Draining your home irrigation system, whether it’s installed by All American Irrigation Systems Windcrest or any other provider, is an important maintenance task to protect your system from potential winter freeze damage. Follow these steps to properly drain your sprinkler system:
- Gather Your Tools and Equipment: You will need a few tools and materials, including a compressor, adjustable wrench and a flathead screwdriver.
- Turn Off the Water Supply: Locate the main shut-off valve for your Windcrest sprinkler system, which is typically in your basement, crawl space or a utility room. Shut off the water supply to the system. If you can’t find it, consult your system’s manual or contact All American Irrigation Systems for guidance.
- Open All Valves: Manually open all the control valves in your home irrigation system. These valves are usually located in a valve box or underground.
- Release Pressure: Connect your air compressor to the system using an appropriate adapter. Set the compressor to a low pressure (around 50 PSI) and turn it on. Begin by blowing air through the system’s mainline.
- Zone-by-Zone Blowout: After clearing the mainline, systematically go through each irrigation zone. This involves opening one zone’s valve at a time and allowing the air to blow out the water. Make sure you do this in a sequence from the farthest zone to the closest one. Use the adjustable wrench to open the drain cap or the test cock on each zone valve. Ensure the air pressure is sufficient to push out all water from each zone.
- Drain the Backflow Preventer: If you have a backflow preventer, open its test cocks and valves to release any trapped water.
- Drain the Pipes: Once you’ve blown out each zone, remove any low-point drains, if present in your system, to ensure all water is evacuated from the pipes. These drains are usually found at the lowest point in your system.
- Close All Valves: After thoroughly blowing out all zones, close the manual control valves.
- Disconnect Compressor: Turn off the air compressor and disconnect it from the system.
- Winterize the Controller: If your system has a controller, ensure it is turned off and unplug it. Some modern controllers allow you to set a winter mode to prevent automatic watering.
- Protect Above-Ground Components: If you have above-ground components like backflow preventers or exposed pipes, insulate them using insulation tape or foam covers to prevent freezing.
- Consult All American Irrigation Systems Windcrest: If you have any doubts or require specific guidance for your sprinkler system, it’s always a good idea to contact AAIS Windcrest.
By following these steps, you can effectively winterize and drain your home irrigation system, ensuring it remains in good condition until the next watering season. This process will help protect your investment in your Windcrest system and prevent costly damage from freezing temperatures. Need help? All American Irrigation Systems Windcrest is ready to help! Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
