If you want the short answer, winterize early, blow out every zone with clean air, drain the backflow, protect drip lines and anything near your art pieces, and mark low spots so water cannot sit and freeze. In Colorado Springs, that usually means booking a blowout in late September or early October, running PVC zones around 60 to 70 psi and poly around 40 to 50 psi, and setting your controller to a true Off or Rain mode. I bag the vacuum breaker with a breathable cover, pull fragile emitters, and flag heads near sculptures so they do not get hit later. If you would rather not deal with it, a local pro can do it fast. You can start here: Colorado Springs sprinkler winterization.
Why winterization matters more when your yard is creative
A standard lawn can handle a few mistakes. A yard built around art, custom stone, and layered plantings often cannot. You might have raised plinths, mosaics, steel pieces, tall planters, or a small water feature that doubles as a focal point. Water left in a pipe under any of that can expand and push, or just crack a fitting that lives under the heaviest part of your install. Repairs get messy and sometimes force you to move the piece. That is no fun.
Colorado Springs has a quick swing between sun and cold. Freeze at night, thaw at noon, then back again. That cycle works on joints and pavers. It pulls moisture into gaps, then expands. If you pair that with a missed low spot in a lateral line, you get heaving near edges and cloudy stains near metal bases. I learned this the hard way with a small powder-coated sculpture. A tiny leak under a paver pad left mineral marks that took forever to scrub off. Not tragic, but annoying.
Blow out the system before your first hard freeze, drain the backflow, leave valves partly open, and protect anything delicate near irrigation lines.
If you enjoy the craft of a landscape, this is part of the craft. It is like cleaning brushes before the next session. Not glamorous. Still key.
A quick checklist for this week
- Book a blowout date if you hire it out. Aim for late September or early October.
- Shut off the irrigation water at the main stop-and-waste or basement valve.
- Open test cocks on the backflow preventer and leave the two handles at 45 degrees.
- Blow out every zone with correct pressure and volume. Repeat once.
- Run the drip zone last, at low pressure and short bursts.
- Set the controller to Off or Rain mode, and unplug any add-on sensors.
- Tag heads near sculptures and fragile edges so spring startup is careful.
- Bag the backflow with a breathable insulated cover.
- Store loose items like bubbler caps, misters, and fragile emitters in a labeled bag.
Backflow preventer: shut off, drain, leave handles at 45 degrees, and cover with a breathable bag for winter.
I kept this list short on purpose. You can stop here and you will be fine. If you want more detail, and I think you do if you care about your yard as a canvas, keep going.
Colorado timing and weather notes that affect irrigation
The average first freeze in town tends to land in early October. Cold snaps can show up in late September. Nights can drop below zero later in the season. Builders in the area plan for frost that can reach roughly 30 to 36 inches. This matters for any pipe depth near hardscape or sculptural bases. Shallow laterals at the edge of a patio are common and can sip water into joints when not cleared.
Schedule your blowout before the first hard freeze. Late September to early October is a safe window for most neighborhoods.
I do not like cutting it close. My rule is simple. If I am wearing a heavy jacket in the evening, my sprinklers should already be off and dry.
Step by step: blowout done right
If you manage the blowout yourself, stay on process. Creative yards tend to have more zones, more drip, and more mixed pipe types. That is where problems start. Go slow.
Pick the right air setup
Use a compressor with enough volume. A small pancake compressor can purge very short runs, but it drags out the job. You want steady airflow so you do not spike pressure and you do not sit there all day.
| Line or component | Typical material | Target air pressure | Helpful airflow | Zone purge time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main and laterals | PVC | 60 to 70 psi | 5 to 10 CFM | 90 to 120 seconds |
| Laterals | Poly | 40 to 50 psi | 5 to 10 CFM | 60 to 90 seconds |
| Rotors | Mixed | 60 psi | 7 to 10 CFM | 120 to 180 seconds |
| Sprays | Mixed | 50 to 60 psi | 5 to 8 CFM | 60 to 90 seconds |
| Drip zone | Poly and micro | 20 to 30 psi | 2 to 5 CFM | 30 to 60 seconds in bursts |
If your system combines poly laterals and PVC mains, set pressure for the lower rated part. Air volume clears water, not raw pressure.
Connect without shortcuts
– Shut off the irrigation water at the main.
– Open a drain or a low point if your system has one. Let gravity help.
– Attach the compressor to a proper blowout port. This is often a threaded port near the backflow or a capped tee after the valve manifold.
– Use a hose rated for the pressure you plan to run.
I like to crack a test cock on the backflow for a second to confirm no water is still feeding the system. Simple, but it saves time.
Run zones in a controlled cycle
– Start with the furthest zone from the compressor.
– Open that zone on the controller and ramp air slowly.
– Watch for a steady mist that fades to light vapor. Stay a bit longer to clear low points.
– Move to the next zone. Rotate through all zones once.
– Repeat the full set a second time. Shorter runs on the second pass are fine.
