Fall Irrigation Maintenance: 7 Steps to Winterize Right

As summer fades and cooler temperatures arrive, your lawn care routine starts to shift. One of the most critical tasks on your autumn to do list should be fall irrigation maintenance. Often called winterization, this process is all about protecting your sprinkler system from the destructive power of freezing weather.

Ignoring this crucial step can lead to cracked pipes, broken sprinkler heads, and a very expensive and soggy surprise come springtime. When water freezes, it expands by about 9 to 10 percent, creating pressure that can exceed 2,000 PSI inside a pipe. That’s more than enough force to split PVC lines or burst a brass backflow preventer.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about proper fall irrigation maintenance, from draining the lines to adjusting your controller, so you can put your system to bed for the winter with confidence.

Why Fall Winterization is Non-Negotiable

The core goal of winterizing your sprinkler system is to prevent freeze damage. Even a small amount of water left in a pipe elbow can freeze, expand, and crack the fitting. You often won’t discover this damage until you turn the system on in the spring, resulting in geysers of water and costly emergency repairs. Proper fall irrigation maintenance is cheap insurance against these headaches. A typical professional winterization service is a fraction of the cost of repairing widespread freeze damage, which can range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars.

Adjusting Your Watering Schedule for Fall

Long before the first freeze, your landscape’s water needs begin to decrease. Cooler days and longer nights mean less evaporation. Lawns and plants simply don’t require as much water in October as they do in the peak of July.

This is the first step in your fall irrigation maintenance routine. Start by gradually reducing your watering times. Many controllers have a “Seasonal Adjust” feature that lets you decrease run times by a percentage (for example, 50 percent), making it easy to scale back without reprogramming every zone. As the season progresses, you’ll water less frequently, eventually turning the system off entirely before you winterize it. This not only saves a significant amount of water and money but also prevents fungal diseases that can thrive in cool, damp conditions.

Draining Your System: The Heart of Winterization

Even after you shut off the main water supply, water will remain trapped in the pipes, valves, and sprinkler heads. Getting this water out is the most important part of winterization. There are three primary methods for draining an irrigation system.

Manual Drain Valve Method

Some systems are designed with manual drain valves located at the lowest points of the piping. To use this method, you shut off the main water supply and then open each of these small valves, allowing gravity to pull the water out. You also need to open any test cocks on your backflow prevention device to ensure it drains completely. If your sprinkler heads have check valves, you may need to pull up on each riser to let the water drain from the bottom. While effective, this method can sometimes leave small pools of water in low spots, which could still freeze and cause cracks.

Automatic Drain Valve Method

As the name suggests, this method uses automatic, spring loaded valves installed at low points in the system. When you shut off the water and the system pressure drops below about 10 PSI, these valves automatically pop open and allow water to drain out. To trigger them, you simply turn off the main water supply and then run any station for a moment to release the pressure. This is a convenient, hands off way to handle draining, but it’s crucial to ensure the backflow preventer and any other above ground components are also drained manually.

The Blowout Method

For many systems, especially in regions with hard freezes, the blowout method is the most thorough and reliable option. This technique uses a high volume air compressor to physically push all the water out of the pipes and sprinkler heads. Because it involves pressurized air, this is a task where safety is paramount. In fact, many irrigation experts recommend hiring a professional for this procedure due to the potential for injury or damage.

If you’re performing a blowout, always follow these critical safety precautions:

• Wear ANSI approved eye protection. Debris and water can exit sprinkler heads at high velocity.

• Never stand over sprinkler heads or other components while air is flowing through the system.

• Regulate the air pressure. Never exceed 80 PSI for PVC pipes or 50 PSI for flexible poly pipes. It’s about high volume, not high pressure.

• Work zone by zone, starting with the one furthest from the compressor and moving closer.

Protecting Your System’s Components

Once the water is out, a few final steps will ensure your system is fully protected.

Insulate Exposed Pipes and Backflow Preventers

Any part of your system that remains above ground, like pipes, valves, and especially the backflow preventer, is highly vulnerable. Wrapping these components with foam pipe insulation and tape is an easy and effective protective measure. The backflow preventer is particularly susceptible and expensive to replace, with costs ranging from $280 to over $1,500. You can use insulating pouches designed specifically for backflow devices for a snug fit. Properly draining and insulating this single component is one of the most important parts of fall irrigation maintenance.

