Draining Sprinkler Pipes

[NataliaShelley]

Hello, we got a house a couple of months ago and went to turn off and drain the sprinkler system before winter to find this contraption. Any idea of how to drain outside pipes? We have the line shut off in the basement, and we can remove the backflow, and then what? We will be replacing it with the proper backflow and pipes later on but right now just need to make sure no pipes burst.

 

[RS]

In most cases you need to blow out sprinkler systems, because the lines are below the heads, and you can't just drain it. Ours has a pressure tank in the system so I can do it with a small compressor, I pump the tank up to 50 psi and then open the zone valves, one at a time. It takes me awhile, but it doesn't cost me anything, I have been doing it this way for 30 years without a problem.