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?
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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:
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?
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.