How Sprinkler Winterization Works: What Our Crew Does, Step by Step

Ready to have it done for you? Book our sprinkler winterization service in Memphis. A standard residential visit is $140.

Irrigation winterization in Memphis, Bartlett, Germantown and Collierville is about getting on the schedule early enough that the work is finished before a deep freeze, not about waiting until night temperatures crash.

Plenty of systems can technically ride through a few freezes without being winterized. That doesn’t mean waiting is smart. Automatic Rain works to finish every booked system before the first hard freeze. The concern isn’t one mild night; it’s an extended stretch in the low 20s. Scheduling your sprinkler blowout now is how you avoid competing for the last openings when that weather shows up.

When to book your winterization

Get your winterization on the calendar before the first hard freeze. Our goal is to finish every booked system before that weather arrives, and earlier is better.

What we watch for is a deep freeze: lows in the low 20s that hold for several days, not a single night in the mid or high 20s. A short, mild cold snap is usually manageable for a backflow. Extended low-20s weather is when the risk of freeze damage jumps. You can follow the National Weather Service Memphis forecast, but the practical move is to schedule now so the crew has time to finish before those conditions arrive. For timing and pricing details, see when to winterize in Memphis and what it costs.

Waiting usually costs more in two ways. The first is the schedule crunch: when the first real freeze scare hits, everyone calls at once, and the remaining appointments fill fast. The second is repairs. Skip or botch winterization, and you may not see the damage until spring.

The freeze damage we see most: cracked backflows

Backflow damage is the most common issue Automatic Rain sees when someone skips winterization or does it wrong. Many backflows crack without a dramatic “bust” you’d notice right away. The damage often stays hidden until the system is pressurized in spring, or until a tech comes back to check it. That’s why a quiet winter is not proof that everything is fine, and why our certified backflow testing matters in spring.

Above-ground backflows carry the highest freeze risk on Memphis-area systems, and drip zones can be a problem too. Buried laterals here are generally deep enough that underground pipe freezing is less of the story. The risk sits in the top few inches of soil and anywhere pipe comes above grade, especially the backflow.

How we winterize a sprinkler system, step by step

Here’s the visit in plain language:

1. Find the dedicated irrigation shutoff. It’s usually near the street; sometimes the shutoff is on the backflow itself.
2. Prep the backflow for the air compressor.
3. Build pressure in the lines and open the valves one zone at a time.
4. Run air through each zone long enough to push the water out of the pipe.
5. Turn the controller to Off, winterize the backflow and leave the system ready for spring pressurization.

A little residual water can remain, and that’s normal. Once most of the water is out, any leftover has room to expand if it freezes. The focus is clearing the lines and protecting the above-ground parts, not pretending every drop has vanished.

On older systems, the crew is careful not to push too much air. Memphis clay soil matters more during the growing season than at winterization; it doesn’t change how we blow out a system. See our sprinkler winterization service for what’s included.

DIY winterization mistakes, like just turning the controller off

Turning the controller off stops the watering schedule. It does not empty the pipes or protect the backflow.

A DIY sprinkler blowout usually goes wrong in one of two ways:

• Too much air pressure, which breaks fittings.
• A compressor that’s too small, which never builds enough PSI to clear the lines, so the water stays put.

How to make the visit go smoothly

Have these ready before the tech arrives:

• Gate codes
• Pet notes or any special property instructions
• Clear access to the controller (move garage clutter, or unlock the back shed if that’s where it lives)
• For new customers especially: a clear note on where the controller and backflow are

Easy access is what keeps the appointment on time.

What to leave alone until spring

After irrigation winterization, you shouldn’t need to do much. Leave the system alone until you’re ready for spring sprinkler startup, then call Automatic Rain to turn it back on.

Do call if you see water during the winter after the system has been winterized, such as a leaking shutoff. That’s a concern. Otherwise, it’s hands off until spring pressurization.