Winterization

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What is Winterization?

Before the first freeze hits Calgary you should perform a blowout to remove the water from your irrigation system. Frozen water expands, and can damage the vital components of your system or burst its pipes – in other words, very expensive problems.

Winterization is also known as a “blowout” because we literally blow out most of the water from your system, leaving it empty and ready for hibernation. This is generally performed from mid-September to mid-October in Southern Alberta, depending on the weather conditions.

Don't wait until the last minute

Waiting until the temperature hits below zero is not recommended, as this can be enough for considerable amounts of ice to form inside your irrigation system, and it may be too late to schedule on short notice. Calling ‘quits’ on the summer season can be sad, but paying later to repair your system because the winterization was not done on time does not make it any better.

Get Ready For Winter

Blowing out lines is no easy task. Make sure you hire this service from a certified contractor. We recommend making sure that your irrigation system is running properly. If you experienced any issues in the summer it might be a good idea to have it checked or repaired.

Waiting until the temperature hits below zero is not recommended, as this can be enough for considerable amounts of ice to form inside your irrigation system, and it may be too late to schedule on short notice. Calling ‘quits’ on the summer season can be sad, but paying later to repair your system because the winterization was not done on time does not make it any better.

Irrigation and Sprinkler Blowout Disclaimer

 

Regarding the service commonly referred to as a Sprinkler Winterization or “Fall Blowout”, depending on the system layout, parts may need to be disconnected in order to ensure that the system has been winterized properly.

 

Because the system no longer has water running through it, Naiad Irrigation Systems Ltd. (hereafter referred to as “Naiad”) cannot guarantee that any components that may or may not have been disconnected and reconnected during the winterization process will be reconnected to the point in which they could be deemed as watertight.

Furthermore, in order to allow certain irrigation systems to drain properly, some exterior components of the system may be left open after the service has been completed to prevent any potential damage to the system over the winter.

 

With this being the case, Naiad cannot and shall not be held responsible for any potential and/or actual damages to any persons and/or property due to improperly installed, malfunctioning, or otherwise leaking/open components.

 

Please Note that Naiad Irrigation Systems is not responsible for any damages or potential damages due to freezing conditions. As a result, Naiad can only guarantee services booked on the first day that we are servicing that area. Appointments booked for the second or third day that we are in the area are highly susceptible to freezing conditions which is why we highly recommend always booking for the first day we are servicing your area to avoid any complications.

 

Should a system be frozen at the time of the winterization, Naiad will return the following week to attempt to winterize the system again. Notice will be sent to any clients who have frozen systems informing them of the situation.

 

By proceeding with the winterization service, you are agreeing to the terms of this disclaimer.

Naiad offers a Spring Activation service in which the system will be turned on again in the spring safely and following industry best practices to ensure that all fittings are watertight, to prevent any potential damage(s) to people and/or property. This service is highly recommended, but not mandatory.

 

Should the client choose to turn their own irrigation system on at any point after the Winterization, or have another contractor other than Naiad perform this service. Then they shall be held responsible for ensuring that all components of the system are watertight, closed and/or open as per industry standards.

Winterization (Sprinkler Blowout) Disclaimer

Regarding the service commonly referred to as a Sprinkler Winterization or “Fall Blowout”, depending on the system layout, parts may need to be disconnected in order to ensure that the system has been winterized properly.

Because the system no longer has water running through it, Naiad Irrigation Systems Ltd. (hereafter referred to as “Naiad”) cannot guarantee that any components that may or may not have been disconnected and reconnected during the winterization process will be reconnected to the point in which they could be deemed as watertight.

Furthermore, in order to allow certain irrigation systems to drain properly, some exterior components of the system may be left open after the service has been completed to prevent any potential damage to the system over the winter.

With this being the case, Naiad cannot and shall not be held responsible for any potential and/or actual damages to any persons and/or property due to improperly installed, malfunctioning, or otherwise leaking/open components.

Please Note that Naiad Irrigation Systems is not responsible for any damages or potential damages due to freezing conditions. As a result, Naiad can only guarantee services booked on the first day that we are servicing that area. Appointments booked for the second or third day that we are in the area are highly susceptible to freezing conditions which is why we highly recommend always booking for the first day we are servicing your area to avoid any complications.