Perform a Final System Inspection

Fall is the perfect time for a quick system audit to catch any issues before they become bigger problems next spring.

• Sprinkler Head and Nozzle Inspection: Walk your property and check each sprinkler head for damage. Clean any nozzles clogged with dirt or debris to ensure optimal performance next season. A single broken sprinkler head can waste over 1,000 gallons of water per hour, so finding and flagging them now—and scheduling prompt sprinkler repairs—is a smart move.

• Leak Repair: Look for any soggy spots in the yard, which could indicate a slow, underground leak. Even a tiny leak, the size of a pen tip, can waste over 6,300 gallons of water in a month.

• Line Flushing for Sediment: Draining your system naturally helps flush out sediment, but if you have a known issue with debris, you can remove the last sprinkler head on a line and let water run through it briefly (before shutting off the main supply) to clear it out.

Using Technology for Smarter Winterization

Modern irrigation technology offers several features that simplify fall irrigation maintenance.

Smart Controller Setup

If you have a smart, weather based controller, it will automatically adjust watering schedules as the weather cools, taking the guesswork out of seasonal changes. For fall, ensure your controller’s Wi Fi is connected and its location is set correctly. Many smart controllers also have a “winterize” or “shutdown” mode you can activate through an app, which gives you remote shutdown capability. This is incredibly useful if an unexpected freeze is forecast while you’re away from home.

Sensors and Controller Upkeep

• Rain and Soil Moisture Sensors: A rain sensor will automatically prevent your system from watering during a fall shower, which is a required feature on all new irrigation systems in Texas. A soil moisture sensor goes a step further, measuring water content at the root zone and only allowing the system to run when the ground is actually dry.

• Timer Battery Removal: Many controllers use a backup battery to save your settings during a power outage. If you plan to completely unplug your controller for the winter, it’s a good idea to remove the battery to prevent it from corroding and damaging the unit.

When to Call a Professional

While some homeowners are comfortable with DIY fall irrigation maintenance, there are times when calling a professional is the smartest choice.

The blowout method, as mentioned, carries safety risks and requires specialized equipment. Likewise, backflow preventer testing is a job for a licensed professional. In many cities, including Lubbock, an annual test by a certified Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester (BPAT) is required by law.

Scheduling professional maintenance ensures the job is done correctly and efficiently. Irrigation contractors have a short window to winterize all their clients’ systems before the first hard freeze, so booking in late summer or early fall is a good idea. Many, like M&M Sprinklers in Lubbock, offer maintenance plans that include a spring startup, mid season check, and fall winterization, giving you peace of mind year round. A professional can also perform a full system audit for efficiency, using catch cups and pressure gauges to fine tune your system and maximize water savings.

A little proactive care in the autumn goes a long way. Proper fall irrigation maintenance protects your investment, saves water, and guarantees a hassle free startup when spring returns.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When is the best time to perform fall irrigation maintenance? It’s best to winterize your system before the first hard freeze in your area. This is typically a week or so before the historical first freeze date. For many regions, this falls in October or early November.

2. Can I skip winterizing my sprinkler system if my pipes are buried? No. While buried pipes have some protection, the frost line can go deeper than your pipes in a hard freeze. More importantly, components like the backflow preventer, valves, and sprinkler heads are often at or near the surface and are highly susceptible to freeze damage.

3. What is the most common mistake homeowners make with fall irrigation maintenance? The most common and costly mistake is waiting too long. An unexpected early freeze can catch homeowners by surprise, leading to widespread damage. The second most common mistake is performing an improper blowout, either by using too much pressure (which damages components) or not getting all the water out.

4. How much does it cost to repair freeze damage? Repair costs can vary widely. A single broken sprinkler head might cost under $100 to fix, but repairing a cracked backflow preventer can cost anywhere from $280 to $1,550. Fixing multiple underground pipe breaks can easily exceed $500 or more, which is why preventative winterization is so cost effective.

5. Is a professional blowout really necessary? For most homeowners, yes. It is the most effective way to remove all water and requires a high volume air compressor that most people don’t own. Given the safety risks of working with compressed air, hiring a professional service like M&M Sprinklers ensures the job is done safely and correctly.