The Fix-It Playbook — How to Winterize an Irrigation System

The pipes underground are usually fine. It is the brass assembly standing above the lawn that splits first — and it is the most expensive part of the whole system.

Inside: Step 1: Work out which method your system needs · Step 2: Shut off the water and drain the mainline · Step 3: Protect the backflow preventer · Step 4: Get the water out of the lines · The blowout, if that is your system · Step 5: Leave the controller alone · What spring startup looks like · The honest cost comparison · When to stop and call a pro · Printable winterization checklist.

Doing it yourself: free if the system has drain valves; a compressor rents for $30–60 a day if it needs a blowout.

Calling a pro: $50–150 to blow out a 6–12 zone system.

8 pages of labeled diagrams, parts lists and real numbers — no filler, no 40-minute video. Temperatures and measurements in both Fahrenheit/Celsius and feet/meters, so it works wherever you are. Ends with a printable checklist.

Instant PDF download: print it for the garage or follow it on your phone with the parts in hand. Yours to keep, no subscription.

Need more than this one job? The Freeze-Proof Plumbing Kit bundles all 5 winter plumbing guides — 35 pages — for $14.