Quick Answer: New Jersey sprinkler systems should be winterized between October 15 and November 15 with a compressed-air blowout. Below are answers to every winterization question we get asked — or call 609-548-5187 and just ask us.
The ideal window is October 15 through November 15, before the first hard freeze. Inland towns (Colts Neck, Holmdel, Jackson, Hammonton) should aim for the front half of that window; coastal towns (Toms River, Rumson, LBI) can book into early November. Schedule in September to guarantee your date.
You are betting your system against the winter. Water left in pipes, valves, and the backflow preventer expands as it freezes — cracking PVC laterals, splitting poly fittings, and destroying valve diaphragms. Some systems get lucky in a mild winter; most do not. The backflow preventer alone is a $300–$900 replacement.
50 PSI maximum for polyethylene (black poly) pipe and 80 PSI maximum for PVC. Air volume (CFM) matters more than pressure — professional compressors move 80–185 CFM to fully clear lines. Drip zones are much gentler: 30 PSI or less.
Yes, if you have a compressor that moves at least 20–25 CFM — which rules out nearly all homeowner pancake and hot-dog compressors. Undersized compressors leave water in low spots while appearing to work. See our step-by-step DIY guide, or book a professional blowout for less than a day’s compressor rental.
The controller itself is fine — leave it plugged in and set it to off or rain mode, and it keeps its schedule and Wi-Fi settings for spring. What must be winterized is everything outside: pipes, heads, valves, and the backflow preventer.
Manual or automatic drains rely on gravity and always leave water in low spots, check valves, and the backflow. A compressed-air blowout actively pushes water out of every zone and is the only method that fully protects an NJ system. Drains alone are not sufficient winterization in Zone 7.
Yes. Every Coastal Mist winterization includes backflow shutdown: draining the device and setting ball valves and test cocks to 45 degrees so no chamber holds trapped water.
A standard residential system (4–8 zones) takes 30–60 minutes. Large estate systems in areas like Colts Neck and Holmdel with 12–20+ zones can take 90 minutes or more, since every zone is cycled 2–3 times.
Shut off the irrigation water supply and put an insulated cover or towel over the backflow preventer overnight — the above-ground backflow is the most vulnerable part. Buried pipe survives brief early frosts; a sustained hard freeze is what does the damage. Then call us: 609-548-5187.
Yes — we winterize systems throughout Monmouth County including Colts Neck, Holmdel, Rumson, Freehold, Howell, Middletown, and Wall, in addition to all of Ocean and Atlantic counties.
Yes, our seasonal package covers both ends of the season with priority scheduling — fall blowout plus spring startup (backflow reconnection, zone-by-zone check, controller reprogramming). Ask about bundling when you schedule.
📌 Winterization resources:
Call or text 609-548-5187 or schedule your fall blowout online before the schedule fills.