How To Winterize Your Sprinklers (Sprinkler Blow Out With Air!)

[@AmplifyDIY]

The only slightly difficult part of this entire project is figuring out the right location to hook up your air compressor, and building the right kind of adapter. Irrigation systems vary wildly, but fundamentally all you need to do is pump the water out with compressed air instead.

[@1michaelbrown]

Does it matter if you have drip line. My concern would be damaging it. Thanks for the video

[@kftc1980]

Michael Brown drip line should have a part that limits the pressures coming to the drip line section, may be underground. You just have to blow out somewhere before that part.

[@shaneintegra]

Everyone should know how to maintain their own homes. It's a great way to keep you busy when you have extra time and saves some money.

[@joekool7464]

Thanks for sharing the knowledge. This is the first easy to follow video I've seen so far on the subject.

[@rcytb]

One of the better videos I've seen on the topic. The only quibble I have is that although 80 psi might be OK for non-rotor head sprinklers, 40 psi might be better on systems which use rotor heads; they have lots of moving parts that can be damaged if run at too-high speed on air.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Good tip. Thanks for watching!

[@jayryan7473]

Yeah I'm not sure why anyone would run anywhere close to 80 psi!

[@samuelponce1]

Great tip 😊ty

[@samuelponce1]

@@jayryan7473 TIME

[@xaviermail]

Thanks for taking the time to do a FAQ. Both the video and your comments have proved useful. Cheers!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for watching!

[@timhardman4764]

Well done presentation - clear audio, good video, no fluff, not rushed but didn't drag either.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thanks for the kind words, Tim!

[@gregnordstrom]

Thanks for putting together a *great* video. Good overviews, details, and tips, along with a smooth delivery and informative video shots. Excellent job--thanks again!

[@AmplifyDIY]

You are very kind. Thank you!

[@bweber6256]

I just wanted to add that besides your excellent presentation; your one of the few You Tubers who responds to all?(or at least most) of your commenters. I think that has a lot of value for your subscribers. I suppose as your channel grows that inevitably becomes harder to keep up with; but just wanted you to know that it's noticed and appreciated.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thanks, I do try to answer as many as I can - but yeah, as the channel has grown it's sometimes hard to keep up. Thanks for dropping a note, and have a great weekend!

[@tobyw9573]

Quarter-turn for ball valve is particularly important for backflow preventers, they are quite expensive! I always take my back flow inside for the winter after blowout.

[@Mr_Whizzard]

What a good mix of instruction and explanation, holy cow

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thank you!

[@MarkSvara]

What I’ve done in the past as a low tech option that seems to work if you’re blowing out a smaller system. I took an old bicycle tube. Tied one end by the valve. Cut that end then about 10” of the other side. Wash the talcum powder out of the inside. Fit the longer cut end onto the valve side and using a bicycle pump fill that tube and watch the water exit through the ends. It may take more effort using the pump but it will do the job. Cheers.

[@jonduppong1527]

Great video with just the right amount of information. Lawn looks great too!!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thanks 👍

[@BradGuth2688]

Thank you for a great video all around! The best I have seen on this topic!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Wow, thanks Brad!

[@Evan-mh7it]

Good tip at the end with the quarter turn on the ball valve. I can attest, this happened to me one winter in Texas of all places. My ball valve was shut, there was some water in the side, and it burst the metal on the side of the ball valve. Crazy to know such a small amount of water can do that, but it's true. Thankfully the ball valve is a cheaper fix than replacing the entire vacuum breaker.

[@popeyedoyle6360]

you could try sucking it out of the ball valve

[@NonyaBuzinezz]

You should have just replaced the cold water in the lines with hot water. Problem solved

[@EdsonNascimentoEN]

Thanks I learned something new about my sprinklers system.

[@fuhuxia9432]

Wow, not sure how and when I subscribed first time, but this excellent video definitely maked me remember this channel now.

[@fuhuxia9432]

Yes definitely one of those water heater videos. Definitely. I think... Unless you have some car maintenance videos.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Yup. I have water heater stuff, car maintenance stuff, a whole series on building a shed, etc. :) Glad you have enjoyed some of them. Thanks for watching!

[@gardenjohn1]

Great Job explaining everything. Can you winterize through lawn hydrants, I have one inch black poly tied into existing one inch feed lawn hydrants, 3 of them.

