sprinkler system shut down?

[Doc]

My new home in Utah came with a sprinkler system to keep the lawn green.

This morning it had kicked on- and because of the low temps- showered my car with a nice layer of ice.

When do you shut the sprinklers off for the winter? I know I have to blow the lines out with compressed air, and can do that- but I don't know WHEN to do it....

Do I wait until it snows?

 

[splitshot]

I usually shut ours down when the grass starts to go dormant. Might change the cycle on time before someone pulls a Shotts..

 

[Doc]

I usually shut ours down when the grass starts to go dormant. Might change the cycle on time before someone pulls a Shotts..

How do I know when it goes dormant? Does it just quit growing? Does it turn brown or stay green?

In Iowa I didn't have a sprinkler, so it was pretty much dead by August- and then would start growing again in october.

Oh- and what did shotts do now?

 

[inthewall]

I shut my sprinkler system off saturday. I am going to wait a week to blow it out with air. If the days get colder it is time to blow it out.

 

[splitshot]

Should start turning brown usually after the first couple of frosts, not sure what kind of grass you have, as they do vary. Also in climates where the ground freezes, the contractor will usually put a drain valve on the lowest part of the system.

Oh, last winter he was eating at the local Podunk Italian joint and thought the "water" on the sidewalk was actually water..Left some DNA on the concrete..

 

[Weedhopper]

You need a pretty serious compressor to blow those lines out. Most home owner dont have one. You need to get ALL of the water out or you will be replacing lines next Spring.

 

[splitshot]

You need a pretty serious compressor to blow those lines out. Most home owner dont have one. You need to get ALL of the water out or you will be replacing lines next Spring.

Co2 tank with the right fitting on the end works wonders, right?

 

[Weedhopper]

Co2 tank with the right fitting on the end works wonders, right?


The guys around here use tow behind compressors and a fitting to attach the hose. It generally takes about an hour to blow out the lines of an average house. Any water left in the line will run to the lowest point and freeze, so it's important to get all of the water out.

 

[Doc]

You need a pretty serious compressor to blow those lines out. Most home owner dont have one. You need to get ALL of the water out or you will be replacing lines next Spring.

.25 acre lot, about half of which is landscaped.

I have a 30 gallon compressor. Will that be sufficient?

 

[Weedhopper]

........................ maybe.

If you have real short runs it may work. You will need to run the compressor for a good long time, until you see just mist coming from the heads. Do one zone at a time. Be sure you have an air tight fitting.

Give it a shot.

 

[turbocruiser]

In the hope it helps, I have a 35 gallon compressor and I basically just blast each zone entirely on its own for a few minutes with about 65psi at the regulator. I let the compressor charge completely, then push through for that few minutes on only one zone, then let the compressor charge completely again, etc. It takes a while but I've had the system for six years or so without any worry. I even turn the system back on again on any "Indian Summer" days and water really well, then blast the system through again. HTH.

Ohh BTW, auto drain valves are quickly becoming "illegal" in many areas around the country due to the water wastage they tend to allow.

 

[inthewall]

Well I turned mine back on. Maybe another week, then I will blow it out

 

[Doc]

Yeah- mine is still on too. I'm actually going to do the winter feed this week.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I turned mine off last week. You should have a master valve before the first valve, shut off the system there. If your system is newer it should have drains in the ends of the lines and you won't need to blow the system out.

 

[Doc]

Well, the system is 2 yrs old, but still needs to be blown out- I have an adapter left by the PO to do that with.