Quick answer: A professional sprinkler blowout takes about 30 to 60 minutes for most homes. Small systems with four or five zones are at the short end. Large properties with twelve or more zones, well-fed systems, and systems with drip zones take longer.
Why It Takes That Long
Each zone is blown out for roughly 90 seconds to 2 minutes, until the heads stop throwing water and start throwing mist. Then the whole sequence is repeated two or three times, because water runs back into the low spots after the first pass. A six-zone system cycled three times is already more than half an hour of air time, before setup and the backflow preventer.
A blowout that takes ten minutes was one pass. One pass is not a winterization.
Typical Time by System Size
| System | Zones | Time on site |
|---|---|---|
| Small residential | 4 to 5 | 30 to 40 minutes |
| Mid-size residential | 6 to 8 | 40 to 60 minutes |
| Large residential | 9 to 12 | 60 to 90 minutes |
| Estate, well-fed, or multi-controller | 12 or more | 90 minutes or longer |
What Happens, Step by Step
- Arrival and setup. We locate the irrigation shutoff, the backflow preventer, and the controller, and connect the compressor to the blowout port.
- Supply off. The irrigation shutoff is closed so no new water can enter.
- First zone open. A zone is opened before air goes in, so pressure never builds against closed valves.
- Air on. Air is brought up gradually and kept within the safe limit for the pipe. Heads pop up, spray water, then sputter, then mist.
- Every zone, then again. We work through each zone in turn and repeat the sequence.
- Backflow drained. The backflow preventer is emptied and its test cocks are left at 45 degrees.
- Controller off. The controller is set to off or winter mode.
- Walk-through. We tell you about any broken heads, leaking valves, or wiring faults we saw.
How to Get Ready
- Know where the shutoff is. It is usually in the basement, crawlspace, or garage, or beside the water meter. If it is inside, someone needs to let us in.
- Make the controller reachable. Most are in the garage. Leave the door unlocked or give us a code.
- Unlock side gates.
- Bring pets in. The compressor is loud and heads pop up without warning.
- Move cars if a zone runs along the driveway.
- Mention anything unusual: a well, a pond or fountain on the irrigation line, drip zones, or a second controller.
Do You Need to Be Home?
Often not. If the shutoff, the backflow, and the controller can all be reached from outside or from an open garage, we can do the work while you are out and let you know when it is finished. If the shutoff is inside the house, plan to be there or arrange access.
Is It Noisy or Messy?
The compressor is loud, about like a large lawn mower, for the length of the visit. Heads spray water and then mist as they clear, so the lawn and nearby walks get wet. Nothing is dug up.
After We Leave
Leave the irrigation shutoff closed and the backflow test cocks where we set them. Do not run the controller. If you seeded recently and need to water, use a hose and drain it before a freeze.
Book It
The window runs from about October 15 to November 15. See the winterization and blow-out service page, the cost guide, or how a sprinkler blowout works. Call or text 609-548-5187.