If you live in Colorado Springs, you need to winterize your sprinkler system before freezing nights arrive, because water left in the lines can freeze, expand, and crack pipes, valves, and backflow parts. Many homeowners either handle parts of the process themselves or hire a local Colorado Springs sprinkler winterization service to handle the blowout step, which is the part that usually needs a compressor and a practiced hand.
That is the short answer. You shut off the water, drain or blow out the lines, protect the backflow preventer, and then keep an eye on things through late fall. The longer answer is a bit more layered, because Colorado Springs weather is, well, not very predictable, and sprinkler systems are not all identical. Some steps you can skip. Others you probably should not.
I will walk through the process the way a normal homeowner might think through it, not like an engineer writing a manual. There are a few gray areas, and I will point those out instead of pretending there is just one correct method.
Why winterization matters so much in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs sits at a higher elevation than many cities. Nights get cold fast. You might still have warm afternoons in October, but the overnight lows dip below freezing without much warning. Sprinkler pipes sit near the surface, and some are above ground.
When water freezes, it expands. That pressure has to go somewhere. It usually goes into the weakest part of your system.
Most cold-weather damage comes from trapped water in low spots, not from the water you see or hear first.
Some common problems from poor or rushed winterization:
- Cracked backflow preventer body
- Split PVC or poly pipe in the yard
- Broken manifold fittings under the valve box lid
- Damaged sprinkler heads that popped with ice
Repair costs vary, but one broken backflow preventer can cost more than several years of proper winterization. I have seen that happen, and it never feels like a good way to spend money.
How early is too early?
Some people shut sprinklers off right after Labor Day. Others keep watering well into October because the lawn still feels dry. I think a better way is to watch for a few signs:
- Night temperatures near or below 30°F in the forecast
- Daytime highs not climbing back into the 60s very often
- Trees dropping most of their leaves
In Colorado Springs, this often lands between late September and late October. It can shift year by year. If you are reading this in a warm fall, you might be tempted to push it. Just remember that one sudden freeze can undo an entire season of lawn care.
Know what kind of sprinkler system you have
Before you touch anything, you need to understand your setup. Not every yard has the same parts. Some of this might feel boring, but it saves you from guessing later.
| Part | What it does | Where you usually find it |
|---|---|---|
| Main shutoff valve | Stops water to the sprinkler system only | Basement, crawl space, or an outdoor box near the foundation |
| Backflow preventer | Stops dirty water from flowing back into house water | Above ground on exterior wall or in a box near the house |
| Manifold / valves | Controls each zone in the yard | In one or more green valve boxes in the yard |
| Sprinkler heads | Spray or rotate to water lawn and beds | All across the yard, often near sidewalks and edges |
| Blowout port | Connection point for air compressor | Near backflow, manifold, or main line |
If you only take one thing from this section, let it be this:
Find your main shutoff valve and your backflow preventer before the first hard freeze, not during it.
I have seen people out with flashlights at 10 p.m. trying to find the valve while snow is starting. That is not fun.
Quick way to map your system
If you are not sure what controls what, you can run a quick zone check during the last week or two of watering:
- Turn on each zone from the controller for 1 or 2 minutes.
- Walk the yard and see which heads pop up.
- Note where the valve box is that clicks on for that zone.
- Write it down or take pictures on your phone.
This helps later when you are blowing out lines or checking for leftover water.
Step 1: Shut off the water to your sprinkler system
Winterization starts inside, not out in the yard. You need to stop water from feeding the exterior lines.
Finding and closing the main sprinkler shutoff
Look for a ball valve or gate valve on the branch that feeds the sprinklers. It is usually:
- Near where the main water line enters the house
- Close to the wall that faces the yard
- Sometimes labeled “sprinkler” or “irrigation”
Turn a ball valve so it is perpendicular to the pipe. For a gate valve, turn the handle clockwise until it stops. Do not overtighten so much that you damage the stem, just firm enough.
After you close it, your controller might still have power, but zones should not run water. We will test this in a minute.
Bleeding pressure from the line
Most backflow preventers have small test cocks, which are tiny valves with flat-head slots. After shutting off the main sprinkler valve, you usually want to relieve pressure so you do not trap water where it can expand.
A common sequence many pros follow:
- Turn off the main sprinkler shutoff inside.
- Go outside to the backflow.
- Turn the backflow isolation valves to a 45-degree angle so they are halfway between open and closed.
- Open the test cocks a quarter turn so water drips or sprays out briefly.
You will probably see a bit of water. That is fine. If you see a lot, your main shutoff might not be closing fully.
Step 2: Protect the backflow preventer
The backflow preventer is one of the most fragile and most expensive parts of the system. It sits exposed to cold air, usually off the side of your house. That is not ideal in a place with swings between warm afternoons and freezing nights.
If one item on your system deserves extra attention during winterization, it is the backflow preventer.
