Draining Hoses and Sprinklers for a Calgary Winter

There is a certain feeling in the air around Calgary when the first hard frost is on its way. The nights get colder, the leaves have mostly fallen, and you start thinking about the long winter ahead. Before the ground freezes solid, there is one set of tasks that can save a homeowner a lot of grief and expense: winterizing the outdoor water lines. This means your garden hoses, your outdoor taps, and if you have one, your underground sprinkler system. Forgetting this step can lead to burst pipes and water damage inside your home. The work itself is not difficult, but it is methodical and needs to be done before that first deep freeze settles in for good.

The Simple Task of Garden Hoses

Start with the easiest job. Your garden hoses need to be disconnected, drained, and stored for the winter. I once walked through a home in Airdrie where the owner had left their hose connected all winter. A warm chinook started a thaw, water backed up into the pipe inside the wall, and then it froze hard again. The result was a split copper pipe and a section of ruined drywall in their basement laundry room. All of that could have been avoided with a few minutes of work.

First, disconnect the hose from the outdoor tap, also known as a hose bib. If you have a spray nozzle on the other end, take it off. Lift one end of the hose and walk it out, letting all the water drain onto the lawn or a garden bed. Once it's empty, coil it up. Some people like to connect the two ends to keep spiders and insects out. Store the coiled hose in a garage or a shed where it will be protected from the heavy snow and deep cold. This also prolongs the life of the hose itself, as the plastic and rubber can become brittle in the winter sun and cold.

Shutting Off the Outdoor Water Supply

With the hoses stored, the next step is to protect the taps themselves. Most homes in our area have an indoor shutoff valve for each outdoor tap. Your job is to find it, shut it off, and then drain the pipe leading outside. These valves are usually located in the basement or a crawlspace, often in the ceiling joists directly behind where the tap is on the exterior wall. It will have a small, straight handle for a quarter-turn valve, or a round, wheel-like handle for a multi-turn valve.

Turn that handle to the off position. For a quarter-turn valve, the handle will be perpendicular to the pipe when it is off. For a round handle, turn it clockwise until it is snug. Do not force it. Once the indoor valve is closed, go back outside and open the tap. A small amount of water should drain out. This is the water that was trapped in the pipe between the indoor valve and the outdoor tap. Leave the outdoor tap in the open position for the winter. This gives any remaining water drops a place to go if they expand during a freeze, helping to keep the pipe from splitting.

An hour of work in October can prevent a week of chaos in January. Water is a patient and powerful force, and you have to respect where it wants to go when it freezes.

Winterizing Your Underground Sprinkler System

For homes with an in-ground irrigation system, the process is more involved. The principle is the same: you must get all the water out of the pipes so it cannot freeze, expand, and crack the lines or sprinkler heads buried in your yard. This is typically done by blowing the system out with compressed air. This is a task that a handy homeowner can perform, but it comes with some risks. Many people in Calgary choose to hire a professional sprinkler or landscaping company to do it for them, and there is no shame in that.

The DIY Approach with an Air Compressor

If you decide to do it yourself, you will need an air compressor. First, you must shut off the main water supply to the irrigation system. There will be a main valve, often in the basement near your water meter. After closing it, you need to drain any water from the backflow prevention device, which is usually located outside. Your system will have a connection point for an air compressor. You connect the compressor's hose to this port. The critical part is regulating the air pressure. Too much pressure can blow apart fittings, valves, and sprinkler heads. Too little pressure will not clear all the water. The correct pressure setting depends on the type of pipe used in your system, and you can often find general guidelines from provincial sources. You then turn on the system, one zone at a time, and let the air push the water out through the sprinkler heads. You will see a lot of water at first, then mist, and finally just air. You repeat this for every single zone. Always wear safety glasses when working with compressed air.

When to Call a Professional

Given the risks of damaging the system, calling a professional is a reasonable choice. They have the right equipment and experience to do the job quickly and correctly. If you are not comfortable working with an air compressor, do not own one, or are short on time during the fall season, hiring this out is a sound investment. They will ensure the system is properly cleared and ready for the winter.

A Final Walk-Around

Once the water systems are taken care of, it is a good time for a final autumn walk around your property. Look for any other small jobs that will make the winter easier. Make sure your downspout extensions are in place to direct any surprise chinook meltwater away from your foundation. Clear any remaining leaves out of window wells. Check that your garage is prepared for the coming cold, as you want to be sure you can keep your garage door working when the temperature really drops. These little bits of maintenance add up. A well-maintained home weathers the winter better and also holds its value. An appraiser or home inspector can often tell when a property has been consistently cared for. For official information about how these factors are considered, you can consult resources from the Appraisal Institute of Canada.