Sprinkler Backflow & Outdoor Water Lines in Pueblo, CO

Why backflow matters

A backflow preventer stops water from the sprinkler system, which can carry fertilizer and soil, from flowing back into the drinking water. Most systems connected to a home supply need one, and many water providers require them to be tested.

Freeze damage

Backflow devices sit above ground, usually near the house, and are full of water. If the system isn't shut off and drained in the fall, a cold night cracks the body or bonnet. A cracked unit has to be repaired or replaced before the system can run again.

Outdoor taps

Standard hose bibs freeze and split inside the wall if a hose is left connected. Frost-free sillcocks keep the valve inside the heated part of the house, so the outside part drains when it's off. They're worth fitting on any north or west wall.

Yard lines

Lines to detached garages, shops, gardens and stock tanks are often buried shallow and forgotten. A leak can soak a patch of yard for months. If the water meter moves with everything off, a yard line is a good suspect.

Spring start-up

Turn the water on to the system slowly, then check the backflow device and each zone for leaks. Running the system with a crack spills water quickly in Pueblo's dry ground.

Get it done right

Testing and repairing backflow devices should be done by a qualified professional. See winterizing sprinklers and backflow. Send a request and a plumber will get in touch.

Signs of a leak

A sprinkler zone that never builds up pressure, puddles or soft ground in the same spot, or a meter that moves when nothing is on all point to a leak in the irrigation or a buried yard line.