Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Old 26-03-2004, 04:10 PM
Habsfan
 
Posts: n/a
Default My sprinklers didn't get winterized, what can I do?

Help all.

I had sprinklers put in last year and the guy that put them in didn't
fully get to winterize the system. He said he only got 1/2 done as he
did it too late and things were already starting to freeze. He then
said don't worry if anything is damaged he would fix under warranty.

Now guess what, I can't get ahold of him. I think he is out of
business (I wonder why)

We live in Canada so yes things freeze pretty bad, I'm just wondering
what kind of damage I can expect and how would I fix it? Would each
head need to be replaced? How bad would the damage be?

The ground is still frozen up here so a few more weeks before I can
try it out. How will I be able to tell if there is damage and where
the damage is?
  #2   Report Post  
Old 26-03-2004, 04:50 PM
Jim
 
Posts: n/a
Default My sprinklers didn't get winterized, what can I do?

Greetings from Saskatchewan.,

I bought a house in the fall of 1996 with underground sprinklers and
didn't know enough to blow them out before freeze up. I lucked out and only
had a few pipes burst right at the sprinkler manifold as it was above ground
and outside. The water drained out of the sprinkler heads and went into the
pipes which didn't break.
Do you have any pipes outside that are above ground that you can see
right now?. Are they broken? If not you may have gotten lucky like I did.
Only thing you can do right now is wait till spring and turn them
on...make sure the frost is out of the ground before turning the valve
on.......look for boils of water comming up in the yard grab a shovel
.....dig up the area and patch the break if there are any. If your sprinklers
pop up and start working fine, consider yourself lucky. BTW they sell the
splicing stuff at Home Depot. I'd also continue searching for your
contractor...... Hope that was of some help....Jim


"Habsfan" wrote in message
news
Help all.

I had sprinklers put in last year and the guy that put them in didn't
fully get to winterize the system. He said he only got 1/2 done as he
did it too late and things were already starting to freeze. He then
said don't worry if anything is damaged he would fix under warranty.

Now guess what, I can't get ahold of him. I think he is out of
business (I wonder why)

We live in Canada so yes things freeze pretty bad, I'm just wondering
what kind of damage I can expect and how would I fix it? Would each
head need to be replaced? How bad would the damage be?

The ground is still frozen up here so a few more weeks before I can
try it out. How will I be able to tell if there is damage and where
the damage is?


  #3   Report Post  
Old 26-03-2004, 05:07 PM
Habsfan
 
Posts: n/a
Default My sprinklers didn't get winterized, what can I do?

Good day from Calgary!

I do have a pipe outside that I will inspect today as well as the
manifold is in ground but I can take the cover off and inspect. From
your comment below, if I had a break in the pipe do you thin the head
wouldn't pop up at all? Are the heads my concern or the pipe which is
down underground?


On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 09:48:30 -0600, "Jim" jim.morris wrote:

Greetings from Saskatchewan.,

I bought a house in the fall of 1996 with underground sprinklers and
didn't know enough to blow them out before freeze up. I lucked out and only
had a few pipes burst right at the sprinkler manifold as it was above ground
and outside. The water drained out of the sprinkler heads and went into the
pipes which didn't break.
Do you have any pipes outside that are above ground that you can see
right now?. Are they broken? If not you may have gotten lucky like I did.
Only thing you can do right now is wait till spring and turn them
on...make sure the frost is out of the ground before turning the valve
on.......look for boils of water comming up in the yard grab a shovel
....dig up the area and patch the break if there are any. If your sprinklers
pop up and start working fine, consider yourself lucky. BTW they sell the
splicing stuff at Home Depot. I'd also continue searching for your
contractor...... Hope that was of some help....Jim


  #4   Report Post  
Old 26-03-2004, 05:17 PM
Jim
 
Posts: n/a
Default My sprinklers didn't get winterized, what can I do?

Depending on the size of the break in the line...if there is a break it will
affect the head popping up.
Since the head relies on water pressure to pop up and a small crack is
possibly in the plastic line then the head may come up lazy and not throw
the water as far. If they bounce right up and throw water like they did last
year I would say you have nothing to worry about.....If the contractor blew
"half of the water out" of your system. the water may be only located inside
your pipes underground as the heads would drain themselves of the water and
then not be affected by the freezing water....
Given the fact that you are from Calgary might be of some help too as you
folks get milder winters there....how cold was you coldest cold snap and for
how long?

Jim


"Habsfan" wrote in message
...
Good day from Calgary!

I do have a pipe outside that I will inspect today as well as the
manifold is in ground but I can take the cover off and inspect. From
your comment below, if I had a break in the pipe do you thin the head
wouldn't pop up at all? Are the heads my concern or the pipe which is
down underground?


On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 09:48:30 -0600, "Jim" jim.morris wrote:

Greetings from Saskatchewan.,

I bought a house in the fall of 1996 with underground sprinklers and
didn't know enough to blow them out before freeze up. I lucked out and

only
had a few pipes burst right at the sprinkler manifold as it was above

ground
and outside. The water drained out of the sprinkler heads and went into

the
pipes which didn't break.
Do you have any pipes outside that are above ground that you can see
right now?. Are they broken? If not you may have gotten lucky like I did.
Only thing you can do right now is wait till spring and turn them
on...make sure the frost is out of the ground before turning the valve
on.......look for boils of water comming up in the yard grab a shovel
....dig up the area and patch the break if there are any. If your

sprinklers
pop up and start working fine, consider yourself lucky. BTW they sell

the
splicing stuff at Home Depot. I'd also continue searching for your
contractor...... Hope that was of some help....Jim




  #5   Report Post  
Old 26-03-2004, 05:18 PM
Habsfan
 
Posts: n/a
Default My sprinklers didn't get winterized, what can I do?

