Rant of the week. Sprinkler Bonnet/Poppet prices!????

[fitz19d]

Sprinkler backflow leaking out the top. Figure gasket is worn or whatever.

Go to home depot (and online prices not much better)...... how is this peice of basically 3d print plastic, screw and a spring $25, and almost half the price of the entire assembly.....

[RblDiver]

Interesting you post this, I have the same problem. I'm just hoping I noticed it relatively soon after it happened; didn't really notice anything inside the house and was more luck that I went outside where I heard it spraying all over the place. Sure hope it was only broken that day, and I don't end up with $1000 water bill next month :P

[Gman]

...because those are the parts that break when the backflow freezes...and they know you need replacements. Easier to buy a new one than to re-work the plumbing for a new valve.

[vossman]

That's the cheap one. At least it's supposed to last longer than a year.

[brutal]

There was a hard freeze predicted last night below 6000' along the front range.

I blew my lines out last weekend and pulled the vacuum breaker off. I installed it with shark bites and just pull the whole thing every year because I've had ball valves split even after blowing out the system.

[JohnTRourke]

...because those are the parts that break when the backflow freezes...and they know you need replacements. Easier to buy a new one than to re-work the plumbing for a new valve.

nails it
your backflow froze

put some insulation over it (just a chunk) with a plastic garbage bag to keep the insulation from getting wet. good down into the single digits (if well insulated)