Quick answer: If you are closing a Long Beach Island house for the winter, the irrigation system needs to be blown out before the house water is shut off, and ideally before you leave for the season. Any time from late September through early November works. You do not have to be there for it.
Where the Sprinklers Fit in a House Closing
Most island owners have a routine: outdoor shower drained, furniture stored, house plumbing winterized, water turned off at the street. The irrigation system is the piece that gets forgotten, because it is underground and out of sight.
The order matters:
- Last watering. Let the landscaper finish any fall seeding or planting that needs water.
- Irrigation blowout. Done while the system can still be reached and before the supply is shut for good.
- House plumbing winterized. Your plumber drains the house lines and the outdoor shower.
- Water off at the street, if you shut it down fully.
If the plumber comes first and closes the water, the irrigation lines are still full. Shutting off the supply does not empty a single pipe.
Why Island Systems Are More Exposed
- Shallow pipe. Lines sit close to the surface in pure sand, with little soil above them to hold warmth.
- Wind. There is nothing between the ocean and the bay to slow it. Exposed brass loses heat fast on a cold, windy night.
- Salt. Backflow preventers, valve solenoids, and wire splices corrode faster here than anywhere on the mainland. Corroded parts crack more easily.
- Nobody home. A cracked backflow preventer on an empty property will not be seen until someone drives past, or until spring.
Drip Lines and Planters
Many island properties have more drip irrigation than lawn: beds of grasses and hydrangeas, planters on decks, and narrow strips along the house. Drip tubing and emitters are cleared at lower pressure than lawn zones so they are not damaged. Above-ground tubing in planters should be drained or brought in. See how to winterize drip irrigation.
If You Have a Smart Controller
A Wi-Fi controller is especially useful at a second home. After the blowout it should be in standby or off for the season, and you can confirm that from your phone. Do not let it run a schedule over the winter. Running a zone with the supply shut does nothing useful and can wear the valves.
You Do Not Need to Make the Trip
Tell us where the irrigation shutoff, the backflow preventer, and the controller are, and how to reach them. If you use a property manager or a caretaker, we can coordinate with them directly. We will let you know when the work is done and whether we saw anything that needs repair before spring.
What It Costs
Most island systems are small. A four to five zone system is typically $85 to $110 and six to eight zones is $110 to $135. See the winterization cost guide.
Planning for Spring
Systems should be reopened before the house is in use, with time to make repairs before Memorial Day. An annual service plan covers the closing, the opening, and a mid-season check in one arrangement.
Book the Closing
See our Manahawkin, Stafford, and LBI winterization page or irrigation service on Long Beach Island. Call or text 609-548-5187.