[@davidhines68]

I live in an area where hard freezes are rare, but light freezes are common. My schedule 40 pipes are buried a foot or so, making it unlikely that I'll have a problem in the backbone. However, the light freezes will easily damage the heads and funny pipe, something I've seen my neighbors have issues with. So I'd recommend doing this unless you never (or almost never) get any freezes.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Great advice David, thanks!

[@nomercy4338]

Are you in Boise Idaho? Your house looks just like mine and that made it easy to follow because you have the same Backyard and sprinkler set up that I have, thank you very much for your great detailed video.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Heya NoMercy - greetings from a fellow Treasure Valley resident!

[@PaulB-sc4wk]

Thank you for posting this. It was very well done and informative. Nice yard!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thank you!

[@X4hunterx4]

I have a well for my sprinkler system

[@hectorgduran]

excellent video, thank you for doing this. Extremely helpful!

[@yueshengwu2431]

Hi, as you said, if the water of the sprinkler is independent of the water inside the house, we do not need to do any back flow check, right? Thanks a lot!

[@NateTwoKayHaX]

Made this device, and it works well. Also, what water filter is that? And is it designed for constant pressure? I need to replace mine. Thank you

[@WranglerDude]

Thanks for this video. This is a great help. Unfortunately I can’t find the panels in my property…

[@AmplifyDIY]

Dang! Perhaps ask some neighbors if they know where theirs are located? Maybe yours are in a similar location... Good luck!

[@rjazco51]

pay for a professional. one time AND WATCH what they do .. good luck

[@thebcl1547]

If I just want to turn off my irrigation valve for stopping the entire irrigation, without any need for the blowout, since I don't need to winterize my system, I just want to manually irrigate. Do I just need to turn off the valve and that's it? Your video mentioned this and I want to make sure. My irrigation system is very simple (there is an irrigation valve with the switch to turn on/off, and there is two other remote control valve which I have not opened, I guess that is where the control for timing is ?). Thank you for the great video.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hey thebc - yes, if you don't need to winterize your system because nothing ever freezes, then you just turn off the farthest upstream valve you have in your system. In my area these are very deep underground, but depending on if you have a frost line this may be shallow, or may even be above ground. Good luck!

[@thebcl1547]

@@AmplifyDIY One more question. If I turned off the irrigation valve, what happens to the water that is already in the irrigation pipe? I assume there are some leftover water in the pipes. Will it be ok it leave as is? Also, I happen to notice, after I turned off the irrigation valve, the water pressure for my home system has increased. I think it makes sense as it used to have two pipes for water, and now just one to the house. Is this normal? Or I should have the water pressure checked and adjusted if necessary? And also, since I didn't touch the remote control valve (where I suppose is the control of irrigation schedule), will it still turn on using the leftover (if any) in the irrigation pipes? Do I need to turn off the irrigation scheduler? Thank you.

[@AmplifyDIY]

@@thebcl1547 I'll try to answer everything: If you simply shut off the irrigation valve, then yes, the water still in your irrigation pipes will just stay there. This is not really a problem unless the water freezes, in which case it will burst your pipes - this is the whole reason why systems are blown out with air in the first place. I can't really speak to differences in water pressure between home and irrigation system.... there are lots of variables and so many different ways that these can be plumbed. Yes, you should turn off the timer so it does not keep needlessly opening and closing the valves while the system is not pressurized. Good luck!

[@guilizheng1933]

Just move to Utah, it’s very helpful.

[@AmplifyDIY]

eehhh...what?

[@chopperdt66]

This looks like the houses in Idaho. 👍🏼🥔

[@AmplifyDIY]

You have a good eye... :-)

[@chopperdt66]

@@AmplifyDIY lol thanks I'm in Idaho. 🥔👍🏼😎💯🏞️

[@garman7921]

Treasure Valley somewhere

[@ComplexKangaroo]

great video, well made, very clear and full of lots of handy tips!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thanks, Chris!

[@fredkoch2750]

Great job

[@hedhntress1]

Well done, thank you for this video 🙏🏼😁

[@DonHawkinsPhoto]

Why should the blowout tee not be before the RPZ pressure regulator? How do we make sure the regulator is clear of water?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Don - in my system, the only thing upstream of the blowout tee is the water filter, which has its own drain. The only pressure regulator I'm aware of in my system is on one specific station that feeds drip hoses. If you have a pressure regulator *upstream* of your blow out tee, I'm not sure I can offer any great advice for how to make sure it is blown out...

