Preparing your home for the winter months is an essential step to take annually in order to avoid costly repairs. Contacting an Omaha sprinkler winterization service near you is the key to making sure you don’t end up with a soggy mess come springtime.
What can you do to avoid costly repairs to your sprinkler system in the spring when temperatures begin to climb? One place to start is to have professionals winterize your irrigation system in Omaha, Nebraska. We highly recommend scheduling a sprinkler blowout before freezing temperatures arrive.
Sprinkler Winterization Omaha
Protect your investment with professional sprinkler winterization in Omaha. A sprinkler system blowout is essential to prevent damage from freezing temperatures, which can lead to costly repairs if water is left in the pipes. Winterize your system before temperatures drop to avoid burst pipes and damage to sprinkler heads.
Our team efficiently clears every line, leaving your system ready to weather the cold without risk. Don’t let winter freeze your system—schedule a blowout service today to keep your sprinkler system safe and avoid unnecessary expenses.
Winterizing your sprinkler system is a crucial step to protect it from the harsh winter conditions in Omaha. Below is a detailed guide on how to properly winterize your sprinkler system:
How to Winterize a Sprinkler System
Winterizing a sprinkler system is a crucial step in protecting your irrigation investment as colder weather approaches. Here’s everything you need to know about how to winterize a sprinkler system effectively.
Step 1: Turn Off the Water Supply
Begin by shutting off the water supply to your sprinkler system. Locate the main shut-off valve, typically found in the basement or utility room, and turn it clockwise to close it completely. This step prevents water from flowing into the system during the winter months.
Step 2: Drain the System
Next, it’s essential to drain the water from the sprinkler lines and components to prevent freezing and damage. There are several methods to accomplish this:
- Manual Drain Method: Open the drain valves located at the end of each sprinkler line. Allow the water to drain completely from the pipes and valves.
- Automatic Drain Method: If your sprinkler system is equipped with automatic drain valves, activate them to release any trapped water.
- Compressed Air Method: Alternatively, you can use compressed air to blow out the water from the system. Connect an air compressor to the sprinkler system and gradually increase the pressure to expel the water from the pipes and sprinkler heads. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and safety precautions when using compressed air.
Step 3: Lawn Sprinkler System Inspection and Repair
While winterizing your sprinkler system, take the opportunity to inspect all components for any signs of damage or wear. Check for leaks, cracks, or broken sprinkler heads, and replace or repair any damaged parts as needed. Addressing issues now will help prevent more significant problems in the future.
Step 4: Add Insulation (if necessary)
In regions with extremely cold temperatures like Omaha, it may be beneficial to add insulation to certain vulnerable components of the sprinkler system, such as above-ground pipes or backflow preventers. Use insulation materials like foam pipe covers or insulating tape to protect these areas from freezing.
Frozen Backflow Preventer
The biggest risk you run by not winterizing is your backflow preventer freezing. The problem here is that freezing tends to warp the components, causing permanent leaks.
What is a backflow preventer?
For the uninitiated, a backflow preventer is a handy little component in your pipe system that allows water to go in one direction, but not the other. Irrigation systems are routinely installed with backflow preventers because they constantly circulate, disperse, and soak in water that is used to water your lawn. Proper lawn care involves ensuring that these systems function effectively.
Outdoor water is susceptible to all kinds of impurities. It can become tainted with fertilizer, carry dangerous bacteria, or all other manners of icky gunk you wouldn’t want to drink. Because your irrigation system draws from your home’s water supply, these devices prevent your sprinkler water from creeping back into your system and getting into the water you drink or shower with.
Frozen Pipes, Heads, And Valves
Your backflow preventer isn’t the only sprinkler component that’s in danger, though it is the most commonly affected. However, there are other parts of your irrigation system that are in danger of freezing.
- Pipes: Extreme frost conditions can cause them to freeze, which, in many cases, causes cracking and fracturing.
- Heads and valves: Your sprinkler heads and valves can also freeze, which causes similar problems that happen with the backflow preventers. Seals can break, causing leaks, and it can also affect the spray behavior from the sprinkler head.
When to winterize a sprinkler system in Omaha?
The best time for sprinkler winterization in Omaha is in the fall before the first freeze hits the area. That said, you can still take steps to get your sprinklers ready for cold temperatures anytime during the colder months.
There are advantages of having a sprinkler winterization service near you to take care of your sprinkler system before winter begins. If you wait until after the first freeze to call an Omaha sprinkler winterization company, the damage could already be done to your sprinkler system’s pipes, valves, and seals.
Repairing damage to sprinkler systems can be a big job, involving not only the repairs themselves but also digging up your yard to access the underground system and then rebuilding your landscaping once the job is complete.
Omaha Sprinkler Winterization Service
Pioneer Underground Lawn Sprinklers provides a professional solution to safeguard your irrigation system from harsh winter conditions. Our expert team performs a complete sprinkler system blowout, clearing all water from the pipes and valves to prevent freezing and damage during Omaha’s cold months.
Can I winterize my sprinklers myself?
If it’s financially feasible for you, it is always best to hire an Omaha sprinkler winterization service near you to blow out your sprinkler or irrigation system.
Warning
If you decide to blow out the system on your own, be careful! Remember that most air compressors go up to 120 psi, but 50-60 psi is generally recommended for blowing out the sprinkler system. Pressure above 40 psi can cause damage to your system if done incorrectly.
Safety first!
If you blow out your own sprinkler system, wear goggles and never stand directly over irrigation pipes, sprinklers, or valves while the air compressor is running.
At Pioneer Underground Lawn Sprinklers in Omaha, we offer comprehensive winterization services in your area! Knowing the cost difference between preventative maintenance and repairs is a compelling argument enough to pursue winterization, but we also offer our guarantee that we put our clients first and commit to the best possible job we can do.
Pioneer Underground Lawn Sprinklers | Omaha Sprinkler Winterization Service Near You in Omaha, NE and Surrounding Areas
Contact Pioneer Underground Lawn Sprinklers to schedule a free estimate on a system install or to find out what you can do to make your existing system more efficient. We welcome commercial and residential clients. And remember, whether you need our services now… or later in the season, Your Healthy Lawn is Our Passion and we are only a phone call away! Call 402-934-7900 to schedule a sprinkler winterization service near you.
