If you live in Colorado Springs and want your sprinkler system to survive the winter without cracked pipes or burnt-out valves, you need to blow the water out with compressed air before sustained freezing hits. That process is what people usually mean by sprinkler repair Colorado Springs, and it is not something you want to skip, even if you only run your sprinklers a few months a year.
I will walk through how winterization works, the tech behind it, what you can do yourself, and where it makes sense to pay a pro. I will lean a bit into the technical side so it feels familiar if you like hardware, automation, or just seeing how systems behave under stress.
Why winter hits sprinklers so hard in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs has a strange mix of weather. Dry, sunny, and then a cold snap that drops below freezing overnight. Your sprinkler system does not really care about average temperature. It cares about the coldest point inside those pipes.
Water expands when it freezes. That is basic physics, but in a closed pipe it is a slow disaster. The ice has nowhere to go, so pressure builds until something fails. Often it is the weakest link: a fitting, a backflow preventer, or a plastic elbow underground. You do not see the damage until spring, when water starts leaking into the soil or spraying out in the wrong place.
If there is standing water in your sprinkler system when a real freeze hits, something in that system is at risk of cracking.
People sometimes assume that because their pipes are underground they are safe. That is only partly true. The frost line in Colorado Springs can reach deeper than many shallow lines, and water sitting in low spots in the pipe can still freeze and cause damage, even if the top soil feels mild most of the winter.
So winterization is not a luxury. It is a form of controlled shutdown. You are taking a system designed to move water and forcing it into a safe dry state so it can sit idle for months without harm.
The basic idea of sprinkler winterization
The goal is simple: remove almost all water from the system. Not every droplet, but enough that any remaining water has room to expand without breaking things.
In Colorado Springs the most common method is the air blowout method. There are other methods, like gravity draining or manual draining, but they rarely give full coverage with complex yards, multiple zones, and backflow devices.
The air blowout method uses a compressor to push air through each sprinkler zone. Water in the pipes is carried up through the heads and out onto the lawn. You repeat for every zone until only a light mist or air comes out.
Think of winterization as running your system one last time, but with air instead of water.
That is the basic story, but the details matter: compressor pressure, connection points, order of zones, and even how long you run air through each line. Get those wrong and you can damage the system during the blowout itself.
Sprinkler systems as simple networks
If you like tech, it helps to think about your sprinkler system like a small physical network.
- The water supply is your “upstream provider”.
- The backflow preventer is like a security gateway that only lets flow go one way.
- The manifold and valves are your routers and switches, directing water to specific branches.
- Each zone is a separate subnet with its own load and path.
Winterization is similar to shutting down a network before a power test. You do not just yank the main cable and hope. You shut pieces down in a certain order, watch the behavior, and make sure nothing overheats or overloads.
The difference is that here, your “overload” is mechanical stress from pressure, not from voltage or CPU load.
Typical sprinkler layout in Colorado Springs
It helps to know what you are working with before you connect any air tools. Every system is a bit different, but most residential setups in Colorado Springs look like this:
| Component | Where you find it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Water shutoff valve | Basement, crawlspace, or external pit | Turns water to the sprinkler system on or off |
| Backflow preventer | Usually above ground near the house | Stops irrigation water from flowing back into your household water |
| Manifold / valve box | Green box in the yard | Contains electric valves that control each zone |
| Sprinkler controller | Garage, basement, or outside wall | Electronic timer or smart controller that opens and closes valves |
| Zones and heads | Spread across the yard | Deliver water according to your programming |
Knowing how to reach each of these pieces makes winterization less confusing. It also reduces the chance that you blow air into the wrong line or forget a valve that should be closed.
When to winterize in Colorado Springs
This is where people sometimes get it wrong. They look at the calendar, pick a date, and stick with it. Nature does not really care about that plan.
What matters most is the first period of hard freeze. A light overnight frost usually does not destroy a system that still has some water. A series of nights in the low 20s, especially if days stay cold, is much more of a problem.
I think a better way is to treat it like monitoring a server cluster. You watch signals, not just dates:
- Forecast shows several nights below 28°F in a row
- Daytime highs stay under 45°F
- You no longer need to water because grass growth slows
In Colorado Springs that often lands sometime from early October to early November. Some years it feels safe later, then a sudden cold front arrives and ruins that plan. Waiting for the “perfect” last watering often ends up being a bad trade if you cross that line.
If you are unsure, it is usually safer to winterize a bit early than a week too late.
Tools and tech you need for a blowout
You do not need a workshop full of tools, but you do need the right compressor and a safe way to connect it. This is where a lot of do it yourself attempts go wrong.
Air compressor choices
The key specs are pressure (PSI) and volume (CFM). Home sprinklers are not high pressure systems, so more pressure is not better. It can break things.
For most residential systems:
- Pressure: stay around 50 to 60 PSI for PVC, often less for drip zones
- Volume: target at least 4 to 5 CFM at that pressure, more is helpful for large yards
Small pancake compressors that run nail guns can work on tiny systems, but they spend a lot of time refilling. That means uneven flow and a longer job. Large tow-behind compressors used by pros move much more air, but they also require good control so they do not spike pressure.
