Winterizing Sprinklers and Backflow in Pueblo

Know your system

Most systems have a shut-off valve in the basement or crawl space, or in a box in the yard, then a backflow preventer above ground near the house. Find both before the weather turns.

Shut off the supply

Close the valve that feeds the sprinkler system. If it's inside the house, check there's no water still flowing to the backflow device.

Drain the backflow

Open the test cocks and turn the shut-off handles on the backflow device to a half-open position so water drains and nothing is trapped. Some systems also have drain valves along the lines.

Blowing out the lines

Many Pueblo-area systems are cleared with compressed air in the fall. Too much pressure can damage the system, so this is often left to an irrigation or plumbing professional.

Insulate

Wrap the backflow device with an insulated cover or bag rated for it. Don't seal it so tightly that moisture is trapped inside.

If it's already cracked

Shut off the supply and get it repaired before spring. See sprinklers, backflow and outdoor lines.

Outdoor taps too

While you're outside, disconnect every garden hose and fit insulated covers on the taps. A hose left connected traps water in the tap, which freezes and splits the pipe inside the wall, often without any sign until the spring.

Spring testing

Many water providers require irrigation backflow assemblies to be tested each year by a certified tester. Spring start-up is a good time to have it done, before the system runs all summer.

More plumbing guides

• Swamp Cooler Start-Up and Shut-Down for Pueblo Homes
• Protecting Pipes in a Pueblo Cold Snap
• What to Do If You Smell Gas in Your Pueblo Home
• How to Read Your Water Heater's Label
• Checking a Colorado Plumbing License