The short answer

Turning the timer off is only one part of winter preparation. Identify how the system is isolated, how each part drains, and what must be stored away from frost. Resolve unknown drain points before freezing weather.

Applies toOutdoor domestic irrigation exposed to freezing weather. Drainage and backflow-device procedures are installation-specific; this guide does not prescribe compressed-air settings.

Plan around your local forecast rather than a date copied from another climate. Start by making a small inventory. A hose-end timer on a tap and a permanently installed controller need different handling.

01Isolate the water and stop automatic runs

Close the irrigation supply using the correct shutoff. Separately put the controller into the appropriate off or seasonal mode. Stopping the schedule does not empty the pipes.

Rain Bird’s controller support distinguishes plug-in and hardwired installations. A hardwired outdoor controller does not need to be unwired for this task. Follow its instructions for power, retained programmes, and resetting the clock later.

Four separate checks

  1. 01Isolate

    The water supply

  2. 02Pause

    Automatic starts

  3. 03Drain

    As the system requires

  4. 04Protect

    Each exposed component

A planning sequence. Your component manuals determine how each check is completed.

The check

Confirm both decisions: water supply isolated, and automatic starts disabled as your controller manual directs.

What did you find?

Both are identified and completed

Next stepMove on to the drainage plan.

The shutoff or pump controls are unfamiliar

Next stepAsk the installer to identify the correct procedure. Do not disconnect wiring by trial and error.

Based on source 1 · source 2.

02Drain using the method designed for the installation

Rain Bird describes manual drains, automatic drains, and compressed-air winterisation as different approaches. The right method depends on the system. One open line end is not evidence that buried low points and valves are empty.

If professional blow-out is needed, arrange it before freezing conditions. This guide gives no universal compressor setting. Hunter notes that an irrigation water-pressure regulator does not regulate air pressure: its label cannot be used as a compressor safety setting.

What did you find?

The documented drain procedure is clear

Next stepCarry it out for the relevant components and note what remains to be handled.

Drain points, buried sections, or air requirements are uncertain

Next stepUse an irrigation professional rather than experimenting with compressed air.

Based on source 1 · source 3.

03Check removable components separately

A hose-end timer can have different storage requirements from a wall-mounted controller. Rain Bird specifies that the 1ZEHTMR must be kept from freezing. Identify the timer rather than assuming “outdoor” means it can stay full of water through frost.

For each removable filter, regulator, or timer, follow its instructions for draining, battery handling, cleaning, and storage. Label the connections as you remove approved parts. Keep a photograph with the stored components so the arrangement is clear in spring.

What did you find?

Storage instructions and model are known

Next stepComplete those instructions and keep the parts together in the required protected location.

A part is fixed or cannot be positively identified

Next stepDo not force it apart. Ask the supplier or installer how that component is protected.

Based on source 4.

04Leave backflow protection accessible

Rain Bird recommends protecting exposed backflow devices and valves, while keeping their vents and drain openings unobstructed. Device-specific drainage is still necessary; insulation is not a substitute for the correct procedure.

The check

Confirm the backflow device’s instructions with the installer if you do not know its type.

What did you find?

The procedure is complete

Next stepKeep the device’s vents and drains clear and record any work still needed.

You cannot verify it

Next stepHave the device checked before considering the shutdown complete.

Based on source 1.

05Leave a restart note for spring

Write down what was isolated, drained, stored, or left for a professional. The checklist below is a planning aid, not proof that a system is winterised. Any unknown item stays on the list until resolved.

  • Shutoff location and controller mode.
  • Parts removed, storage location, and labelled connections.
  • Drainage method used and any unresolved section.
  • Damage or leaks to repair before the next season.
  • Timer clock and schedule to check when service resumes.

06Worked case: separate “off”, “drained” and “stored”

Illustrative scenario: a raised bed uses a hose-end timer, filter, regulator and several drip runs. Turning off the timer answers only the scheduling question. Make a component inventory, then give each item its own status: isolated, drained by its approved method, removed for storage, or waiting for advice. One tick for the entire bed hides too much.

Start the record at the supply and follow the actual water path. Mark any branch you cannot account for, especially an inaccessible low point or a component with an unknown model. Do not write “empty” simply because water stopped coming from one open end. The useful result of this exercise may be a short list of questions for the installer rather than a claim that the system is finished.

For the restart handover, record the connection order with a photograph and give stored parts identifiable locations. Add the timer clock and programme to the spring list. If a leak was already present before shutdown, record its location now so that winter storage does not disguise an unresolved repair as a new spring fault.

Take a useful record away

Your irrigation check sheet

Use these prompts on paper or print this guide. Keep unknown items marked as pending; a completed record is not a diagnosis.

  1. Supply shutoff and controller seasonal setting
  2. Timer, filter, regulator and backflow-device models
  3. Drainage procedure used; branches still unresolved
  4. Removed items and labelled storage locations
  5. Known leaks; professional work needed; spring checks

Use your browser’s Print command, or “Print guide” at the top, to print or save a PDF.

Choose your next check

Follow the question that remains.

Check the original guidance

Sources & verification

Sources checked on . First published . Follow the manual for your exact model if its instructions differ.

  1. Rain Bird: winterising an irrigation system
  2. Rain Bird: winterising an irrigation controller
  3. Hunter: inline drip winterisation and air-pressure limitation
  4. Rain Bird: hose-end timer operating limits

Diagrams and the order of checks are YardOnAuto’s explanatory presentation of the cited guidance, not manufacturer installation drawings.

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