How & When to Winterize Your Idaho Irrigation System

If you’re scrambling to find your gloves, your ice scraper and your favorite soup recipe, one thing might have escaped your “it’s almost winter” to-do list.

Is your irrigation system ready for winter?

Jump to Section

• Why is Irrigation Winterization So Important?
• What Happens During Irrigation Winterization?
• When Should You Turn Off Irrigation in Idaho Falls?
• How Much Does It Cost to Have Your Irrigation System Winterized?
• How Do I Winterize My Irrigation System Myself?
• Your Best Bet for Irrigation Winterization: Call in the Pros
• Now You’re Set for Irrigation Maintenance— Until Spring
• How Technology Has Improved Irrigation Winterization
• Trust Your Sprinkler Winterization to Outback

Do irrigation systems need to be winterized? Here in Idaho Falls, they absolutely do. Leaving water in your irrigation system during the colder months can cause pipes to burst and lead to other costly damage, too. So, you must winterize your system before the first freeze.

Let’s learn more about preparing sprinklers for winter.

Why is Irrigation Winterization So Important?

It gets really cold out there during Idaho Falls winters.

We’re talking daily lows of 10 degrees in January. Even at high temperatures, it can easily be below freezing.

That means irrigation winterization is crucial to prevent damage to your system from freezing water, which can expand and cause pipes to burst, sprinkler heads to break, and valves to crack.

None of that is good.

“Winterizing” your system basically means removing every bit of water leftover in it from the last time it ran. People often call it “irrigation blowouts.”

This pre-winter task extends your irrigation system's lifespan and makes sure it’s ready to roll in the spring.

Here’s a closer look at why this should top your late fall chore list:

Irrigation winterization prevents freeze damage. Water expands when it freezes, and this expansion can crack or burst sprinkler system pipes, valves, and sprinkler heads. This damage leads to trouble later when you need your system in the spring, as it may be leaking or malfunctioning. Then you have to shell out the money for potentially pricey repairs. And you’ll wish you had just sprung for the irrigation winterization.

Irrigation blowouts help you avoid expensive repairs. Replacing busted irrigation system components isn’t cheap. (More details on this in a bit.)

It extends the lifespan of your irrigation system. Regular irrigation maintenance, including winterization, helps protect your investment and helps ensure your sprinkler system keeps your lawn and landscaping healthy and thriving for the long haul.

What Happens During Irrigation Winterization?

Irrigation winterization involves turning off the water supply, draining all water from the pipes and sprinkler heads, and turning off the controller for the winter.

The reason it’s often called a sprinkler system “blowout” is because compressed air is used to "blow out" the system to remove any lingering water.

Here’s a closer look at how it works, step by step:

1. The primary water source to the irrigation system is turned off, so no water enters during the winter.
2. The controller is turned off or reprogrammed, so your system won't run accidentally in the winter.
3. All the water is removed. This is the most essential part. An air compressor is connected to the system. Then high-volume, low-pressure air is used to force all remaining water out of the pipes and sprinkler heads. (The “high-volume, low-pressure” part is essential, and pretty interesting, and we’ll explain why in a bit.)

4. Each zone is manually activated to make sure all the water is blown out until only a fine mist comes out of the sprinkler heads.

5. The pumps are disconnected and drained.

6. Backflow preventers are drained, and sometimes removed and stored, to prevent damage.

When Should You Turn Off Irrigation in Idaho Falls?

Experts recommend that you have irrigation blowouts completed before the temperature dips below freezing.

Here at Outback, we wrap up winterization for our customers by Nov. 1.

How Much Does It Cost to Have Your Irrigation System Winterized?

The cost for Outback Landscape irrigation pros to winterize your residential sprinkler system is $130, which includes up to 8 zones. Each additional zone costs $5. Cost for commercial customers varies, based on the type of irrigation system.

But the cost to repair an irrigation system damaged by freezing temperatures is much higher—up to several hundred dollars.

Plenty of things can go wrong if you don’t have irrigation winterization done.

Here are just a few — and the cost to repair the damage or replace the part:

• A cracked or frozen valve. Cost: $175 each or more.
• A broken manifold costs $150 to $400 to rebuild, depending on access, the time required for the repair, and the number of valves broken. If an entire manifold sat in a low spot where water pooled and all three or four valves broke, that’s a considerable expense.
• A broken backflow device. The cost of replacing a 1-inch backflow, including necessary testing, is $200-$750, depending on the location of the crack.

