October 8, 2015  3 Steps to Prep Your Outdoor Plumbing for Winter

Now is the time when we begin to move our DIY projects  from outdoors to inside the house. Before you turn your attention away from the yard, though, don’t forget to protect your outdoor plumbing from damage that could occur once the weather turns to freezing.

1. Drain Your Sprinkler System.  First, turn off the water that feeds the system. Just how you drain your system depends upon what type you have. The process for manual drain valves is somewhat different than that for automatic drain valves.  You can consult the manufacturer’s instructions to do the job yourself, or check out this how-to guide for draining sprinkler systems from SF Gate. Or, you can call a professional to drain the lines with a procedure that involves using compressed air to drive the water from the lines.
2. Detach All Garden Hoses and Bring Them Indoors
3. Cover all Outdoor Faucets with a protective covering. The styrofoam type faucet covers work very well, and are inexpensive.

Follow these simple steps, and your outdoor plumbing will be ready to do its job again when next spring rolls around!

By See Jane Drill, Copyright 2015, All Rights Reserved