Should a system be frozen at the time of the winterization, Naiad will return the following week to attempt to winterize the system again. Notice will be sent to any clients who have frozen systems informing them of the situation.

 

Frequently
Asked
Questions
WINTERIZATION
  1. Shut off the water supply to your sprinkler system. The shut-off valve for the sprinkler system is usually just downstream of the water meter.

  2. Hook up a compressor of at least 70 CFM (cubic feet per minute) to your sprinkler system’s blowout port (typically a garden tap) and expel the majority of the water from the irrigation lines and sprinklers. Do not exceed 80 PSI.

  3. As the system is winterizing, walk around the property looking and listening for possible leaks. Air acts differently than water and sometimes you may be able to spot or hear a leak that you were not aware of.

  4. After the system has been winterized, shut off the secondary isolation valve outside if you have one and leave the blowout port open.

  5. If you have a drain inside the house on the main water line for the irrigation system, please open it and leave it open for the winter. Do not be alarmed if some water comes out; that is normal.  It is best to have a pail to collect the water.  After most of the water has drained out, it should stop dripping after an hour.  If water keeps on dripping, that could mean your shut off valve for the irrigation mainline is not working properly or it was not completely shut off.

  6. Allow your system to “dry run” its irrigation cycles over the following week, before turning off your irrigation timer. It is best to have the solenoids (the electrical switches which control your system’s secondary valves) activate a few times after the system has been winterized.

Watch a video about this:  https://youtu.be/IzvvdG_eylE

 

Yes, you do.  Every fall, the majority of the water has to be expelled from the irrigation system. Otherwise, it will freeze, expand, and damage your underground irrigation system in the winter.

When water freezes, it expands.  Thus, the majority of the water must be expelled from the irrigation system before the water can freeze and burst any irrigation pipes.  This is also called an irrigation system blowout because a compressor is used to blow out the majority of the water.  Once the majority of the water has been removed from the sprinkler system, it is ready for winter.  We have had a few clients ask if we put antifreeze in the lines.  We do not.

 

A sprinkler system should be winterized before overnight temperatures fall below zero degrees Celsius.  For us here in Alberta, we recommend winterizing your irrigation system before the end of September.  We have had a few years when the overnight lows have been cold enough to damage the main waterline for the irrigation system as early as September 28th.  Ultimately, you can run it later into the season, but there is always the risk that a cold overnight low could damage your irrigation system.  The bit of pipe that goes from the house to the valve box is most at risk.  That bit of pipe is exposed to the elements and can freeze more easily than the pipes or sprinklers in the ground.

What we recommend is:

  1. Shut off the water to the sprinkler system.

  2. Find where the mainline comes out of the house and open any garden taps or remove any plugs attached to the main water line of the underground sprinkler system to allow the water to drain out.

  3. If you have a ball valve on your mainline, be sure to leave it open. (If your system was installed by Naiad Irrigation Systems Ltd., there is almost definitely a ball valve.)  Trapping any water in the ball valve by shutting it off will cause the ball valve to burst as the temperature drops and the water freezes.

  4. Open your valve box and open any bleed screws and loosen any solenoids (turn counter clockwise). If you cannot find the valve box or identify these parts, just run all the zones manually by way of your sprinkler timer.  This will accomplish the same thing.  By turning on the zones and opening the hose bib attached to the mainline, gravity will allow the mainline to drain, protecting the exposed bit of pipe.

  5. We have seen some clients insulate the valve box by putting something over it, such as a thick blanket or some pink insulation. That may help keep the warm air in the valve box.

  6. Lastly, if there is a lot of snow in the forecast, please mark where the valve boxes are for your irrigation system. That will help your irrigation professional find the valve box under the snow.

No, but the majority of it is.  There is always a little left over.  The point of a winterization is to remove the majority of it, and the remainder will not be enough to damage the underground sprinkler system.

Also, sprinklers are not watertight.  As easily as water leaves the nozzle when the sprinkler system is on, water will return through it too, via snow pack melt and/or rain.  Water entering your system gradually throughout the winter is unlikely to cause damage.

Lastly, rotor-style sprinkler heads have gears and other moving parts inside.  Air acts differently than water and blowing hot air through a rotor head for extended periods of time can damage the gears and shorten the lifespan of the rotor head.  This means you could damage your irrigation system by blowing it out for too long in an attempt to expel every last drop of water.