Winter is here, and with it the probability of days on end below freezing. While such weather is perfect for sitting inside by the fire, it can wreak havoc on our outdoor structures. If you have a fountain or a water feature on your property, you may have some confusion about how to prepare it, if at all, for the frigid months.
The first question to answer is whether or not your winter temps dip low enough, and for long enough, to cause any serious problems. Here in Georgia, the answer is usually ‘probably not,’ but Old Man Winter has proven that assumption wrong a few times in recent years. What steps are helpful, should you decide to take precautions, or be prepared for the intermittent winter events that sometimes grace our state?
Generally speaking, the structures themselves are built to withstand the elements. Made of materials like concrete or hard plastic, they will not suffer from freezing temperatures. What can damage these components is ice- water left inside that freezes and expands, causing cracks in the inner workings of the feature. In a hard plastic container, the ice can bend or warp the plastic. A concrete structure is porous and not as likely to crack because there is room in the concrete for the water; however, it would not hurt to drain the water and start the winter with a dry water feature.
Another mechanism that can suffer from the cold weather is the pump itself. After draining your feature, it’s a good idea to remove the pump and store it in a dry place such as a garage or shed, away from the moisture outside; and try to keep the seals wet so they don’t dry out. The process of freezing/thawing inside a fountain pump can cause cracks in the outer casing, which will in turn allow water inside and damage the electrical function.
You could also choose to let your structure run during the winter. Simply set the pump to allow it to run all the time, which will help prevent freezing; this concept is similar to letting your faucet drip when a hard freeze is coming.
If your feature is too heavy to disassemble, you could invest in a fountain cover. These covers are formulated especially for the purpose of protecting the structure from freeze damage. The best options are constructed from flexible, heavy, UV material with some sort of drawstring to form a relatively tight seal around your structure.
With a winter as mild as ours, there is no set rule on how to manage our outdoor structure for the winter, but there are a few guidelines to keep it safe and working well for the warmer months.
