It is great and comfortable to have an automatic sprinkler system, but at the same time, you should be familiar regarding how to turn off the sprinklers. If you are unaware regarding the ways to shut off the sprinkler system due to cold weather or sudden freeze or any other reason, then no need to worry at all. Here in this post, I will provide you the guidelines of the sprinkler shut off which will not only save water but your money too.
Different conditions like extreme cold weather or temperate environment will ask for turning off the sprinklers. So you should have knowledge about turning off the sprinklers in prevailing weather conditions. At the same time, you should also know how to tackle different types of systems like automatic sprinklers, rotor, manual drains and automatic manual drains to turn off their valves.
How to Turn off Sprinkler System?
- Gate valve – If you possess gate valve sprinkler system then turn the valve to 90 degrees clockwise to switch off the gate valve.
- Double Check Valve – To stop the water supply you have to shut off one of the handles among a number of them. The water flow will be wholly stopped if you turn the handle to 90 degrees left to right.
- Meter Box – In this system, if you turn the handle 180 degrees then it will stop all the supplies of the water completely at your place.
- Shut-off valve – The main shut off valve is found beneath the frost line and in a heated room but it is outside in warmer environs. After finding it, you can turn off the main valve. To the supply line, the handle must be perpendicular in a ball valve. A small wheel will be observed in the gate valve. To close it completely turn the wheel clockwise.
- Controller – You can disable the sprinkler controller if your system is not manual. Turn off the automated rain mode that will deactivate the controller from working. During cold conditions, you can save your energy bills by fully turning off the controller mainly that holds analog dials.
- Gear-drive Rotor Sprinkler – During a freeze, be careful to drain out the water from the gear-drive rotor sprinklers. If you turn off the controller, then mechanically from some systems, the water will come out of the rotors. You can remove the rotors if the water does not get out. Until spring, you can move for storage or can proceed for replacement.
There may be urgent situation arises to turn off the sprinkler system due to sudden weather change. If this happens, first of all, stop the water flow and then turn handles on the backflow preventer. Now drain the remaining water. With the help of an air compressor, blow out your sprinkler lines and save your pipes from freezing. For blowing out, plan quality irrigation.
From the situations as mentioned above, you can shut down the sprinkler system. But in case your valve does not turn off due to the presence of the wreckage or the wrong condition of diaphragm then go for the repairing of sprinkler valve.
For mending, you have to shut off the water and clean the area so that nothing gets accumulated around the valve. Place the solenoid to the side after removing it from the valve body. Then carefully unfasten the bonnet, spring, and diaphragm. Check the damages on the it and small rocks inside the valve. If you find smashed diaphragm, then get diaphragm replaced with the new one.
Also take care of fixing the spring, bonnet, and solenoid in the proper position. Turn on the water supply, but it must be slow to avoid pressure. Then do check whether the valve is turning on and off correctly.
From this post, you will get to know how to turn off your sprinkler system which serves as the valued tool. You can feed all the guidelines in your mind that act as the memory bank so that as per the situation you can apply the tactics.