How to Winterize Your Lawn Equipment

Winter is coming! And no, we’re not talking about Game of Thrones (though, if you haven’t seen it, we highly recommend it). Temperatures in Gettysburg will soon decrease, and it’s time to get your landscape and lawn equipment ready. We don’t mean you should just store everything in a non-temperature-controlled garage until spring rolls around again. You want your lawn care tools to come roaring back to life once it gets warm again, so there are a few winterizing tasks you need to complete to ensure that.

Flush Your Irrigation System

Winterizing a sprinkler system doesn’t have to be a complicated job and often doesn’t always require an air compressor to remove water from the water lines. You can easily evacuate lines if they’re buried at a downhill slope. Efficient winterization was probably why you had drain lines positioned this way in the first place. Now, all you have to do is shut off the main water supply, open the drain valves, and let the water drain naturally.

For those sprinkler systems that require manual drainage, a basic air compressor will work just fine. Your compressor hose should be long enough to reach the control valve for every zone. You may need an adaptor for the compressor hose to fit comfortably into the valve.

Evacuate excess water in your irrigation system by following these steps:

• Step 1: Turn off the water supply
• Step 2: Open the water supply line to drain any water before using the compressor
• Step 3: Screw on the air compressor adaptor to the water line
• Step 4: Set the compressor to 60-80 PSI and attach it to the adaptor already on the water supply line
• Step 5: Watch the sprinkler heads in each zone and make sure that once the water is drained, you turn off the compressor
• Step 6: When all the water is evacuated from the irrigation lines, remove the adaptor and recap the water supply line

Remember, winterizing is important for your sprinkler system when the temperature drops and consistently stays below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. You don’t want water sitting in your lines when the system isn’t being used during colder months, or it could corrode the lines and cause significant issues.

Clean Equipment

Winterizing your lawn equipment doesn’t always have to be so involved. Cleaning your tools is vital to ensuring they remain intact during winter. After so much use during spring and summer, your lawn equipment is probably looking a bit dirty and dingy. You’ll want to give these vital maintenance tools a little love and attention and make them shine again. Leaving dirt and dust on your tools could result in rust, corrosion, and internal problems, leading to operational malfunctions and a short lifespan.

Get Lawn Repairs and Maintenance Completed

Because you won’t be using your lawn maintenance equipment often (if at all because your grass will go dormant), you’ll want to prioritize upkeep and complete any repairs you may have been putting off. We know you have so much on your plate trying to prepare for the holidays. Still, winterizing your landscape should include caring for your tools.

You’ll also want to clean your tools because—let’s face it—they’ve gotten dirty over the past few months of consistent use. Before you start cleaning, remove the spark plug to be safe. A putty knife should be sufficient for removing stuck-on dirt from lawn mower blades, and a wire brush can be a time-saver for scrubbing away rust.

Check and Clean Spark Plugs

Your gas-powered lawn care equipment has a spark plug that gets the engine working. These small yet crucial components require some TLC. You’ll need a socket wrench to remove the spark plug and an effective cleaner. We recommend using brake spray cleaner and a wire brush for the best results. Your spark plug may be too far gone to clean. In that case, they’re typically $4 a pop, so extremely affordable to replace.

Let The Grounds Guys of Gettysburg Help Get Your Landscape Ready for Winter!

Gettysburg can be a gorgeous winter wonderland, but your lawn can greatly suffer if it’s not prepared for cold weather. The Grounds Guys of Gettysburg has fall clean-up services to ensure your landscape is given the best chance to thrive in winter. We’re here to help you winterize your lawn promptly and efficiently.

Call us for more information and receive a free estimate today!