For drip, reduce pressure and use short pulses. Many drip systems have check valves and pressure regulators. Air will pass, but it needs patience. If you have micro sprays on stakes next to art, pull and store those first. They get brittle in winter.
Finish with the small details
– Crack any manual drains or tee caps at low points if present.
– Open the backflow test cocks and leave handles at 45 degrees.
– Set the controller to Off or to a rain shutdown. Power down pump relays if you use one for a feature.
I sometimes take a photo of the backflow with handles turned. It sounds silly. In spring you will be glad to have a reference.
Use airflow to move water, not force. Steady volume, moderate pressure, and a full second pass clear most systems well.
Backflow preventer care for Colorado yards
Most homes here use a pressure vacuum breaker or a reduced pressure assembly near the house. Both need to be drained and left in a relaxed state.
– Turn off the irrigation shutoff valve inside or at the stop-and-waste.
– On the backflow, open the two test cocks with a small screwdriver.
– Turn both ball valves so they sit at 45 degrees. That position helps water drain and keeps seals from being clamped tight all winter.
– Place a breathable insulated cover over the unit.
If your backflow sits below a large piece of wall art or a trellis, give yourself working room. I once pushed a trellis aside and knocked a tiny ceramic bird off. Not a big deal, but I still remember the clink.
Drip lines, planters, and art-friendly tweaks
Creative yards lean on drip zones. They feed pots, wall planters, and narrow beds around hard pieces. These details make winter work different.
– Pull micro misters and bubbler caps from pots and store them.
– Where drip tubing climbs to a wall planter, disconnect the last few feet and tip it to drain.
– Open end caps on drip lines and let water run out before you pulse air.
– If you have drip under gravel near art, mark the line with a small tag so you do not pierce it next spring.
If you use a vertical garden, I like to leave the lower emitters disconnected so any trapped water has an escape path. You can reconnect in spring in a few seconds.
Slopes, terraces, and water features
On slopes, water wants to sit at the lowest elbow. That is where breaks happen. Terraces often have short runs and many fittings, so they trap more water than you think.
– Add a manual drain at low points when you remodel a bed.
– For water features that tie into the irrigation controller, drain the basin and pull the pump. Store it dry.
– Check any irrigation that feeds a rill or a small art fountain. If it is on the irrigation manifold, treat it like a zone and purge it.
I watched a neighbor lose a small copper rill after a cold snap. The feed line split right at a bend under a slate step. The fix was easy, but the slate had to come up. That part cost time.
Smart controllers, sensors, and mapping
Controllers are handy until they fire a zone by mistake in January. Take five minutes to lock it down.
– Set the program to Off or use the seasonal shutdown feature.
– Disable or unplug add-on sensors that could wake the controller.
– Label your zones clearly in the app, not just on the box.
– Take photos of each art area and note the nearest heads and drip lines.
A simple map helps your spring crew. If you work with a sprinkler company Colorado Springs teams will move faster with a zone map and a few flags. I have seen crews thank owners for a rough sketch on a napkin. It helps.
Hardscape and sculpture bases
I try to think two layers down. What sits under that sculpture base. Is there a lateral line hugging the pad. Could pooled water make white haze near steel.
– Keep irrigation lines away from heavy bases when you redesign zones.
– Where you cannot move them, clear those lines twice during blowout.
– If you use polymeric sand in joints, brush off damp edges before a hard freeze.
– Use small weep gaps near thick pads so meltwater has a clean path to escape.
This is a minor thing, but it keeps surfaces clean. I have seen cloudy halos near steel edges when sprinklers seep all winter. It is preventable.
A simple schedule you can reuse each year
| Timeframe | Task | Notes for creative yards |
|---|---|---|
| Late August | Book blowout or plan DIY | Walk the yard, tag art-adjacent heads |
| Mid September | Pre-check backflow and shutoff | Clear access near wall art or trellises |
| Late September | Blow out all zones | Run drip last with short bursts |
| Early October | Second quick purge pass | Store emitters and fragile nozzles |
| Mid October | Cover backflow | Set controller to Off and unplug accessories |
| Late October | Spot check low points after first cold nights | Look for puddles near sculpture bases |
You do not have to hit every date perfectly. The habit is what matters.
DIY or hire a pro
If you have a small system and a decent compressor, DIY works. If you have more than 8 zones, a mix of PVC and poly, multiple art beds with drip, and a water feature feed, hiring out can save time and risk. Pricing in town often falls in a common range.
– Small systems, up to 6 zones: roughly 50 to 90 dollars.
– Medium systems, 7 to 12 zones: roughly 80 to 140 dollars.
– Large systems, 13 plus zones or complex drip: ask for a quote.
Ask the tech about pressure, sequence, and drip technique. If they can discuss poly limits and a second pass without blinking, you are probably in good hands. People searching for sprinkler blowout Colorado Springs or sprinkler repair Colorado Springs will find many options. Pick the one that explains the process in plain terms.
Common mistakes that cost money or time
- Waiting until the first deep freeze. Schedules fill up fast.