[@actualperson9628]

Think a 6 gal compressor would do the trick? It’s a half acre.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hey Actual Person - yes, a 6 gal compressor will likely be up to the task, though it may just take longer as you'll have to wait to re-fill the compressor a bunch more times. Good luck!

[@jameshoward7978]

How do you vacate any water between the valve in your city supply and the valve in your irrigation box? Seems like there would be many feet of water in pipe in that area because it never gets blown out

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi James - in my case, the irrigation water is on a separate system that is turned on and off seasonally. I wait to blow out my system until after the irrigation water has been turned off in my neighborhood. Then I can crack open my underground valve (the one that is about 5 feet underground, well below the frost line) and blow a short burst of air through it. This evacuates the section between my shut off valve to the irrigation system and the shut off valve in my sprinkler box. Then I close both of those shutoffs and proceed with the rest of the blow out. Your system will vary, of course, but I would not worry about any shutoff valve that is below the frost line. Good luck!

[@noahduerst]

Thanks for sharing! This is great!

[@AmplifyDIY]

My pleasure!

[@jeffwilson6044]

I am new to an irrigation system and found your video to be very helpful and informative. What, if anything, should I do with the controller? Seems I don't want it to call for water but unsure how to shut it down for the winter. It is a hydrawise brand if that matters. Thank you for your help.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Great question! All you need to do with the controller is turn it off for the season. Consult your owners manual to see how to enable and disable or turn on or off the entire unit. Good luck!

[@stanleywollman8276]

Thank you

[@AmplifyDIY]

You're welcome!

[@robertlong7723]

I recently purchased a home with sprinklers that were installed when the house was built 19 years ago. Several of the sprinklers are installed behind where bushes and trees have grown and are now blocking the spray from the sprinklers. Is there a recommended way to disable these sprinkler heads? Will disabling these sprinkler heads have any negative affect on the remaining sprinklers in that zone? I suppose that simply capping a sprinkler head will cause problems with winterizing the system in the fall.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Actually: you are on the right track with simply capping the heads. Remove the sprinkler head and body, and cap the pipe where it was installed. You will only need to deal with capped heads when blowing out the system if you cap the last head on a line. If you do, blow out the line as I demonstrated, then remove only the cap at the end and blow it out more until no water comes out the uncapped pipe. Replace the cap and you are done. Good luck!

[@philipteaderman1878]

I didn't see a pressure regulator, so are you using line pressure? Also if the system, is only serving a drip system for plants with 1/2” drip line and using 1- 2 gph emitters, I would guess you need to know where the end of the tubing, so you can loosen the figure 8 fitting, so you can drain the lines quickly, I'm in the process of building a new home and will tee off the incoming water line and using a backflow valve, plus all my outside yard faucets will be off the same supply line serving the irrigation, I'm thinking the lowest places of my hose bibs, will be where I should install a drain valve to blow out the system to winterize. Am I missing anything? This new home is at 6500 feet elevation and it freezes, so I'm planning on trenching the lines to 18” deep and sanding the lines when I backfill

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Philip - It sounds like you have thought through your upcoming build pretty well. I do not have a pressure regulator on the irrigation lines, and just rely on whatever the system in my neighborhood provides. The builder that built out this neighborhood set up all the homes this way, as we are on our own irrigation pump for the community. So far it's been fine. My only other thought is that rather than just digging down to 18", you should find out what the freeze depth (usually called the "frost line") is where you'll be building, and bury below that. It may only be 12", it may be much, much deeper. You can learn more about frost lines here: www.familyhandyman.com/article/frost-lines/ Good luck!

[@gislasa]

What about the water between your two shutoff values? Some of that water is above the freeze line, wouldn't that be a problem? If shouldn't you put the compressed air fitting below the freeze line to blow out all water above the freeze line?

[@AmplifyDIY]

HI Gis - In my specific case the water is supplied from local irrigation canals. At the end of the summer the water flow to these canals is turned off, and the pump that feeds our system is shut down for the winter. Once this happens, all I need to do is remove my filter fitting with my above-ground shut off still open, and gravity will pull the water back down past the under-ground shut-off back towards the pump. This is, of course, unique to my setup. The particulars of your installation may vary, but in general just a couple of inches of exposed length above the freeze line won't be a problem, even if it remains full of water. Thanks for watching!

