As summer’s rays beat hot on your grass and garden, you’re probably putting that irrigation system through it’s paces. As we mentioned last summer, the cool-weather grasses that many of us have in our yards will want to go dormant when the temperatures get high, especially when it is also particularly dry. If your grass is still green, be sure you’re irrigating regularly. You’ll need to give it a good, long drink—about an inch of water per week is the best way to keep your lawn from going dormant and turning brown. *
Of course, all good things must come to an end, and so it is with summer. Sooner than many of us expect, we’ll start feeling that crisp bite in the air that foretells the coming of winter.
The best time to winterize your irrigation system
If you are already an EnJay irrigation client, we’ll be watching the weather for you. We’ll contact you when it’s time to schedule your irrigation blow-out.
As with plants, that first “killing” frost is going to do the most damage to your irrigation system. You’ll want to have your irrigation blow-out scheduled for a week before the first hard freeze is expected. In our Minneapolis Southwest Metro area, the average first freeze is around October 2nd. Note though that’s just an average; this year it could come quite a bit earlier or later. You’ll need to keep an eye on the weather forecast and err on the side of safety. Better to have dry grass for an extra week than have to make costly irrigation repairs.
When summer starts to turn to fall, it’s time to call EnJay! Our experienced, certified irrigation techs will carefully blow out your system before the temps get too low so you can rest easy all winter, knowing that your sprinklers will be ready to go again in the summer, just like new.
Ask for our irrigation blowout and spring start-up bundle!
What if I miss the date?
Oh, no! Say it ain’t so.
Irrigation systems that are not winterized before freezing temperatures arrive are extremely susceptible to damage. Water that remains in the pipes, sprinkler heads and manifold will expand as it freezes, causing cracks. Valves can break, sprinkler heads can blow completely or crack down the side. If either your manifold or backflow preventer is damaged, repairs can cost a few hundred dollars. Worse, pipes could crack or develop holes, which is even more expensive to repair.
If your irrigation system is damaged, you’ll discover it in the spring when you try to start up your sprinklers for the first time and find it doesn’t all work like it should. Then it’s time to call EnJay—our techs can repair or replace your equipment as needed and have it up and running in no time. We’ll be there for you—but we hope you don’t need repairs! Call for a winter irrigation blowout today and save the time, money and hassle of costly repairs.
(952)206-5296 (LAWN)
*If your grass is already dormant in high summer, stop watering—that lush verdancy will return in fall when temperatures start to fall. While you wait, consider contacting us for a quote on an irrigation system so that next year your lawn can stay green all summer.