Panorama

Your Property. Our Passion.(303) 774-9449
  • Home
  • Lawn Care
  • Gardening
  • Landscaping
  • Sprinkler
  • Snow Removal
  • Landscaping Jobs
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Uncategorized / Freezing temperatures in Boulder County – and what that means for your sprinkler system.

October 14, 2016 By Carolann Chambliss

Freezing temperatures in Boulder County – and what that means for your sprinkler system.

Fall is approaching quickly, and Colorado weather is unpredictable at best this time of year.

The question most homeowners ask, is “when should I winterize my sprinkler system?” We recommend that this is done sometime between September 15 and October 20.  That being said, the first freeze, on average, generally happens in Boulder County, sometime around October 5!  No one wants freeze damage or the repairs that come with it, and everyone wants to keep their grass green and flowers blooming for as long as possible.  What to do?  While we, as lawn care professionals, cannot make any guarantees, we can give you some suggestions to protect your system if you would like to keep it up and running through possible freezes.  If a freeze is predicted, and your sprinkler system is still on, take the following precautionary steps:

1.  Turn off the shut-off valve.  On most residential backflow devices, there are 2 shutoff valves.  They are typically covered in blue rubber and are located before and after the actual backflow device.  You need to shut off the one before the device  to keep more water from entering it.  This is the lower of the two valves.  Turn it a half-turn.

2.  Release the water pressure.  You must now release the water in the backflow device so that it doesn’t expand when if freezes and crack the pipe.  Using a flathead  screwdriver, loosen the 2 bleeder valve that are generally located just under the plastic top of the backflow.  Note:  they may have rubber inserts that you will need to remove before you can see the screw.  Note:  water will spew out for a few seconds.  If the water doesn’t stop after a few moments, you haven’t turned it off completely in step 1.  Leave these valves open.

3.  Insulate your backflow.  You can wrap the pipe with pipe insulation (available at any hardware store) – attach with duct tape.  A more rudimentary method (or if you are short of time!)  is to wrap the pipes in towels or blankets and cover with a heavy plastic trash bag to keep it dry.  Again, duct tape is the best way to hold this in place.

4.  Call Panorama at 303 774 9449 and make an appointment to have us winterize your system!

NOTE:  this is designed to be a temporary “fix” for times when the weather surprises us or if you’ve forgotten to schedule this and need to buy yourself some time.  It is not the end of the process. Generally speaking, the first freezes are not “hard” freezes, and this is an effective method to protect exposed pipes.  The ground is still warm enough that the underground piping will not yet freeze. Before it gets consistently cold, you still need to have the water in the  lines drained and  blown out professionally with a large compressor.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Contact Us Today

  • Please add your address! This is kept confidential, and we use this information to figure out if you're in our service area.

Follow Us

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our newsletter.

Additional Links

  • Contact Us
  • About Panorama
  • Testimonials
  • FAQs
  • Landscaping Jobs
  • Blog

Contact Us

Panorama Coordinated Services, Inc.
1235 Boston Avenue
Longmont, Colorado 80501

Tel: (303) 774-9449
Fax: (303) 774-7664

Email: info@mypanorama.com

Based in Longmont, CO, Panorama provides residential and commercial gardening, landscape maintenance, sprinkler repair, and more, for customers in Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Broomfield and beyond.
Lawn Care | Gardening | Landscaping
RESPONSIVE WEBSITE DESIGN by Ramblin Jackson

© 2019 PANORAMA COORDINATED SERVICES, INC.