| Installing a lateral line irrigation system in areas | | | | is installed, rather than installing them to an |
| where the temperature fluctuates between hot | | | | existing system, but it can be done if you are |
| and cold can be very stressful. Worrying about | | | | willing to foot the cost and put in the time. That is |
| whether you have blown out your irrigation lines | | | | why you want to do your research before you |
| properly or not, because you do not want your | | | | invest money in any project in and around the |
| lines to freeze and burst is not fun. By installing | | | | home, so that you can make the most of your |
| automatic drains in your irrigation system, you can | | | | investment. Whether you are installing a new |
| help to decrease some of that worry and stress. | | | | system or adding to an existing one, there are |
| What exactly do automatic drains do? | | | | several things that you want to keep in mind. |
| When the irrigation system is turned off, the | | | | A pit should be dug where you are installing the |
| automatic drains drain the remaining water from | | | | automatic drains, so that you can enhance the |
| the lines. This can help prevent freezing and | | | | drainage process. This pit should be lined with |
| damage when the temperature starts going | | | | landscape fabric and then filled with pea gravel to |
| down. The automatic drains have to be installed at | | | | ensure that the water can move through the |
| the low points of the line at a 45-degree angle to | | | | gravel and drain into the ground most efficiently. |
| ensure that the water is completely drained from | | | | After the automatic drains are installed, more pea |
| the line. With no water in the irrigation lines, there | | | | gravel is added and the dirt is added on top of |
| is no danger of freezing and damaging the lines. | | | | this. This causes the draining to be efficient, so |
| It would seem that if water can be drained from | | | | that you will not have any danger of standing |
| the lines, then it can get into the lines as well, but | | | | water around the drain areas. |
| this is not the case. Automatic drains are equipped | | | | Automatic drains can keep your stress down |
| with a backflow preventer to keep water out of | | | | when the temperature begins to drop in the fall |
| the line from the ground, as well as dirt. This is a | | | | and winter months. On top of the stress |
| very important facet of the automatic draining | | | | reduction property during the times the |
| system to ensure that water only moves out and | | | | temperature dips below freezing, it can save you |
| not in to keep the irrigation lines working. | | | | money in the future, because you will not have to |
| To work most efficiently to irrigate your crops or | | | | deal with busted irrigation lines. Your irrigation |
| land, your automatic drains need to be installed | | | | system will last you through many years of |
| correctly. It is much cheaper and easier to install | | | | temperature fluctuations, crop cycles, grass |
| automatic drains when the entire irrigation system | | | | cuttings, and more. |