We had our usual cold snaps of -40 for a few days, we didn't have our
usual amount of warming periods like we ususally do, which may be a
blessing. It seemed that once we got snow in November it seemed like
we had snow on the lawns for the entire winter.

Another question is when is it safe to turn the system back on?


On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 10:10:45 -0600, "Jim" jim.morris wrote:

Depending on the size of the break in the line...if there is a break it will
affect the head popping up.
Since the head relies on water pressure to pop up and a small crack is
possibly in the plastic line then the head may come up lazy and not throw
the water as far. If they bounce right up and throw water like they did last
year I would say you have nothing to worry about.....If the contractor blew
"half of the water out" of your system. the water may be only located inside
your pipes underground as the heads would drain themselves of the water and
then not be affected by the freezing water....
Given the fact that you are from Calgary might be of some help too as you
folks get milder winters there....how cold was you coldest cold snap and for
how long?

Jim




  #6   Report Post  
Old 26-03-2004, 05:32 PM
Jim
 
Posts: n/a
Default My sprinklers didn't get winterized, what can I do?

Wait entirely until the frost is out of the ground. You can generally tell
when the frost is out of the ground when the puddles in the grass from the
snow "run off" dissapears. I'd wait until you see that and then give it
another week for good measure... Hope that was of some help....Jim




"Habsfan" wrote in message
...
We had our usual cold snaps of -40 for a few days, we didn't have our
usual amount of warming periods like we ususally do, which may be a
blessing. It seemed that once we got snow in November it seemed like
we had snow on the lawns for the entire winter.

Another question is when is it safe to turn the system back on?


On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 10:10:45 -0600, "Jim" jim.morris wrote:

Depending on the size of the break in the line...if there is a break it

will
affect the head popping up.
Since the head relies on water pressure to pop up and a small crack is
possibly in the plastic line then the head may come up lazy and not

throw
the water as far. If they bounce right up and throw water like they did

last
year I would say you have nothing to worry about.....If the contractor

blew
"half of the water out" of your system. the water may be only located

inside
your pipes underground as the heads would drain themselves of the water

and
then not be affected by the freezing water....
Given the fact that you are from Calgary might be of some help too as

you
folks get milder winters there....how cold was you coldest cold snap and

for
how long?

Jim




  #7   Report Post  
Old 26-03-2004, 05:33 PM
Dave
 
Posts: n/a
Default My sprinklers didn't get winterized, what can I do?

Did you take the brass backflow valve contraption off and store it inside
your home? If you did not and it froze up and ruptured the diaphragm you
are in for some big bucks to replace it. It will cost you about $250 to
replace. I turn my water supply to the system off the last week in October
and blow each zone out with compressed air. I then remove the brass valve,
store it, and put baggies over each pipe end and rubber band or tape them
up. This is an ABSOLUTE must to do at seasons end!! I live in Illinois.
In the Spring reinstall the valve, turn the water on and you're set to go
again for another season.
My 2 cents worth.

"Jim" jim.morris wrote in message
...
Depending on the size of the break in the line...if there is a break it

will
affect the head popping up.
Since the head relies on water pressure to pop up and a small crack is
possibly in the plastic line then the head may come up lazy and not throw
the water as far. If they bounce right up and throw water like they did

last
year I would say you have nothing to worry about.....If the contractor

blew
"half of the water out" of your system. the water may be only located

inside
your pipes underground as the heads would drain themselves of the water

and
then not be affected by the freezing water....
Given the fact that you are from Calgary might be of some help too as

you
folks get milder winters there....how cold was you coldest cold snap and

for
how long?

Jim


"Habsfan" wrote in message
...
Good day from Calgary!

I do have a pipe outside that I will inspect today as well as the
manifold is in ground but I can take the cover off and inspect. From
your comment below, if I had a break in the pipe do you thin the head
wouldn't pop up at all? Are the heads my concern or the pipe which is
down underground?


On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 09:48:30 -0600, "Jim" jim.morris wrote:

Greetings from Saskatchewan.,

I bought a house in the fall of 1996 with underground sprinklers

and
didn't know enough to blow them out before freeze up. I lucked out and

only
had a few pipes burst right at the sprinkler manifold as it was above

ground
and outside. The water drained out of the sprinkler heads and went into

the
pipes which didn't break.
Do you have any pipes outside that are above ground that you can

see
right now?. Are they broken? If not you may have gotten lucky like I

did.
Only thing you can do right now is wait till spring and turn them
on...make sure the frost is out of the ground before turning the valve
on.......look for boils of water comming up in the yard grab a shovel
....dig up the area and patch the break if there are any. If your

sprinklers
pop up and start working fine, consider yourself lucky. BTW they sell

the
splicing stuff at Home Depot. I'd also continue searching for your
contractor...... Hope that was of some help....Jim






Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Winterized hose reel? Some One Gardening 4 05-08-2003 05:12 AM
Sprinklers, timers, valves, what are bad/good brands Martin Hirsch Gardening 3 20-06-2003 01:32 AM
Great Decorative Sprinklers d jones Lawns 3 05-05-2003 11:57 PM
Palmetto or Seville with no sprinklers richard holmes Gardening 1 19-04-2003 05:32 PM
Great Decorative Sprinklers d jones Lawns 3 04-12-2002 05:42 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:11 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 GardenBanter.co.uk.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Gardening"

 

Copyright © 2017