SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

Well this is mainly about the time i have to do this. Last week it was still VERY warm here in Idaho, but with this cold front moving in, yesterday night and tonight will get to about 17 degress give or take a few degrees. The next days, lows are suppose to be back up to around 35-38.

Has my system been ruined..? I actually shut the main water feed OFF, about 3 days before these low teen temps, and opened all the valves manually. I didn't have a chance this past saturday to blow out...someone beat me to the compressor. Im hoping this Saturday to do it, but by then we should have higher lows for this area....i know it got to be done ASAP....but i'm alittle concerned about these past few nights....Any comments appreciated, Thanks.

~Oscar





Oscar read this:

Drain the backflow by opening the ball valves halfway, yes both of them, and opening the testcocks....those are the small valves on the side of the backflow valves....and open the drain inside the house after that..and the drain in the valve box if you have one....

That should protect the expensive stuff...

Are you renting a compressor? Wouldn't cost much more to have a pro do it.....food for thought.




I will be borrowing the compressor from work.....I have no backflow in my system or drains in my manifolds. I just have a T that goes from the house supply (well) to a ball valve (thats inside the house). I closed this ball valve. Hoping to blow out this coming Saturday when i get a chance to bring the compressor home.

I have noticed some buisnesses still watering in this weather, looks like it froze. All my pvc pipes are buried a at least 11", i dont think two days will freeze the ground so quick. I put some bags full of leaves on top of the valve boxes, hopefully this minimizes the wind draft and insulates it a bit until Saturday.