Compressed-air winterization before the first hard freeze. $95 up to 8 zones.
Winterization season
A sprinkler blowout costs $95 for up to 8 zones, plus $7 per additional zone. In Northern Colorado the window is late September through October, before the first hard freeze.
Water left in the lines expands when it freezes, which cracks pipes and splits valves. Those repairs typically run $500 to $1,500, and most homeowners don't find out until they pressurize the system in spring.
Book Now+$7 per additional zone. No trip fee.
October books out
We start booking in September and are usually booked solid by mid-October.
Why it matters
Colorado's freeze-thaw cycle is harder on irrigation than a steady cold winter. Temperatures climb above freezing and drop back down repeatedly, so water left in a line takes that stress all season rather than once.
The backflow assembly goes first
It sits above ground and holds water, so it freezes before anything buried. It's also one of the more expensive parts to replace.
Cracks stay hidden until spring
A split lateral underground gives no warning. You find it when you pressurize in April and part of the yard turns into a puddle, or when a quiet leak shows up on a water bill.
Repairs run $500 to $1,500
Against a $95 blowout. Digging a repair out of saturated clay also takes longer than the original install did.
Based in Erie, covering the surrounding Front Range and Weld County.
A sprinkler blowout costs $95 for up to 8 zones, plus $7 for each additional zone. There is no trip fee.
Late September through October. The first hard freeze, meaning below 28 degrees for several hours, can arrive any time from mid-October on. Erie's first hard freeze in 2024 landed on October 18. Some years it holds off until November, so it isn't worth waiting on the forecast.
Water left in the lines expands when it freezes, which cracks pipes and splits valves. Repair bills typically run $500 to $1,500, and you usually don't find out until spring turn-on.
A typical shop compressor doesn't move enough air volume to clear a residential irrigation system. It builds pressure but not the sustained flow needed to push water out of every lateral and head, so water gets left behind in the places that matter.
We start booking winterizations in September, and October fills up fast. By mid-October we're usually booked solid. Booking early gets you the date you want instead of whatever is left once a freeze shows up in the forecast.
It sits above ground and holds water, so it's the first part of the system to freeze. Clearing and protecting the backflow assembly is part of winterization, and a cracked assembly is one of the more expensive freeze repairs to fix in spring.
Yes. Drip lines, filters, and pressure regulators hold water and crack in a freeze the same way spray zones do, so they get cleared too.
Erie, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, Firestone, and Broomfield, plus surrounding Weld County and Front Range communities. We're based in Erie.
For the full timing breakdown, read our winterization timing guide.
Get a quote on irrigation installation, repair, or seasonal service. Call today or send us a message.
