As we approach freezing temperatures - my trusted irrigation expert - Sal Carillo of City Wide Irrigation systems shared this important tip on winterizing your sprinkler system, protecting your plants and other water services to your home! You may contact Sal Carillo @ City Wide Irrigation 281-918-9873 - Special pricing for those that mention this post - see below!
- Drain garden hoses and disconnect them from outside faucets to allow water to drain from the pipe so an overnight freeze doesn’t damage the faucet or the pipe.
- If you are concerned about plants, run your irrigation system manually — just enough to water the roots and protect the plants from freezing without causing runoff.
- Place plant covers or old sheets across your flower beds to protect your landscaping from dying from the freeze.
- Shut-off and drain in-ground sprinkler systems, including the backflow prevention device, then turn off the water to your sprinkler system.
- While Simply turning off the controller will not protect your system against freeze damage. There is specifics steps to winterize your system to control the pressure during the winter months. If you aren’t comfortable performing these steps yourself, call a licensed irrigator. Be sure your irrigation controller is set to “OFF” and leave it there. Call Sal Carillo at City Wide Irrigation for $45 special pricing on system winterization!
- Wrap or cover exposed PVC pipes and above-ground backflow preventers.
- Insulate exposed outside pipes or faucets in unheated areas with Styrofoam covers or rags/cloths.
- Locate your home’s master water shutoff valve and make sure everyone in your house knows where to find it. The main valve is usually located just past the water meter between the meter and house or in the garage on the bottom wall near garage entrance. (Just for awareness in case of emergency.
- Don’t run your irrigation system after the freeze hits. Any water runoff onto streets and sidewalks can turn to ice and pose a hazard to drivers and pedestrians.
- Report public water line leaks to Severn Trent (Katy) 281-579-4500 or dial 311 for Houston.
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