How To Drain Your Sprinkler System

Do you need to drain your sprinkler system for the fall?

We’ve put together a quick 3 minute video that shows how to drain your sprinkler system in preparation for fall blowouts.

Here is a Free PDF download to print out.

Here is a diagram of what the valve system looks like:

Steps How To Drain Your Sprinkler / Irrigation System:

Turn off your water at the dedicated Sprinkler Line Shutoff (A) in your basement / crawlspace.
Open the 2 Petcock’s (F) with a flat head screwdriver so that the screw head runs a 45 degree angle
Open the Inside Drain (B) to drain your system. Make sure to have a bucket available for water drainage. Total water drained may be a few cups to a few gallons depending on the length of the pipe.
Open 2 Ball Valves (C & D) on backflow preventer (outside) to a 45 degree angle. DO NOT close off ball valves during freezing conditions. ALWAYS leave at a 45 degree angle to prevent trapped water.
Run your sprinkler timer through one manual cycle to release any water left in the valves / system.
For added protection, you may wrap an old towel / blanket around the backflow preventer. Always cover with a plastic bag to keep dry.

WARNING: Your sprinkler system still needs to be properly blown out or winterized to protect it against any deep freezes that may occur.