[@carollaw8188]

Good explanation, thanks. I have 1" underground lines and a 20 gallon compressor. One question: When I turn on my compressor to clear a zone, the sprinkler heads pop up and start discharging water then air, but very quickly the air pressure drops and the sprinkler heads drop down again. My compressor manual warns me not to keep running the compressor, when the compressor cannot maintain the required pressure for a tool (in this case the "tool" is the blowing out of the lines). So how do you ensure that a zone is clear of water right to the last sprinkler in the zone, without just leaving the compressor running? Do you shut off the air supply, let the compressor recharge then open the air supply to the lines again, and keep repeating this process until the last sprinkler head can rise and blow clear air? The last sprinkler head in a zone tends to remain at ground level and just have air bubbling through a pool of water and I am not sure if it is still expelling more water or not.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Carol, Yes, cycling the compressor is the exact way to do it. As for how much water do you need to get out? If your last head is gurgling and bubbling, then that station has been cleaned out enough. As long as you don’t have a steady stream of water coming out of any head, then the station has been cleared. Good luck!

[@jordansaunders4830]

Actually this is because your air compressor doesn’t make enough air volume to do this job properly.

[@MrDbowschnider]

Do you have to run all the stations ? I mean you can’t just hook air up and blow them all out right ? I’m on a well.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Yeah, you'll need to do them one at a time. Otherwise there will simply not be enough air pressure to blow out the whole system. Good Luck!

[@rudylopez692]

Seems like all I really need after the shut off for the main water line is a ball shut off valve and an attachment for the blowout. Is that true?

[@AmplifyDIY]

And a filter, if you don't already have one. Good luck!

[@rjazco51]

Is one good blow out per zone Enough? I have watched a few of these videos and some people do two or three blow outs to get ALL the water out ...Your thoughts. Thank You . Very good job Explaining .

[@AmplifyDIY]

I like to blow out each station repeatedly until air is blowing out of every single head on the station. As long as no sprinkler head is still spraying water, you are good to go. Thanks for watching!

[@curtpark4316]

Where do you find that black shut off tool? And is it a must you turn it off ?

[@AmplifyDIY]

I picked it up at either my local Lowe’s or Home Depot. Yes you really should turn it off each season. Thanks for watching!

[@coolbeer2804]

Thank you as always. Can you please advise what size compressor ideally will be sufficient to bleed off the water ?

[@AmplifyDIY]

I've done this with several different sizes of compressors over the years. A really small compressor (say, 2.5 gallon or so) *will* do this job, but it takes a lot longer, as you'll have to keep refilling the compressor over and over on each station. The larger the tank, the less you'll have to refill it and the faster the job will go. 20+ gallon compressors make this job a piece of cake. Good luck!

[@coolbeer2804]

@@AmplifyDIY thank you, appreciate your response.

[@DNBVideo]

Great video, thanks for taking the time. I was told that compressors like the one you used will not work. Will you please tell me the CFM rating on your compressor? Thanks.

[@drewyoung3406]

I've used compressors smaller than this one and have blown out my system for years. You just have to do it zone by zone. Some can get away with doing the whole system with a big compressor

[@mburke1211]

Depending on the tank size on your compressor and the length of irrigation pipe and # of heads in each zone, you may have to blow out a zone in multiple passes; that is, when you see the pressure coming out of your heads drop significantly, close the valve to your irrigation system, let the compressor recharge, then repeat until you get all the water out.

[@dannemec3496]

Nice job… thanks!

[@martharamos8833]

Hi there are you have that service in Quebec? Please let me know Thank you Martha

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Martha - I'm sure if you google for "sprinkler blow-out near me" you'll find some local companies who can do the job. Good luck!

[@grantcbarber11]

Great video, quick question though: What is the purpose of the ball valve right after the main shut off?

[@AmplifyDIY]

I think it’s just there for convenience. It’s really simple to turn off the ball valve in the box in order to clean the filter or do maintenance on a failed valve, etc. would be annoying to have to reach down to the main shut off for any small work like that. Great question, and thanks for watching!

