Irrigation Pump Winterization 

A pump station holds water in places a standard sprinkler blowout never reaches: the pump casing, the suction line, the check valve, and the pressure tank. When that water freezes, it expands and splits cast iron and plastic housings from the inside. The damage stays hidden until the first spring start-up, when the pump either will not prime or sprays water from a cracked seam.

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Lake properties carry extra risk. Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee pump stations sit exposed on the shoreline, and intakes left in place through winter can end up in shallow water or out of the water entirely as lake levels drop.

1. Shut off and lock out power to the pump at the breaker or disconnect

2. Drain the pump casing through the drain plugs and remove standing water from the volute

3. Drain or blow out the suction and discharge lines with compressed air

4. Inspect the foot valve, check valve, and intake screen, and pull or secure the intake line

5. Drain the pressure tank and relieve system pressure

6. Blow out every irrigation zone, valve, and backflow assembly downstream of the pump

7. Insulate or cover the pump and exposed piping

8. Record anything that needs repair before spring, with photos, so there are no surprises at start-up

• Lake pump stations on Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee

• Pond and creek irrigation pumps

• Well-fed irrigation pumps and booster pumps

• Centrifugal and jet pumps with pressure tanks

• Pump stations we installed and systems built by other contractors

Schedule pump winterization before the first hard freeze, usually late October into November for Northeast Georgia and Upstate South Carolina. A single night in the mid 20s is enough to crack a pump that still holds water. If your property is shaded, sits in a low spot near the water, or has an above-ground pump with no enclosure, book early in the window.

• We build pump stations, so we know how to protect them. Lake and pond pump station installation and repair is part of our regular irrigation work.

• Family owned for more than 18 years in the Hartwell and Upstate area

• One visit covers the whole system. Pump, lines, valves, zones, and backflow are winterized together, not in separate trips.

• Spring start-up follow-through. We bring the system back online in spring.