- Running high pressure with low airflow. That traps water in corners.
- Skipping the second pass. Water settles back after the first purge.
- Leaving the controller on with a phantom program.
- Forgetting to drain the backflow and set handles at 45 degrees.
- Not marking heads near sculptures or fragile edges.
- Ignoring drip. It needs a different touch.
I skipped the second pass once on a small terrace zone. I thought it was fine. Spring told me otherwise. A tiny crack at a tee, right under a basalt bench.
Micro details that art lovers notice
– Use color-coded tags for zones that border art. Red for risky, green for clear. It sounds fussy, but crews read color fast.
– Keep a small kit of spare emitters, barbs, and caps in a labeled box. Tape a photo of each bed to the lid.
– Where a sculpture sits over a known lateral, take a 10 second video during the purge. Save it. If something goes wrong later, you have proof of clear flow.
– If you have metal on porous stone, wipe edges dry after the last watering day. It avoids halos.
These little habits do not take much time. They show up in how clean the yard looks through winter.
How winterization ties into spring success
A clean blowout sets up a clean startup. Your controller labels make sense. Your heads near art are flagged. Your drip map is in your notes. When the thaw comes, you do not have to guess at anything. That means less trenching and fewer surprises around your installations.
People searching for Colorado Springs irrigation tips often look for speed. Speed matters. I just like clean work more. It pays.
What about hardscaping projects in fall
If you plan fall hardscaping, coordinate the blowout with your crew so they do not cut into live lines. Tell them where laterals run near their edge restraints. If you can, purge before they set bedding sand. Then they can compact without flooding a joint.
Colorado Springs hardscaping has one extra twist. Freeze thaw. Gaps open and close all season. Dry joints before the first hard freeze help a lot. A dry base under art helps more.
A small zone labeling template you can copy
| Zone | Area | Head type | Pipe | Art nearby | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Front lawn | Rotors | PVC | No | Run first |
| 2 | Entry bed | Sprays | Poly | Steel sculpture | Flag two heads |
| 3 | Side terrace | Drip | Poly | Mosaic wall | Pulse air, store misters |
| 4 | Back lawn | Rotors | PVC | Concrete plinths | Second pass |
Print this once, fill it out by hand, and tape it inside the controller box door. It makes spring easy.
If you missed the ideal window
Sometimes a cold snap arrives early. You are not doomed. Shut off the irrigation water, drain what you can, and get the blowout done at the first break in weather. PVC can take some ice in laterals if you relieve pressure at low points. Poly has a bit more give. The backflow is the weak link, so drain that first and cover it.
I have been late one year by a week. The system was fine. Not a pattern I want to repeat, but it happens.
How this connects to the art community
You care about form, texture, and material. Irrigation can help or fight you on all three.
– Form: stable pads and clean edges when water does not creep under bases.
– Texture: no white haze from winter seepage near metal or stone.
– Material: micro water stains avoided by clearing lines that sit under porous surfaces.
It also saves you time. You spend winter planning your next piece, not scrubbing mineral marks off a pedestal.
Where a pro adds value without hype
A good local team sees hundreds of yards each season. They know common problem spots in older neighborhoods. They carry high CFM compressors, quick couplers, and parts for small repairs. If they also do repair and design, they will think ahead to spring changes that match your art.
If you are browsing for a sprinkler company Colorado Springs homeowners trust for both blowout and design tweaks, ask a few direct questions:
– What pressure do you run on poly vs PVC.
– How do you purge drip.
– Do you do a second pass.
– Can you map my zones and flag art areas.
Short, clear answers tell you a lot about their process.
Mini case notes from the field
– A homeowner with a corten steel panel had rust stains near a corner each spring. Cause was a slow winter seep at a tee under the panel. Fix was one extra purge pass and a small reroute. The stains stopped.
– A yard with a mosaic path had micro spray stakes that snapped each winter. They were left in place during blowout. Now the owner pulls and stores them. Zero breaks last spring.
– A sloped terrace with a basalt bench had cracked poly at a low elbow. They added a manual drain and tagged that zone for a longer purge. No issues the next year.
These are small shifts, but they fit how creative spaces work.
FAQ
When should I schedule my blowout in Colorado Springs
Aim for late September or early October. If you are high on the west side or near open fields, lean earlier.
Can I use a small shop compressor
Yes for very small systems, but it will take longer. Keep pressure moderate and give each zone enough time. Air volume clears water.
Do I need to blow out the drip zone
Yes. Run lower pressure and pulse. Open end caps first and store fragile emitters.
What pressure should I use
For PVC laterals, 60 to 70 psi is common. For poly, 40 to 50 psi. Use steady airflow and watch the heads.
How do I protect the backflow
Shut off the irrigation water, open the test cocks, leave handles at 45 degrees, and cover with a breathable insulated bag.
Is one pass enough
You can get by with one pass on simple systems. I prefer two shorter passes. Water settles back after the first run, and the second clears it.