[@dwhitez28]

My Febco 765 setup doesn't have a dedicated blow-out port. Can I connect a compressor to the test cock ports using a 1/4" quick connect fitting and does it matter which one I use, the upper (downstream) or lower (upstream) port so as not to damage the PVB?

[@painkillerO8]

Is it normal for water coming out When opening the top for air compressor hose connection?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Painkiller - no, that's not normal. You have a leak somewhere which should be addressed. Good luck!

[@jianfali1610]

Great video， easy and clear!

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad you liked it!

[@rogermathis887]

Excellent video! Is it necessary to close the valves on top of each sprinkler zone controller? Thanks

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Roger - I don't think it's necessary to close them. When you blow out each station, you clear all the water out of the valves for each station. I always just leave them alone (in fact, I never have to open the other boxes in my yard where the valves are unless there is an actual problem with a valve (stuck open or closed, etc). Thanks for watching!

[@charlieettelson6475]

I can’t find my backflow preventer. My sprinkler water shutoff is located where the water comes in from the city? Is a backflow valve necessary in that case?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Probably not necessary, no.

[@porthole2]

What do you do about the water in the pipe from your below frost line shut off to the ball valve above the frost line?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Generally I don't worry too much about it. When the irrigation system is winterized for my neighborhood, they drain the entire thing. After I've received notice that the system has been completely drained, I'll make sure the ball valve is open halfway. This accomplishes 2 things: 1) it allows any water that was trapped in that section of pipe to drain back down below the frost line, and 2) it prevents any small amount of water trapped in the ball valve itself from freezing and expanding and breaking the ball valve. Good question, and thanks for watching!

[@charlestiffany1526]

So my sprinklers are supplied by my hoa. But I still need to blow out my system. Couple questions. Do I blow out my system before or after the hoa shuts off the water to the system? And do I still shut the valve going to my main valve to the hoa supply? Or how does that part of the system get blown out?

[@AmplifyDIY]

I wait until after the HOA water has been shut off. Yes, shut the valve that goes out to the HOA supply - that *should* be buried quite far down (mine is around 4-5 feet underground) where there is no danger at all of it freezing, so blowing it out is not really necessary. Good luck!

[@Garfunkle2020]

Great video. Very informative and helpful

[@datmeme8967]

Guy standing next to a compressor: "Of course there's no pressure there..."

[@DocR16]

It ain't got no gas innit

[@mikehoer109]

Thanks for the video. Question: If there is no air valve connection anywhere in my sprinkler system, can I blow out the lines by attaching the compressor to an individual sprinkler head in each line? (Orbit makes a blow out kit adaptor which fits onto a sprinkler head for this purpose.) Or should I go to the trouble of cutting my main line and installing a air valve connection (like yours inside your box)? Thanks much.

[@AmplifyDIY]

You won’t be able to blow out all the lines if you only attach a blowout thing to a head on each station. That won’t clear the lines from your water supply to the valves, and depending on how deep your frost line is those lines can freeze and burst. It would be better to install a blowout access point as close to the water supply as possible.

[@treyz9148]

@@AmplifyDIY Is it best to install a blowout access point in your valve box like you have done? My system doesn't have a blowout access point.

[@quinnparker80]

Do you have drains built into your system that depressurize the line when the water is turned off? I do and with these drain valves on each line I don’t see a need to have the system blown out. Thoughts?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Do the lines actually drain? The only reason to blow out a system is to remove the water in the lines so it does not freeze, expand, and break any pipes, heads, or valves.

[@sheckyfeinstein]

Thorough.

[@silkscrim]

My system, installed in 2001, has no fitting for attaching anything, and no outlet. I've just been opening all the valves with the water shut off. It's been freezing longer in the last few winters - Have I been lucky? Should I install a fitting to blow out the system?

[@AmplifyDIY]

You've mostly been lucky, yes. :) There are a bunch of factors that can contribute to whether you run into problems: how deep are your lines buried? is your main water inlet to the system uphill or downhill from all your sprinkler heads? How long does it stay constantly below freezing?... etc. If you have a good place to do so, I recommend adding a fitting so you can blow out the system. Good luck!

[@GopherFix]

So is it safe to assume that I dont need to install drain valves if I do this instead?

[@AmplifyDIY]

I’ve never had a drain valve on a sprinkler system, and never had any issues with burst pipes or broken heads in the spring.