Positioning the valves
Once the water is off and you have relieved pressure, most techs set the valves like this:
- Main sprinkler shutoff: fully closed
- Backflow inlet and outlet valves: turned to 45 degrees (half open, half closed)
- Test cocks: open to about a quarter turn, pointing slightly down so water can drain
The angled position helps avoid trapping water against seals. If your backflow does not match pictures you see online, you might have an older style, and the exact steps can change slightly. In that case, you may want a quick visit from someone who does this all the time.
Insulating without overdoing it
Once valves are set, you can insulate the exposed parts. You do not need to build a bunker around the device. The goal is to buffer it from wind and sharp temperature drops, not to turn it into a sealed cooler.
Common options:
- Backflow insulation bags that slip over the device
- Foam pipe wrap for exposed copper or PVC
- Old towels wrapped around the unit, covered with a plastic bag to keep them dry
Leave some air space at the bottom so moisture is not trapped. If water does leak or drain, you want it to escape, not soak back into the insulation.
Step 3: Should you blow out your sprinklers or just drain them?
This is where opinions start to split. Some homeowners use manual or automatic drains and feel fine without compressed air. Others insist that a blowout is the only safe way in our climate.
I tend to lean toward air blowouts for Colorado Springs, especially for systems with:
- Complex layouts with many elevation changes
- Long runs of PVC or poly pipe
- Backyards that slope down away from the house
Gravity drains can miss pockets of water. A small low spot hidden under a walkway can still crack a pipe. So yes, simple systems with perfect slope might get by with draining only, but that is not most yards.
How manual and automatic drains work
Some systems use small drain valves near the lowest points. You might see these in valve boxes or near where the main line enters the yard.
- Manual drain valves: You open them yourself with your hand or a screwdriver.
- Automatic drain valves: They open when pressure drops below a certain level.
If your system has these, you should still close the main, run each zone briefly to relieve pressure, then check that drains are actually letting water out. Over time, automatic drains can clog. I would not rely on them blindly.
Step 4: How a sprinkler blowout works
Many homeowners think a blowout means blasting as much air as possible through the lines. That is not really the goal. You want enough pressure and volume to push water out, but not so much that you damage components.
Typical gear and settings
A basic blowout setup uses:
- Air compressor with enough CFM for your system size
- Hose and adapter that match your blowout port or a hose bib
- Pressure regulator or careful manual control of output
Most pros will not exceed about 50 to 80 PSI on residential systems, and many stay closer to 50. Higher pressure does not make the job better. It just stresses fittings, seals, and heads.
General blowout sequence
The specific steps can change with system design, but a common approach looks like this:
- Shut off water to the sprinkler system, if you have not already.
- Connect the air compressor to the blowout port or a suitable access point.
- Leave your sprinkler controller powered on.
- Start the compressor and set pressure to a safe level.
- Turn on the first zone from the controller.
- Let air run through the zone until water turns to mist and then to mostly air.
- Turn off that zone and move to the next.
- Repeat until all zones have been cycled.
You do not need every last drop of water gone. A small film is fine. You just need to remove enough that a freeze will not create destructive expansion.
Common mistakes during blowouts
Here are a few things that go wrong quite often:
- Running a zone too long with only air, which overheats and wears out heads
- Using too much pressure and cracking fittings or internal parts
- Leaving valves closed in the wrong positions, trapping water behind them
- Ignoring drip irrigation zones, which sometimes need a different process
If you are unsure, it is not a sign of weakness to call someone who does blowouts all day in the fall. It is very easy to cause damage with the wrong compressor setup. I know that might sound like a sales line, but it is just a pattern that comes up year after year.
Step 5: What to do with your sprinkler controller
Once the physical system is winterized, you still have the brain of the system to think about: the controller.
Set it to “off” or “rain mode”
Most modern controllers have:
- An “off” setting that stops all watering programs
- A “rain mode” that pauses watering without erasing settings
I usually like keeping power on and putting the controller in a non-watering mode. That way, you do not lose your schedule, and you can still run zones manually if you need to test something on a warmer day.
Indoor vs outdoor controllers
If you have an outdoor controller, cold might affect the display, but they are built to handle low temperatures. If yours is inside the garage or basement, it is even less of an issue. Just make sure the backup battery, if it has one, is not dead, or a long power outage could wipe your settings.
Checklist for a full winterization
If you like having a list to confirm things, this is one way to look at it. You can adjust it for your house, but it covers the main steps.
- Main sprinkler shutoff closed
- Backflow valves set at 45 degrees
- Test cocks opened slightly to drain water
- Lines drained or blown out zone by zone
- Backflow insulated but not sealed tight
- Controller set to “off” or “rain mode”
- Valve boxes checked for standing water
If one of these does not apply to you, that is fine. For example, some older homes have the backflow inside a basement. In that case, insulation outside is not needed, but you still need to address the yard lines.
Typical questions homeowners in Colorado Springs ask
How much air pressure is safe for a sprinkler blowout?
Most residential systems do well in the 50 to 60 PSI range. Larger commercial systems might use more, but they are built differently. Higher pressure does not clear water more fully. It just raises the risk of damage. Time and correct sequence matter more than raw pressure.
