It is that time of year again – winter is on its way. It will get cold – this is a well-known fact in our area. Now is the time to harvest anything lingering in your garden, winterize your sprinkler system, and cozy up around a warm fire.

While that may sound great, before you retreat indoors, make sure you are not making some of the biggest and most expensive mistakes that are seen with your home’s sprinkler system. The good news is, avoiding these mistakes is simple – just winterize your system.

Keep reading to learn more about the biggest mistakes to avoid.

Not Shutting Off the Water Supply

Just like when you work on the plumbing system inside your home, you have to shut off the water supply to avoid flooding your lawn. When winterizing the sprinkler system, take additional steps to keep water from getting into it. To do this, find the main pipe leading from the water main, feeding the sprinkler. Hopefully, your pipes will be labeled so you can easily identify the ones that go to your sprinkler system.

Not Turning Off the Automatic Activation System

If you have an automatic sprinkler system, do not forget to turn it off. You can do this from the controller and select the right setting. For a newer system, you can use the “rain mode” setting to completely deactivate your system for winter. If you still use a sprinkler system that has analog controls, turn it to the “off” position.

If you do not have a system that includes “rain mode,” be sure to use this rather than turning it off completely. This helps to prevent the loss of your personalized settings that were first programmed when the sprinkler system was installed.

Not Removing Excess Water from the Pipes

Be sure all water is removed from your sprinkler system. This is done by draining the pipes or by blowing the system out. When the sprinkler system is blown out, you pump compressed air through the pipes, removing excess water.

If you have to drain your pipes manually, you will have to find the manual drain valve or bleed valve for the system and open it. This will usually be found on the side of your house where the pipes come up out of the ground. When doing this step, be sure you have a bucket to catch the water that comes out.

Contact the Professionals for Help

When it comes to avoiding mistakes with your sprinkler system this winter, you must take the right steps. If this seems overwhelming, do not worry.

Our team at The IDL Company is ready to help you get your sprinkler system ready for winter and ensure that no serious issues arise. Contact us today to learn more about these services.