a lot of time next spring. A correctly winterized landscape irrigation system will be easy to get back up and running as soon as the ground thaws and the growing season begins. However, an irrigation system that wasn’t properly winterized may require repairs or cause other delays that results in your lawn and landscape plants being dehydrated.
Expert Landscape Winterization Company in the Twin Cities
At Ground One, our outdoor maintenance experts can assist you with winterizing your irrigation system and any other aspects of your landscape. Contact us today if you’re in need of professional landscape winterization services in the greater Twin Cities area!