If you are a tech person who likes specs, it feels very much like sizing a power supply. Too little and nothing runs well. Too much in the wrong way and you risk damage. Balance matters more than brag numbers.
Connection fittings
Most systems will have one of these connection points for air:
- Blowout port near the backflow preventer (often a threaded plug)
- Threaded cap in the valve box
- Spigot or hose bib teed into the main sprinkler line
You need the correct adapter from your compressor hose to that fitting, usually some mix of quick connect, ball valve, and threaded adapter. This part feels a bit like dealing with dongles for different ports: annoying, but once you match it, the rest is easier.
Step by step: how a blowout usually works
There are small variations between systems, and different companies will have slightly different methods, but the general sequence stays similar.
1. Shut off the water supply
Find the main sprinkler shutoff valve and close it. This stops new water from entering while you are pushing air through.
Some homes also have a small drain near that valve. If you have one, you can open it to let trapped water between the shutoff and backflow escape. Put a bucket under it if it is indoors.
2. Prepare the backflow preventer
Backflow devices are sensitive and not cheap. You want them dry before winter.
Usually you will:
- Turn the backflow valves to the correct position (often at a 45 degree angle or fully closed, depending on style)
- Open the small test cocks to relieve pressure and drain water
These tiny ports sometimes spit for a moment. That is normal. Think of it like bleeding pressure from a line before working on hardware.
3. Connect the air compressor
Attach your air hose to the blowout port or air fitting you identified earlier. Make sure:
- The connection is secure and does not leak badly
- Your compressor regulator is set low before you start, then gently raised
Too many people set the compressor to 90 PSI because they see that number on the side and assume it is fine. It is not. Sprinkler systems are not built for that.
4. Use the controller to run one zone at a time
This part feels almost like software testing. You open one valve at a time and watch the output.
With the compressor running and pressure stable:
- Set your sprinkler controller to manual mode
- Turn on zone 1 only
- Let air push water through until the heads go from full stream to mist to mostly air
- Turn off zone 1 and move to zone 2
- Repeat for every zone
Do not open multiple zones at once unless you know your compressor can handle the flow. It is like opening many threads against a limited resource: you end up doing each job poorly instead of one well.
Most zones take 2 to 5 minutes for an initial pass, then you might circle back for a shorter second pass if you want to be thorough.
5. Watch the sprinkler heads
The heads tell you what is happening underground. At first they will throw solid water. Then they sputter a mix of water and air. Finally, they mostly blow mist or air.
One thing that can feel odd is how uneven it looks. Some heads clear faster than others. Some stop popping up. That is normal, especially once pressure drops and most of the water is gone.
I like to think of this stage like monitoring logs during a deployment. You watch for patterns that tell you when the work is mostly done and when something is wrong, like a head that never activates or a zone that stays full of water.
6. Shut everything down and leave the system in a safe state
After all zones are clear:
- Turn off the controller or set it to “off” mode so it does not try to water during winter
- Disconnect the air hose
- Leave backflow valves in the recommended winter position (often half open so trapped water can expand)
- Put caps or plugs back where they belong
Some people wrap the backflow with insulation or a cover, especially if it is exposed. That extra layer is not magic, but it helps buffer against rapid temperature swings.
Common mistakes during winterization
There are a few patterns that keep showing up in repair calls every spring. Many of them go back to winterization problems, not normal wear.
Using too much air pressure
This is probably the biggest one. High pressure can:
- Blow apart fittings
- Damage internal parts of rotor heads
- Stress drip lines that were never built to see strong air flow
Staying below 60 PSI for standard lines, and lower for delicate zones, is a reasonable rule. You want volume, not brute force.
Running air for too long on one zone
Once most of the water is gone, more time brings diminishing returns. After a while you are just spinning the system with dry air. That can overheat some moving parts inside the heads.
Short passes with a break between runs are usually better than one long blast.
Skipping odd zones or drip lines
Some yards have special zones for gardens, trees, or drip beds. They are easy to forget because they may not look like “sprinklers” in your mind.
Those lines can crack just as easily as the main turf zones. You need to find them in the controller schedule and make sure they get time during the blowout.
How smart controllers fit into winterization
If you are into tech, you might already run a smart sprinkler controller. Those bring better scheduling, integration with weather data, and remote control from your phone.
For winterization, smart controllers help in a few ways:
- Manual zone control from your phone while you stand outside watching heads
- Flexible run times so you can set each test to a short duration
- Seasonal shift or rain skip features that help reduce watering late in the season
You still need the physical air blowout work, but it feels smoother when you can stand at the valve box with your phone, not run back and forth to an old panel inside the garage.
Some people assume a smart controller can “winterize itself” automatically. Not really. It can reduce watering and shut itself off, but it cannot remove water from the pipes. You still need that physical process.
