Once the first frost of autumn arrives, it's time to think about properly winterizing outdoor pipes and lawn sprinklers. A few precautions now can save a lot of time, money and headaches later.
Freezing temperatures can cause the water in an exposed pipe to expand. If the water expands too much, the pipe bursts. With home irrigation systems, you may not know you have pipe damage until you turn it on for the first spring watering.
Most in-ground sprinkler pipes will be okay because only the top few inches inches of the ground will freeze in most areas, and pipes should be installed well below this level, but in areas with a deeper freeze or longer winter there is cause for concern.
Other irrigation components, such as backflow-prevention valves, are at ground level and could be in danger. If there are exposed valves or pipes are around your home, tape them up or use "a good old sack" to wrap them. Home improvement stores have many tapes, foams and gadgets to keep these pipes warm on cold, winter nights.
The tips of sprinkler heads can hold water. When frozen, they can rupture. The whole sprinkler system holds water, too, even when it isn't being used. Don't forget to drain the system or have it blown out. If you don't drain it properly in the winter, your sprinkler could be a geyser when you turn it on next spring.
As for outside water hoses, either leave the hoses hanging outside disconnected from faucets or disconnect, drain and store hoses someplace with a constant temperature. The latter will prolong the life of the hoses. If you leave hoses undrained outside in the winter, don't move them or touch them in freezing weather. Frozen hoses are fragile and could easily break.
Private water users and rural residents with wells should check out their main water pump. Usually a quarter-inch pipe connects to the pressure switch. If it's metal, it likely won't freeze. But if it's plastic, it might freeze and burst. This could cause the water pump to fail or continue to run and cause some major winter repairs.
In case these precautions fail and a pipe bursts anyway, be sure you know the location of your main water cutoff.