Fall Shutdown & System Winterization
Winterizing your sprinklers is a critical step in sprinkler system maintenance. Without proper winterization, residual water can freeze over winter – causing the pipe, fittings or even valves to crack. This leads to a very unpleasant surprise in the spring when you turn your system on for the season and have major leaks which can require more costly repairs.
Releasing the water from your sprinkler lines at the end of the season is the only way to guarantee there will be no freeze problems over winter.
Sprinkler Genie will blow out your sprinkler system using compressed air to ensure any water build up is removed and help you avoid freezing and cracked pipes.
Sprinkler Winterization / Shutdown Q&A
Q: When should I shut down and winterize my sprinkler system?
A: Winterization usually begins around the end of September and can extend through November, depending on the weather. Most cities using Pressurized Irrigation shut the water off mid-October so anytime after that is safe as the weather is cool enough and days become short enough that grass will naturally begin to go dormant and will not die from lack of water.
Q: Do I have to blow out my system?
A: It is highly recommended to blow out your sprinklers each fall. Many installed systems fail to reach a depth of 18″-24″ (Provo City building code states 30″ is the frost line) and become susceptible to freezing. Blowing out lines removes the excess water and prevents freezing. Even systems that are more than 18″ deep can freeze if the winter is cold enough that year.
Q: How much does it cost to blow out & winterize my system?
A: We charge $11/zone with a $66 minimum (covers up to 6 zones). We offer one of the most competitive prices in the county and winterizing is much less expensive than a repair bill in the spring!
Q: Will an air compressor hook into my sprinkler system?
A: Our preferred method for blowing out lines is to hook the air hose onto a hose bib attachment or existing blow-out port on the sprinkler system. Most pressurized irrigation systems and some systems running on culinary water have one of the options available. We can also tie into an existing sprinkler head on each zone to perform the blow out if no other option is available for an additional fee of $2/zone.
Q: Can my back flow preventer be used for blowing out the lines?
A: Connecting to a Back Flow Preventer is possible, but is not recommended without a blow-out kit due to potential damage to the BFP. We carry blow out kits for some common back flow preventer models, but if your model is different, we will not blow air through your Back Flow Preventer to avoid risk of damaging the unit.
Q: Can I blow out my sprinkler lines with my own air compressor?
A: Blowing out sprinkler lines requires a large capacity air compressor with high CFM output to push high volumes of air through the lines. 2-4HP compressors under 20 gallons are inadequate as they will only put out enough air for it to ride over top of the water in the lines as opposed to pushing the water through the lines.