When to Winterize Your Sprinkler System in Texas

Every year, North Dallas homeowners ask us the same question: "Do I really need to winterize my sprinklers?" The short answer is yes, one hard freeze can crack your backflow preventer and burst lateral lines. Here's what you need to know.

When to Winterize in North Texas

The typical window is late October through mid-November. You don't need to wait for the first freeze, in fact, you shouldn't. The goal is to have your system blown out before temperatures drop below 32°F for an extended period.

In the North Texas area, our first hard freeze usually hits between late November and mid-December, but we've seen freezing temps as early as late October. Don't gamble on the forecast.

What Happens If You Don't Winterize?

Cracked backflow preventer. The most common freeze damage we see. The brass body splits when the water inside freezes and expands, and a cracked body can't be repaired, only replaced.
Burst lateral lines. Water expands when it freezes, and underground pipes can't handle that. These usually show up in the spring when you run the system and suddenly have wet spots in the yard.
Damaged valves and solenoids. Water trapped in the valve body or the solenoid chamber freezes and cracks the components.
Controller damage. Less common, but power surges during winter storms can take out an older controller.

We see dozens of these calls every February and March. The repair bill is always more than a proper winterization would have cost, usually by a lot. It's the cheapest insurance you can buy on your system.