At this time of year, Texas restaurants have the joys of trying to figure out the weather for the next 3 months to properly prepare for the random temperatures on their outdoor seating areas. Are we going to need our heaters or our misting fans? Typically around Thanksgiving is a good time to make sure your misting system is drained and clear of water to prevent a hard freeze from doing damage to your pump, mist fans or misting lines. First, it is important to remove the filter housing from the pump and empty all the residual water in the canister and filter. This housing is typically blue and can usually be unscrewed with your hands or the filter wrench that comes with the pump. During a hard freeze water left inside may crack this housing. Next step would be to remove all the nozzles in the system. At this time you can clean and store them inside. Removing these nozzles will allow the lines and rings of the fans to drain properly which will prevent freezing. Cleaning them will also prevent calcium build up as the nozzles sit unused during the off-season. A simple vinegar solution 50/50 with warm water will suffice. Doing these simple jobs will greatly reduce the risk of any winter damage to the system and prevent unwanted repair cost. For more information or tips on fan maintenance, please call Hydromist at 512 225-0923