Can I just drain the backflow and ignore the rest?
If you only drain the backflow and not the yard lines, you are only solving one piece of the problem. Long runs of buried pipe can still crack. That means you might not see a problem until spring, when a zone will not hold pressure or you suddenly notice a soggy patch.
Do underground pipes really freeze that much in Colorado Springs?
Yes, they can. Many sprinkler lines are only 8 to 12 inches deep. In a cold stretch with little snow cover, frost can reach that depth. Some yards with heavy mulch or consistent snow cover do better, but you cannot count on that every winter.
Should I shut off water to the whole house?
No, not for normal winterization. You usually only shut the irrigation branch off. Whole-house shutoff is more for long trips or emergency leaks. Keeping house water on lets you use faucets and indoor plumbing as usual while the sprinklers stay off.
Is it worth buying my own air compressor for blowouts?
This one is tricky. If you enjoy tools and have space, it can make sense, but you need enough air volume, not just pressure. Many small portable units do not actually move enough air for longer systems. You might end up running them for a long time, which is noisy and often harder on your equipment than just paying for a seasonal blowout from a pro.
What if I forget and we get a surprise freeze?
If the forecast suddenly calls for a hard freeze and you have not winterized yet, you still can reduce risk:
- Turn off the sprinkler main valve right away.
- Open the backflow test ports to let water drain.
- Wrap the backflow with towels and a plastic cover for the night.
- On the next warm day, finish a proper blowout.
This is not perfect, but it can prevent the worst backflow damage until you can do the full process.
A few small habits that help every year
Good winterization is not only about one afternoon in the fall. A few habits during the season make it smoother.
Watch your water bill
If you see a sudden jump in usage during the watering season, it might point to a leak. Fixing it before winter avoids freezing water in a broken spot. It also saves money right away, which is nice.
Keep valve boxes clear
If your valve boxes fill with dirt, roots, or debris, drains and fittings inside can clog. A quick clean-out once or twice a year, even just by hand, makes winterization easier and helps you spot slow leaks.
Test every zone at least once late in the season
Right before you shut things down, run each zone and look for:
- Heads that do not pop up fully
- Obvious leaks or bubbling water
- Spray patterns hitting sidewalks or the street
Fixing these before winter means less guesswork in the spring. It also helps water soak in more evenly during the last weeks of growth.
DIY vs hiring help: an honest look
I do not think every homeowner needs to do winterization alone, and I also do not think everyone must hire it out. It depends on your tolerance for learning, your tools, and how complex your system is.
Doing it yourself can make sense if:
- You already understand where all main parts are
- You have a suitable compressor or a friend who does
- You are comfortable working with valves, timers, and fittings
Hiring help can make more sense if:
- You are not sure where your backflow or shutoff is
- Your system has many zones or mixed drip and spray sections
- You had damage before and do not want a repeat
One thing I disagree with some people on is the idea that blowouts are “just 10 minutes with air.” In practice, good techs pay attention to sounds, pressure, and how each zone reacts. You are paying as much for that experience as for the compressor itself.
What should you watch for in spring after winterization?
Winterization does most of its job when you open the system again. If you see problems early, you can handle them before heavy watering season starts.
Signs winterization went well
- No visible cracks or leaks at the backflow when water is turned on
- All zones pressurize without sudden drops or constant hissing
- Valve boxes are damp for a moment, then settle, without standing water
- Heads pop up and retract cleanly
Signs something went wrong
- Water spraying from around the backflow or valve boxes
- One zone that never builds full pressure
- Unusual wet spots or sinkholes in the yard
- Controller errors or zones stuck on
If you see any of these, it often means a crack in a line, a broken fitting, or a valve issue. That is where someone who handles sprinkler repair Colorado Springs work every week can usually track down the issue faster than guessing and digging random holes.
Final thoughts and a simple Q&A
Winterization in Colorado Springs is not optional if you want your sprinkler system to last. The steps are not complicated, but they do require some attention and a bit of discipline before the first real freeze hits. If you close the main, care for the backflow, clear the lines, and set the controller properly, you are already ahead of many neighbors who just flip the timer off and hope for the best.
Doing nothing and hoping the ground will protect your sprinklers is the one approach that almost always costs more in the long run.
Quick Q&A
Q: If I can only do one thing before a surprise freeze, what should it be?
A: Shut off the sprinkler main valve and open the backflow test ports so water can drain. Then insulate the backflow for the night. Finish the full process as soon as the weather gives you a chance.
Q: How often should I hire a pro for winterization if I usually do it myself?
A: Some homeowners winterize themselves most years but bring in a pro every few seasons to check the system, especially if they have made changes or added zones. It acts as a kind of reset or double-check on your routine.
Q: Is it ever safe to skip a blowout for one year?
A: You might get lucky in a mild winter, but that is all it is: luck. Colorado Springs rarely has a full winter without several hard freezes. If your system has any low spots or exposed risers, skipping a blowout is a gamble that often shows up as a repair bill in spring.
