Sprinkler leaks, winterizing
 

In the last 6 months I had 4 water leaks on the sprinkler + one leak at the
meter and countless small leaks at the commodes fittings.

Some may be explained by poor craftsmanship. Some PVC joints were easy to
crack loose and show poor gluing but the house is 7 year old and all
problems appear in a short time.

To understand what is going on I need some education...

1) Could be high pressure or surges? What is a normal range for municipal
water pressure? I plan to install a pressure gauge with a needle showing
max pressure, as soon as I can find one.

2) Just about when this started, some road work was ending and a tank truck
is filling up often at an hydrant in front of the house, to water the median
grass. There is a lever operated valve that can be closed quickly. Can
this create a hammering surge sufficient to make problems?

3) We live in Austin TX, winter are mild but it freezes and the sprinkler
pipes are no deeper that 6 inches in some spots, rocky soil. What is the
proper way to winterize the sprinkling system? I have a compressor.

4) The sprinkler main feed has a complicated looking valve. It has a main
cylindrical body as big as a wine bottle, there are two squat cylindrical
bodies jutting out at 45 degree, almost like a double TT (inverted) but
slanted; there are fittings and adjusting screws on top of the two bodies
and on the main body. What is this valve? Vacuum break? Pressure
reducer?

5) Would it be advisable to install a pressure reducing valve just after the
meter?

6) Any idea of the price of such valve on a 5/8" meter. Just the valve
cost.

Many questions but I appreciate your responses.

MG

Sprinkler leaks, winterizing
 

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
news:SnOff.533252$oW2.90248@pd7tw1no...
MG wrote:
In the last 6 months I had 4 water leaks on the sprinkler + one leak at
the meter and countless small leaks at the commodes fittings.

Some may be explained by poor craftsmanship. Some PVC joints were easy to
crack loose and show poor gluing but the house is 7 year old and all
problems appear in a short time.

To understand what is going on I need some education...

1) Could be high pressure or surges? What is a normal range for
municipal water pressure? I plan to install a pressure gauge with a
needle showing max pressure, as soon as I can find one.

2) Just about when this started, some road work was ending and a tank
truck is filling up often at an hydrant in front of the house, to water
the median grass. There is a lever operated valve that can be closed
quickly. Can this create a hammering surge sufficient to make problems?

3) We live in Austin TX, winter are mild but it freezes and the sprinkler
pipes are no deeper that 6 inches in some spots, rocky soil. What is the
proper way to winterize the sprinkling system? I have a compressor.

4) The sprinkler main feed has a complicated looking valve. It has a
main cylindrical body as big as a wine bottle, there are two squat
cylindrical bodies jutting out at 45 degree, almost like a double TT
(inverted) but slanted; there are fittings and adjusting screws on top of
the two bodies and on the main body. What is this valve? Vacuum
break? Pressure reducer?

5) Would it be advisable to install a pressure reducing valve just after
the meter?

6) Any idea of the price of such valve on a 5/8" meter. Just the valve
cost.

Many questions but I appreciate your responses.

MG
Hi,
I live in Calgary. House came with pressure guage/regulator when it was
built. Typical pressure is 60 pound. I blow out sprinklers using
compressor(Campbell Hauser Extreme duty) myself zone by zone. It's
puzzling your plumbing sprang leaks like that. Last 30 years I have 4
houses, a cabin built and never experienced plumbing leak of any sort.
Older houses had copper pipe
plumbing, now this new ones are all done with Pemex and compression
crimp rings.
Tony

Thanks.
How do you connect the compressor to each zone? There is no fitting or a T
to access.
You say you clear each zone, I take that you go in after each valve. How do
you clear the pipe section upstream of the valves?

MG

Sprinkler leaks, winterizing
 

MG wrote:

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
news:SnOff.533252$oW2.90248@pd7tw1no...

MG wrote:

In the last 6 months I had 4 water leaks on the sprinkler + one leak at
the meter and countless small leaks at the commodes fittings.

Some may be explained by poor craftsmanship. Some PVC joints were easy to
crack loose and show poor gluing but the house is 7 year old and all
problems appear in a short time.

To understand what is going on I need some education...

1) Could be high pressure or surges? What is a normal range for
municipal water pressure? I plan to install a pressure gauge with a
needle showing max pressure, as soon as I can find one.

2) Just about when this started, some road work was ending and a tank
truck is filling up often at an hydrant in front of the house, to water
the median grass. There is a lever operated valve that can be closed
quickly. Can this create a hammering surge sufficient to make problems?

