Winterizing for the Deep South
I live in Alabama where we average snow fall once every other year, and when we do get snow, it usually only lasts one day before it melts.
I'm looking for design suggestions that will minimize the need to winterize. I'd like my winterizing steps to be 1) Close main shutoff valve between the meter and backflow preventer, and 2) open a few drain valve to let exceess water drain.
My concerns are for things like the valves and backflow preventer (planning on using something like the Watts 007 Double Check located in a box sub-surface). How deep do they need to be to avoid freezing when we get that occational freeze warning and the temperatures dip into the teens for a couple of nights.
The image that sticks in my mind is that of a neibor's yard when I was growing up. His mainline to the house ruptured somewhere in the middle of the front yard (I believe after some very cold weather). There was a 20' in diameter patch of lawn that swelled up from the leaking water that you could induce a wave by walking accross it.