[@so4real]

I have a irrigation system. My yard I recently had all the sprinkler heads, about 7 of them capped off and had cement poured in my yard, about a four inch slab throughout the yard. My concern is if I am blowing out my system like I normally would will this affect me being able to clear out the hose line that are still there?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hey Myron - great question. It's a little tricky to answer accurately without some more information: Did they cap off ALL the heads on a single station (or several stations?), or did they only cap off a portion of the heads (i.e., does the station pipe run under the concrete to another area of the yard where there are some uncapped heads? Are there uncapped heads on that station *before* the concrete? How many stations are on your system? How many are completely uncapped?

[@so4real]

@@AmplifyDIY I'm not completely certain of the layout. The connections for blowing out the system is located in the front of my house ; nothing major is connected in the back but the irrigation control panel affixed to the house. My yard is not huge. I had over 400 square feet of cement poured to cover a sprinkler system that was used to irrigate grass in that area. It has all been capped off along that entire section and on one side of the house. I do have one small strip of glass that I did kep two sprinkler heads for. I believe that may help with blowing out the system on one side but the zone that's located in the back and on the other side will not be able to blow out. I was wondering if the concrete would protect it from freezing if there was water left in there. I do spend a great deal of time using my compressor to blow out the system as much as I can. I don't know if there is a solution like winterization for homes that I could run through the lines to keep any fluid from freezing, that also not going to do harm to the sod that I have. I just may be overthinking it but I just wanted to be sure since this is going to be my first season having this concrete through a winter. I'm not sure how you would cut off a zone completely. I may be able just to dig in the grass and cap it whereas no water should even go to that area but I don't know how to do that.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Myron, Whether the portions covered with the concrete will freeze depends on a number of factors you probably don't know: how deep were the original lines buried? How deep is your frost line? When they were capped, did they just remove the heads, or did they remove the branch lines as well and cap right at the main line? In your shoes, I would probably not worry about it at all until /unless a problem appeared. Keep in mind that the only reason to avoid letting sprinklers freeze is because you don't want anything to crack and later leak. If the entire station has been capped off though, then leaks won't matter since the station won't (or should not) ever run anyway. It sounds likely that an entire station (or stations) was capped off. If that is the case, then just disable those stations and don't give it another thought. It might be a good idea to manually run each station on your system just to see if there are any which do nothing. If you find that there are stations which have only a couple of heads that likely were attached to the portions which were capped, then you may need to think about digging up and capping the station just beyond the last head currently in use... but in your shoes I'd let it ride until/unless there was a problem. Good luck!

[@so4real]

@@AmplifyDIY thank you for being so helpful. It means a lot.

[@teamusa4472]

Great video

[@AmplifyDIY]

Thanks!

[@FAC1806]

Sound advice! Thanks!

[@RedRidingHood-s]

great video

[@michellehamshaw]

lol at the end “no pressure” that’s funny

[@AmplifyDIY]

😂

[@nychris2007]

Can you post a good video of how to open your sprinklers for the season?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi NyChris - there is really not much to do to turn your sprinklers on in the spring: Open the main shutoff valve, then open each of the stations in turn to purge the air out of the lines. Then clean out the filter, and turn the controller on for the season. Easy peasy. Good luck!

[@eagledriver2334]

I used to have mine blown out but the prices are getting crazy. It started out at $20 about five years ago and now they want $45. I have a tiny yard with two stations - one station has heads and other is drip irrigation. Would a 1.5 gallon/150 psi compressor be enough to blow out sprinklers? Also, I have two valves at the bottom of my underground pipe. I know one of them turns off the water supply, but what's the other one for?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Rich - yes, a small compressor would be enough for such a small system. For the drip station, I'd keep the pressure a little lower - say, 50-60psi or so. For the other station, you may have to completely fill and empty the compressor through it 3-4 times... but as long as you get to the point that all the heads blow air instead of water, then it'll be fine. Good luck!

[@bweber6256]

My manifold has three connections where yours shows one. Reason?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Just depends on how your system is set up and plumbed. The box I showed here is the single main source of irrigation water for my lot. From here the outlet goes up near the corner of my house in the back yard where there is a T. One side of the T goes to a box in the front yard with a manifold where all the valves are for my front stations, and the other goes to a box at the back corner of the house where there is a manifold and valves for all my rear stations. Neither of these are shown in the video. I suspect that your box simply has the split for your various manifolds right there rather than a T or series of Ts later down the line. Thanks for watching!

