NJ Lawns Community

Hey everyone, I'm a first-time homeowner in Ridgewood and I am FREAKING OUT. My irrigation system was installed last spring and this is my first winter dealing with it. My husband and I blew out the lines back in mid-October because we saw someone else in the neighborhood doing it and we thought better safe than sorry. But now I'm reading online that you shouldn't blow them out until late October/early November and I'm terrified we jumped the gun. We're on a slab ranch with the main line coming in from the side of the house. Our lawn guy (we're still using the company that installed the system) said we were fine but he's also ghosted our last two calls so I'm not sure he knows what he's talking out. Has anyone here had experience with this? Will the pipes crack now that they're empty and it gets down to 20 degrees? We have tall fescue and KBG mix if that matters. Someone please tell me I didn't just ruin my entire system!!! 😱😱😱

Relax, take a breath. You're going to be fine. Mid-October for a blowout in Bergen County is actually pretty normal, especially if we've had a cold snap. We've already had a few nights in the high 30s/low 40s this month and honestly I've been recommending late September/early October installs for a while now because the weather has gotten so unpredictable. The key isn't a specific date - it's about doing it BEFORE we get a hard freeze. As long as you used an air compressor (not just a shop vac which people try all the time and it doesn't work worth a damn) and got all the water out, you're good. The real issue is any water sitting in low spots or zones that don't drain properly. Did you do a manual run through each zone and check the drain valves at the ends?

SoilScientist is right but also - there's no such thing as 'too early' really if you want my opinion. I've been blowing mine out first weekend of October for the past 8 years and never had a single cracked valve or fitting. My neighbor waited too long last year (end of November 🤦‍♂️) and had two cracked heads in the front yard by Valentine's Day. She ended up having to dig them up in MARCH because the ground was still frozen. Total nightmare and her entire front bed got destroyed. Go to Menards or Langen Hardware in Ramsey if you need help - both sell the little rubber caps for the heads and the guys there actually know what they're talking about unlike some of the big box store employees.

Oh honey, I remember my first winter too! I was exactly like you. My wife and I bought our house in Glen Rock in 2019 and I stressed about the sprinkler system FOR WEEKS. We ended up hiring someone from Ridgewood Lawn & Landscape to do it that first year just so we could watch and learn. Honestly the best $75 we ever spent. They showed us exactly what to do and now we do it ourselves. One tip nobody mentioned yet - check your backflow preventer. That's where most people mess up. Make sure it's covered if it's above ground or drained properly if it's below. Also, if you used a rental compressor from United Rentals in Hackensack, those things don't put out enough CFM for irrigation systems - you're going to want to borrow/rent something with at least 20 CFM or you're just blowing bits of water through, not actually clearing the lines.

OK you guys are making me feel a little better! Thank you!! @SoilScientist - yes, we used a compressor from my father-in-law, it's a big Milwaukee M18 Fuel compressor (handy!). My husband ran each station for like 45 seconds per zone after we got the regulator thing set. He said there was hardly any water coming out toward the end - is that normal?? We didn't check the manual drain valves though... the system is pretty new so I don't think there are any? It's RainBird if that matters. Would it be worth it to hire someone to come check it now before winter really hits? I'm thinking maybe peace of mind is worth paying for even if we probably did it right.

If barely any water came out at the end, that's actually a really good sign - means you got most of the water out. For a new RainBird system, you probably DO have manual drain valves but they're often located near the valve boxes or at the ends of each zone, not always obvious. A rain bird tech could definitely come spring and winterize it properly for next year. But honestly? If it were me, I'd save my money. It sounds like you did it right. Just make sure now that you've done your blowout, leave all the valves in the OPEN position for the winter - that seems weird but it prevents pressure buildup if any residual water freezes and expands. Don't close them. And for god's sake, if you have an above-ground backflow, either InsulateWrap it or cut some pipe insulation from Home Depot and wrap it yourself. The rest of the system - you're fine. Stop watching YouTube videos at 2am lol, you'll give yourself a heart attack.