The freezing temperatures right now means it's time for some of you to winterize your home if you haven't done it already. This especially applies to your irrigation system which includes: sprinkler systems, hoses, and hose bibs. If water freezes in them, it can cause damage and cost you some money. But there's a few safety precautions you can take now, to cut down on the chance of that happening.
During cold days like this, it's primetime for plumbers and home owners who are looking to winterize their homes. “With us seeing the snow. it's a good time to start winterizing right now. October is a really good time to pull vacuum breakers out,” said Bryan Ahsam from Roto-Rooter.
An important step is prepping lawn sprinkler systems for winter involves shutting down or removing vacuum breakers in the system. If it's not done right, it could be cost you some cash. “Good luck finding one in the spring, because it flies off the shelf,” said Ahsam.
Ahsam described what a vacuum breaker does. “Water pops out of the sprinkler heads. Once those are done, they retract. There is a diaphragm with a spring in the vacuum breaker. It is meant to release the air out of the line, so it doesn't siphon the water back into the main water line going into the house. It cracks when it's freezing outside because it holds water,” said Ahsam.
He may make it sound simple, but it is important the removal process is done correctly. “What we're going to do is shut off the sprinkler itself first. Then we are going to drain out the sprinkler line. Last of all, we take the vacuum breaker out and store it indoors where it's nice and warm. This prevents it from cracking,” said Ahsam.
Not all vacuum breakers come out, but they still need to be shut off correctly. “For those that can’t be taken out, you need to shut down your sprinkler line, put a cover back on, and open the bleeder valves,” said Ahsam.
Hoses and hose bibs are just as important as the vacuum breaker. Make sure you disconnect your outside hoses from their hose bibs and empty them out. If water is left inside, it could freeze in cold weather and cause damage. "A break inside the hose bib could be very costly. You will have to shut down your entire home water to replace that,” said Ahsam.
If you're concerned you might not be winterizing right, you might want to contact a professional to do it for you. Whether you do that or chose to take winterizing steps on your own, the time to do it is now before it's too late.