[@soto1683]

How much do companies charges for this service?

[@AmplifyDIY]

It varies a lot, of course. In my area, typically around $50-75. The more stations you have, the more it costs. Thanks for watching!

[@alee2258]

Wonderfully done and thanks

[@wiks101]

how many psi did you set your compressor too?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Thomas - I set the regulator (which adjusts the pressure coming out of the compressor independently from the pressure of the tank itself) to 75 psi.

[@SonShines1]

Always take the blow out cap off to let air in that lets the water drain down the curb stop and drain. If u don’t, water is trapped. from ball valve down. U do that before us turn the ball valve off.

[@RAWJITSU]

Can you expand on this a little? When do you want to take the cap off? Are you referring to the above ground ball valve? I’m a little unclear on what you are explaining here. Appreciate it.

[@Randomalia]

This looks very Idahoan....which state are you in?

[@shaneinventist]

I used the same air compressor but it never build up the pressure to even 25PSI. I don't see any leak because there was no water leaks. Is it because my sprinkler system is much larger?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Shane - I'm confused: You are supposed to let your compressor build pressure in the tank (until the motor shuts off - on this compressor, that's around 170psi) with all your sprinkler valves closed, and once the tank is pressurized, then open your stations one at a time for 10 or so seconds at a time. You'll be able to get a dozen or so bursts like this, then you'll need to let the tank re-fill. Did you connect your compressor while it was empty, open a station valve, and then turn on the compressor? Cause that's the only way I can think of that you'd not be able to build pressure...

[@shaneinventist]

@@AmplifyDIY I did, but as soon as I turn on the valve that goes to the sprinkler system the 170psi pressure drops to 25psi. All sprinkler valves are still closed. I don't see any leaks.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hmm... something is not adding up quite right. That 170 psi in the tank represents a LARGE volume of air. It's got to be going somewhere... How do you know all your valves are closed? Did you physically close them all (not with the control box, but by turning the top of the valve itself?) Do you have any soaker stations? That much air does not just disappear. Any chance you left the upstream valve underground open? Maybe the air is going out to the water supply rather than to any of your stations?

[@shaneinventist]

@@AmplifyDIY before I shut the water supply there was no water running anywhere. So I assume there is no leak anywhere.

[@shaneinventist]

I mean I haven't open any valve yet.

[@platonkavvadias8541]

Thanks . Great video

[@AmplifyDIY]

Glad you liked it!

[@DerlyneG]

My sprinklers were winterized prior to me buying my home. It is now spring and I want to turn it on but I’m not sure whether I need to hire someone or if it’s just a matter of turning back on the water supply. Please help. Thanks in advance.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Turning your system back on in the spring is really simple. You should not need to hire anyone to do it. If you watch my video, you’ll see that there are two valves closed when I winterize the system. All you need to do in the spring is open those two valves back up, and then test each of the stations to get all the air back out of the lines and filled up with water again. Good luck!

[@jamesmccloskey4297]

I have a question. To install a blow out tee should it go on the supply side of the manifold box or does it matter?

[@AmplifyDIY]

I like to have them as close to the supply as possible, so I'd go upstream of any other components in the system.

[@nychris2007]

What’s a decent compressor to get?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Compressors come in about a gazillion shapes, sizes, and capacities. If you are looking for a good all-purpose compressor that would be capable of running air tools and blowing out a typical residential sprinkler system, I'd recommend this one from Wen: (affiliate link) amzn.to/35AUR9r - That's to the 20 gallon size, but they have a 10 gallon size that will run most air tools as well if you don't mind the sprinkler blowouts taking a little longer. Good luck!

[@latinogang6940]

Nice f***** video man. Thanks a lot, really helpful 😎🤙🏼

[@BlackToothGrinBoise]

That house looks like The Emerson.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Good eye... :)

[@csf1757]

I know 3 years late but .. wouldn't it been better to 1/2 open that last valve with the filter valve open, so anything in that last valve can drain out?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Yes, in general it's a good idea to crack open any valve that may freeze, or where any last drops of water may be able to drain out once you are done. Great tip - and thanks for watching!

