Late Season Watering

Every year I’m told by homeowners at this time of year that they would like to water one more week even though nighttime temperatures are at or below freezing.  You obviously don’t want the system’s backflow preventer to freeze up and break which often times can cost a few hundred dollars to repair or replace in the spring.  Here’s a plan that will reduce the possibility for damage during this uncertain time of year as long as daytime temperatures rise above freezing sometime early morning.

Today’s digital controllers come with the option of programming multiple programs.  Find a program which you are not currently using and set a station run time of 2 minutes on a zone away from sidewalks and drives where freezing water may be a problem.  Set the days to water on that program for every day with start times of 2am, 4am, 6am and 8am.  Set the watering start time for the lawn to take place sometime after temperatures are above freezing and frost is off the lawn.

With this tip you can extend the watering season without fear of the frigid night time lows as regular water flowing through the backflow preventer will keep it from freezing up.