DIY vs hiring a professional
This is one area where you might disagree with other homeowners. Some say you should always hire a pro, no matter what. Others claim that renting a compressor once a year is easy and saves a lot of money. The truth is somewhere in between.
When DIY can make sense
Doing your own winterization can be reasonable if:
- You understand your system layout
- You can access a suitable air compressor safely
- You are comfortable adjusting regulators and watching gauges
- You are patient about going zone by zone
If you treat it like a small technical project, read instructions, and avoid rushing, it can work fine. Some people even enjoy it in a strange way, like cleaning up code before a new release.
When a professional is probably better
Hiring a pro can be smarter if:
- Your yard has many zones or a complex design
- You have a large backflow assembly or multiple water sources
- You do not want to rent or maintain an air compressor
- You are not confident reading pressure settings and fittings
There is also the time factor. A seasoned technician can often winterize a typical suburban yard in under an hour, while a first time DIY attempt might stretch into an afternoon.
If a repair from a bad winterization could cost more than several years of pro service, paying for the service starts to look less like an expense and more like insurance.
What a pro usually checks that DIYers miss
Good sprinkler technicians do more than just connect air and cycle zones. They often add some quick checks that prevent bigger surprises later.
- Looking for weak or damaged heads while air is running
- Noticing zones that are slow to respond, hinting at valve issues
- Checking the backflow for leaks or corrosion
- Verifying controller settings so spring startup is easier
It is similar to how a good system admin uses maintenance windows to look for deeper issues, not just to reboot servers. The visible symptoms during winterization can reveal problems that would otherwise stay hidden until peak watering season.
Cost, risk, and what tends to break
The main financial question is simple: what costs more, professional winterization every year or the occasional repair from skipping it or doing it poorly?
Some common repair items after a bad winter include:
- Cracked backflow preventer: often over a hundred dollars in parts, plus labor
- Broken manifold or main line: digging plus parts plus time
- Damaged heads across multiple zones: small pieces, but they add up
It is not hard for one freeze related failure to exceed several seasons of professional winterization fees. That does not mean you must hire someone, but it is good context when you decide how careful you will be if you do it yourself.
Simple checklist for Colorado Springs winterization
If you like checklists, here is a compact one you can keep for each fall. It is not perfect, but it keeps you from forgetting a key step.
- Watch forecast for a string of hard freezes
- Turn off main sprinkler water supply
- Drain water between shutoff and backflow if drain exists
- Set backflow valves and open test ports briefly
- Attach air compressor to blowout connection
- Set compressor regulator to safe pressure
- Use controller manual mode to run each zone
- Watch each zone until mostly air or light mist comes out
- Repeat short passes if needed
- Turn controller to “off” for the season
- Disconnect air and place valves in winter position
- Insulate exposed backflow if desired
Small extras that make life easier in spring
Winterization is about surviving the cold, but it is also a chance to prepare for easier startup later.
- Label zones in the controller with clear names: “Front north lawn”, “Back drip”, “Side beds”
- Note any heads that looked weak or partially clogged while they were clearing
- Take a few photos of valve boxes and backflow positions as a reminder for next year
- If you use smart home systems, document how your controller integrates with them
These are small things. But they reduce guesswork in spring, when you might already be busy with other projects.
Questions and answers on Colorado Springs sprinkler winterization
Do I need to winterize if I used my sprinklers only a few times this year?
Yes, you still should. The risk does not come from how often you used the system. The risk comes from water that remains in the lines, and there will almost always be some unless you blew them out earlier.
Can I just run the system until all water “seems” gone without using air?
No, normal operation will not clear low spots in the piping. Water will sit in those low areas, and that is enough to cause damage when it freezes.
Is draining the backflow alone enough protection?
Draining the backflow helps, but it only protects that specific device. The rest of the yard piping can still hold water. You need the blowout step to clear those lines.
How long should each zone run during a blowout?
There is no perfect number, but for a typical residential system, 2 to 3 minutes per zone for the first pass, then maybe 1 to 2 minutes for a second pass, is common. If you see only air for an extended period, you can stop that zone.
Will winterization fix existing leaks or broken heads?
No. It only protects the system from freeze damage. If you already have a leak, winterization will not repair it. You will still want to schedule repair work, usually in spring, when the ground is easier to work.
Is it safe to use my small portable compressor from the garage?
Sometimes, but not always. Many small units do not move enough air to clear long runs quickly. You can still try if you keep the pressure low and are patient, but do not push the pressure higher just to make it feel more powerful. That risks damage without solving the volume problem.
Does a smart controller remove the need for winterization?
No. Smart controllers help with scheduling and convenience. They cannot remove water from pipes. You still need physical air blowout or comprehensive draining to prevent freeze damage.
What happens if I forget to winterize one year?
You might get lucky if the winter is mild, but in Colorado Springs that is a risk. Damage often shows up months later as unexplained wet spots, low pressure in certain zones, or a backflow that leaks. That is why people who skip one year often decide not to repeat that mistake.