How Do I Winterize My Irrigation System Myself?

Maybe you’re tempted to tackle this chore yourself. You have an air compressor gathering dust in the back of the garage. You’re pretty handy. Plus, it sounds sort of fun to blast water out with high-intensity air, right?

But you need exact instructions. There are quite a few essential steps. Also, there are different types of sprinkler systems with varying steps, so the instructions will vary accordingly.

Do you have the instruction manual that came with your irrigation system? (If you’re laughing right now, we’ll assume that answer is no.)

If you know what type of irrigation system you have, you could always hit YouTube and follow along with some nice person who took the time to show exactly how it’s done. They know what they’re doing, right?

Your Best Bet for Irrigation Winterization: Call in the Pros

The safest and easiest way to winterize your sprinkler system is to hire a landscaping company that specializes in irrigation maintenance. They know exactly how to clear the water out of your sprinkler system, no matter what type you have. So, you can rest easy that there’s no water left and they have covered all the steps.

Why hire the pros? For one thing, it’s way easier.

A few other key reasons:

You’ll Avoid Costly Damage

If you mess this up yourself, you could end up with broken pipes or valves, which can be more expensive to fix than hiring a professional for your irrigation winterization in the first place.

Do You Have the Right Equipment?

Professionals use air compressors with the correct airflow and pressure (50-80 PSI, depending on the pipe material) and know how to attach them correctly.

This part is essential.

• Your workshop or garage air compressor has high pressure but not much volume.
• You need a high-volume wall of air to blow all that water out of your sprinkler system for proper irrigation winterization.
• Professional compressors produce massive quantities of air, but not high pressure.

If you leave your DIY air compressor on too long, really trying to get all the water out, you can blow apart the components of your irrigation system. Obviously, you want to avoid this chaotic scene.

Do You Know What You're Doing?

Sprinkler blowouts are tricky. Even if you think you’ve drained all the water, some water remains and can freeze, expand, and crack the pipes. Freezing water in the backflow assembly will damage the internal components. Professionals do this for a living. They know every element that needs attention and the best way to clear them, ensuring no water is left behind.

Do You Really Have Time for This?

A professional can complete the job quickly and efficiently — and be done before you’ve figured out the instructions from that YouTube video.

You must have other things to do, right?

Now You’re Set for Irrigation Maintenance — Until Spring

Once your sprinkler system has been shut down and is tucked in for the winter, you can rest easy until spring.

Then, it’ll need some attention again to get ready for the busy watering season.

Once spring arrives, your sprinkler system has been off duty for a few months. The water is off. The sprinkler heads are probably clogged with debris. Maybe they got bumped by snow plows so they’re pointing the wrong way, or broken.

It’ll be time for the spring sprinkler system startup to make sure everything is working properly and your system is ready to roll.

How Technology Has Improved Irrigation Winterization

New technologies, such as remote access to irrigation systems for irrigation technicians, have made irrigation maintenance visits, like winterization, easier and more convenient, speeding up maintenance tasks and repairs.

But some commercial customers, like hospitals and banks, are reluctant to allow outside access to their Wi-Fi networks for security reasons.

Outback Landscape uses Weathermatic software, which allows our technicians convenient remote access, but it runs on an independent cell card, which appeals to commercial customers concerned about external access. It gives us a secure, convenient way to control customers’ irrigation systems while providing them with peace of mind.

Trust Your Sprinkler Winterization to Outback

At Outback Landscape, we’re on top of all the last-minute tasks your property needs before winter, including your irrigation system blowout. That's what we do, offering expert irrigation maintenance in Idaho Falls.

But winter isn’t the only time you should get your sprinkler system inspected. Regular irrigation system maintenance will ensure it operates efficiently. You could be wasting water and money if the system isn’t working properly.

In addition to expert irrigation services in Idaho Falls, we offer landscape design, construction, maintenance and lighting services to enhance your property.

We serve residential and commercial properties in Idaho Falls, Rexburg and Pocatello, Idaho, as well as Bonneville, Madison and Bannock counties and Jackson Hole, WY. Call us at 208-656-3220 or schedule a no-obligation meeting with one of our team members. We’d love to hear from you.