SPRINKLER BLOWOUT
Sprinkler blowout / Winterization
The sprinkler blowout method entails blowing in the air at high pressure into the pipes to force all the water out of the irrigation system. The pressurized air pushes any water left in the lines and discharges it through the sprinkler heads.
Is sprinkler blowout necessary?
You only want to blow out your sprinkler with the right amount of air volume. If you don’t use enough air volume after flushing some of the water out of the system, the air will rise to the top of the water. … And if water flows down, it’ll freeze and put your system in danger of damage.
The Danger of Not Winterizing Your Sprinkler System
If you forget to winterize your sprinklers, you run the risk that water will freeze in the irrigation valves, pipes, and sprinkler heads. When water freezes it expands causing parts of your system to explode and destroy your sprinkler system.
Can I blow out my own sprinkler system?
If you follow the principle of high pressure and low volume, it will not help.
You want high volume and low pressure to eliminate damage and completely blow out your sprinklers. Additionally, please don’t mistake air pressure and water pressure. As you can see, blowing out your own sprinkler system isn’t as simple as pushing air through it. While you can blow out your system yourself, it’s a good idea to hire a contractor to winterize your sprinklers.
Blowing out your sprinkler requires mechanical and technological knowledge dealing with air volume, air pressure, and figuring out the ratio between the two. You can quickly ruin your lawn sprinkler by miscalculating the air volume or using the wrong size air compressor.
If you decide to blow out the system on your own, make sure you know:
- The gallons per minute (GPM) flow through each irrigation zone. The GPM helps you know what size air compressor you need for the job.
- If you have a backflow preventer, you need to blow out the preventer too.
- Air volume is just as vital to blowing out your system as air pressure. You only want to blow out your sprinkler with the right amount of air volume.
- If you don’t use enough air volume after flushing some of the water out of the system, the air will rise to the top of the water. This air movement causes water to drain into the bottom. And if water flows down, it’ll freeze and put your system in danger of damage.
- You should only blow out your system one zone at a time.
- If you blow out more than one zone at a time, You run the risk of overheating the pipes and fittings as well as melting them. And if your pipes and valves don’t burst right now, they may still be damaged.
- If the sprinkler heads stay above ground after you’re finished blowing out the system, you know that you used the right air compressor size for the job.
In our company, the sprinkler blowout service usually starts at the end of September and continues until the second week of December.
Our company is not limited to serving only regular customers. We are always happy to help those who need it.