3) We live in Austin TX, winter are mild but it freezes and the sprinkler
pipes are no deeper that 6 inches in some spots, rocky soil. What is the
proper way to winterize the sprinkling system? I have a compressor.

4) The sprinkler main feed has a complicated looking valve. It has a
main cylindrical body as big as a wine bottle, there are two squat
cylindrical bodies jutting out at 45 degree, almost like a double TT
(inverted) but slanted; there are fittings and adjusting screws on top of
the two bodies and on the main body. What is this valve? Vacuum
break? Pressure reducer?

5) Would it be advisable to install a pressure reducing valve just after
the meter?

6) Any idea of the price of such valve on a 5/8" meter. Just the valve
cost.

Many questions but I appreciate your responses.

MG

Hi,
I live in Calgary. House came with pressure guage/regulator when it was
built. Typical pressure is 60 pound. I blow out sprinklers using
compressor(Campbell Hauser Extreme duty) myself zone by zone. It's
puzzling your plumbing sprang leaks like that. Last 30 years I have 4
houses, a cabin built and never experienced plumbing leak of any sort.
Older houses had copper pipe
plumbing, now this new ones are all done with Pemex and compression
crimp rings.
Tony


Thanks.
How do you connect the compressor to each zone? There is no fitting or a T
to access.
You say you clear each zone, I take that you go in after each valve. How do
you clear the pipe section upstream of the valves?

MG


Hi,
My system is Rainbird. I just attach compressor hose to water line thru
a "T" after water is shut off to sprinkler. Then I select a zone at a
time from controller and blow it out.
compressor not being powerful, it is slow process but gets job done. I
am wondering your yard is settling or shifting or something.
Tony

Sprinkler leaks, winterizing
 

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
news:voPff.542361$tl2.433214@pd7tw3no...
MG wrote:

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
news:SnOff.533252$oW2.90248@pd7tw1no...

MG wrote:

In the last 6 months I had 4 water leaks on the sprinkler + one leak at
the meter and countless small leaks at the commodes fittings.

Some may be explained by poor craftsmanship. Some PVC joints were easy
to crack loose and show poor gluing but the house is 7 year old and all
problems appear in a short time.

To understand what is going on I need some education...

1) Could be high pressure or surges? What is a normal range for
municipal water pressure? I plan to install a pressure gauge with a
needle showing max pressure, as soon as I can find one.

2) Just about when this started, some road work was ending and a tank
truck is filling up often at an hydrant in front of the house, to water
the median grass. There is a lever operated valve that can be closed
quickly. Can this create a hammering surge sufficient to make problems?

3) We live in Austin TX, winter are mild but it freezes and the
sprinkler pipes are no deeper that 6 inches in some spots, rocky soil.
What is the proper way to winterize the sprinkling system? I have a
compressor.

4) The sprinkler main feed has a complicated looking valve. It has a
main cylindrical body as big as a wine bottle, there are two squat
cylindrical bodies jutting out at 45 degree, almost like a double TT
(inverted) but slanted; there are fittings and adjusting screws on top
of the two bodies and on the main body. What is this valve? Vacuum
break? Pressure reducer?

5) Would it be advisable to install a pressure reducing valve just after
the meter?

6) Any idea of the price of such valve on a 5/8" meter. Just the valve
cost.

Many questions but I appreciate your responses.

MG

Hi,
I live in Calgary. House came with pressure guage/regulator when it was
built. Typical pressure is 60 pound. I blow out sprinklers using
compressor(Campbell Hauser Extreme duty) myself zone by zone. It's
puzzling your plumbing sprang leaks like that. Last 30 years I have 4
houses, a cabin built and never experienced plumbing leak of any sort.
Older houses had copper pipe
plumbing, now this new ones are all done with Pemex and compression
crimp rings.
Tony


Thanks.
How do you connect the compressor to each zone? There is no fitting or a
T to access.
You say you clear each zone, I take that you go in after each valve. How
do you clear the pipe section upstream of the valves?

MG


Hi,
My system is Rainbird. I just attach compressor hose to water line thru a
"T" after water is shut off to sprinkler. Then I select a zone at a time
from controller and blow it out.
compressor not being powerful, it is slow process but gets job done. I am
wondering your yard is settling or shifting or something.
Tony

That is the idea, I need to add a "T" after the shutoff.
No yard is not settling, pretty solid rock few inch under. But pipes are
shallow, perhaps lawn mower load.

Thanks
MG