Question
I put a sprinkling system in last Spring and I need to find out what is the best way to winterize it ?
I live in Utah so it will freeze if left with water in it. Hows the best way to drain it ? Is there any kind of anti-freeze I can put in the lines?

Answer
Mike,

There are a couple of "Hopefully's" attached to my answer.

Hopefully you installed a main water control when you hooked up to your water supply. Step one is to shut this off. Next, "Hopefully", there is a grade of some sort on your lot. After shutting of the main water, you would open the manual control knob on each valve, and go to the LOWEST sprinkler head on each line. Remove not just the sprinkler, but also the riser. Water should drain at that point. Replace the riser and sprinkler, leave the valve in the manual on position, and pack around the valves and main water supply as you would to winterize any exposed pipes.

If, however, no water drains or there is no grade to speak of, you should be able to find a small hand operated pump (I've seen them at auto parts houses for fuel transfer) with a flexible tube that could be run into your pipes to pump out some of the standing water.

If both of these methods fail you, you should be able to remove a couple of the sprinkler heads on each line, and let them sit open. The pipes will only break if there is some restriction on the movement of the freezing water.

DO NOT put any substance into the pipes. That will of course be the first thing that gets on your plants when you start watering next spring!

Good Luck
Larry