[@harvinderharrison8267]

Can you please do one video how to restart irrigation sprinklers?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Re-starting them in the spring amounts to opening the valves you closed at the end of the year and running through each of the stations to make sure all the heads still work and no new leaks have appeared over the winter. It's incredibly simple to do. Good luck!

[@seven73ify]

Thanks!

[@charlesford6636]

Thanks for the great video. BTW, had a little fire ant problem there at the beginning, eh!

[@AmplifyDIY]

LOL yes! Those little suckers are mean!

[@charleschenhua]

Where are you located?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Western US.

[@TEL1415]

I paid to have it done in fall and realized the guys who did it did not turn off the tap at the source of the sprinkler. Its spring now and when I turned it on all the zones come on at the same time. Frustrating to depend on someone who just don't care.

[@AmplifyDIY]

That's super annoying. Now you know how to do it yourself so you know it is done correctly!

[@kp-gbuniqueinterest]

Where I live they charge 10 bucks per zone. We have 12 zones and But they give one zone free so we pay 110. Thats fine with me.

[@pgreenx]

Should not use 75psi unless you have pvc piping otherwise 50 is suggested max for polyethylene piping

[@dreakinard4316]

Can you show someone (me) who knows NOTHING about sprinklers how to turn ON this exact system?

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Drea - Turning the system back on is VERY easy. If you followed the steps in this video to turn the system off, then all you need to do to turn it back on is open both of the valves you closed when turning off the system. Specifically, there is the valve at the bottom of the underground pipe (see 2:19 of this video for the one I'm talking about). Turn that back on. You should hear water flowing through that pipe briefly when you do. Secondly, you need to open the valve located in your sprinkler controls box (see 3:21 of this video). Twist the handle of that valve so that it is in line with the pipe. Once those 2 valves are open again, all you need to do is cycle through each station using your sprinkler system controls. Each station will make hissing / air blowing noises at first, then will switch over to water shooting out of the sprinkler heads once all the air in the pipes has been cleared. Check for any broken / leaking heads, and it's also a good idea to clean the filter (if you have one) every spring when you get your system going again. Good luck, and thanks for watching!

[@AlabanzasyAdoración7]

I can help you!!!

[@ericktaylor5637]

As a person who has worked in the trades for over 20+years, I was taught that you never put a Metal threaded MIP into a plastic FIP as in freezing temperatures the metal fitting will expand and break (crack) your plastic fitting. Just sayin.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Yeah, I never would have plumbed this system this way - but I had no say over a lot of stuff with this house. The builder subbed everything out, and many of the issues I pointed out (in the same vein as this) fell on deaf ears. This falls under the "I'll fix it properly when / if it ever becomes a problem" category for me. Thanks for watching!

[@thenightf0x]

holy ants!

[@AmplifyDIY]

YUP!

[@bobmariano3731]

👍⚾️

[@C0mm0nS3ns3]

Using your box in the garage to blow out is not a great way there are manual switches on each sprinkler in the box each manifold, id not use your box to do it that way.

[@AmplifyDIY]

Hi Common Sense - Yes, there are manual switches for each valve, but sometimes these are difficult to get to, and a homeowner may not know where they are or how to correctly operate them (some valves are different from others) - this is why I suggested using the control box to cycle through the valves, as most homeowners will be familiar with where their control box is and how to operate it. I've never heard that using the control box in this way is a bad idea - can you explain why? All the control box does is trigger each valve in turn, just as you would if you use the switches on the valves themselves...

[@growthmindset963]

why I use the control box : SPIDERS :( !

[@NonyaBuzinezz]

I replace the cold water in the sprinkler lines with hot water before winter. Its faster & doesnt require an air compressor. Youre welcome 😉

[@AmplifyDIY]

LOL!

[@driveman6490]

I dated a girl in college that could blow out my system in 5 minutes.

[@bebekguitar2007]

Just make sure you're using the proper gauge and length extension cord (given the amount of amps your compressor motor needs to operate) and you should be just fine. To simply say extension cord = bad isn't exactly helpful advice! Good video otherwise, thanks

[@AmplifyDIY]

I agree with you - but most people don't understand wire gauge, amperage, or the concept of impedance or resistance, so the safest advice to most people is to simply avoid using an extension cord, which is why I included that. Of course, if you are familiar with the right way to do it, an extension cord is perfectly fine as long as you do it correctly. Thanks for watching!