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Sprinkler Blowouts in Central Washington
Serving Ellensburg, Yakima, Wenatchee, Cle Elum, and surrounding communities with professional fall blowouts. We clear every line before the first hard freeze, so nothing splits over winter.
In Season Now
Fall Sprinkler Blowouts
Water left in the line is the most expensive mistake of the fall.
Water expands when it freezes. It does not care that the pipe is in the way.
A sprinkler system holds water in a hundred places you cannot see: the lateral lines, the manifolds, the backflow assembly, the heads themselves. When that water freezes, it pushes outward with enough force to split PVC, crack a valve body, and shear the guts out of a backflow preventer.
The cruel part is the timing. Nothing looks wrong in November. You find out in April, when you turn the system on and a section of lawn turns into a fountain. By then you are paying for excavation, parts and labour in the middle of everybody else's start-up season.
A blowout takes under an hour. The repair does not.
Fall blowouts are booking now. We route by area as the temperatures turn, starting in Upper Kittitas County and Wenatchee.
Get on the schedule →
When to book
The window in Central Washington is late September through the end of October, and it moves with elevation.
- Upper County and Wenatchee first. Cle Elum, Suncadia, the higher ground around Ellensburg and the Wenatchee valley get their first hard freeze soonest. That is where we start, often in the first week of October.
- Yakima next. The valley floor holds warmth longest, so Yakima systems usually run a couple of weeks later, into mid and late October.
- A light frost is not the deadline. Grass frost overnight will not hurt buried pipe. What you are racing is the first sustained freeze, when the ground itself stays cold for days.
We route by area rather than first come first served because freezing temperatures hit different parts of Central Washington at different times. So, we recommend getting your sprinkler blowout scheduled by September to secure your spot on our primary route. If you call later in the season, you will be placed on a list and scheduled as route availability allows.
Fall sprinkler blowouts are available to both new and existing customers across Central Washington.
Call (509) 968-3800 to get your fall blowouts scheduled today.
Our process
How we work
Every Zone, Until It Runs Dry
We do not blow through once and call it done. Each zone runs until the heads are pushing nothing but air and mist. Short-cutting a zone is how a lateral keeps just enough water to split.
The Backflow Gets Handled
The assembly above ground is the most expensive part of the whole system and the first thing to freeze. We shut it off, drain it, and leave the test cocks open.
We do not perform backflow testing ourselves. If it's time for your required annual backflow test, we recommend Elevation Contracting.
We Tell You What We Found
If a head is cracked, a zone is not firing, or a valve is weeping, you hear about it while the truck is still in the driveway. Spring is a bad time to be surprised.
The Right Pressure, Not the Most Pressure
We run anywhere from 50 to 100 PSI, and the number depends on the system: how old it is, how large it is, and whether we have worked on it before.
Air flow clears the line, not high pressure. Standard shop compressors at 120 PSI often create mist without moving enough air, leaving pipes half full and damaging system seals—the most common way DIY blowouts turn into repairs.
Straight Pricing
What sprinkler work costs
Blowout pricing depends on the system, so we quote each one rather than publishing a flat rate that would be wrong for most properties. Here is what actually moves the number, and what we will ask you on the phone.
Number of Zones
The main driver. A six zone residential lawn is quick. A twenty zone property with drip runs takes real time.
The Point of Connection
Where the system ties into your water supply, and how easy it is to reach.
Controller and Valve Locations
Where the timer box and the valves live. A system with no accessible blowout port, or a valve box we have to find first, takes longer.
Special Equipment
Pumps, filtration, drip zones and anything else that needs its own approach.
What to have ready when you call
It speeds things up if you know how many zones you have, where the system connects to your water supply, where the controller and valves are, and whether there is a pump or any other special equipment on the system.
If you do not know any of that, it is not a problem. Plenty of people inherit a system nobody explained to them. We will work it out on site.
If you are already on one of our lawn care programs, say so when you book. We schedule sprinkler work around existing routes, which usually means a sooner date.
The Honest Answer
Can I blow out my own sprinklers?
Yes, with the right compressor and some care. Plenty of people do.
The honest version of what you need: a compressor that delivers enough volume (CFM), not just pressure. This is where the rental units from the home centre catch people out. A small pancake compressor will build 120 PSI and still lack the airflow to push water the length of a lateral, so you get a satisfying mist at the head and a line that is still half full.
The two ways it goes wrong:
- Too much pressure. Stay near the low end, around 50 PSI, unless you know the system well. We will run higher on a large system because we know what it can take. Guessing high on a system you do not know is how seals, gear drives and poly fittings get damaged, and the system then survives the winter and fails in April anyway.
- Not enough volume. The lines look clear and are not. You find out in April.
If you own the right compressor and you have done it before, go ahead. If you are renting a unit for the afternoon and guessing at the pressure, the call-out usually costs less than the first repair.
Where We Work
Sprinkler work in Central Washington
We run sprinkler work across three valleys, and they do not freeze on the same schedule.
Yakima Valley
The valley floor holds warmth longest, so Yakima systems often run into late October. Plenty of properties here are on older systems with the blowout port buried somewhere in a bed, and a lot of homeowners inherit a system nobody has explained to them. We find the port, and we show you where it is for next year.
Wenatchee Valley
Cold comes down off the hills earlier than people expect, and Wenatchee is one of the first places we start each fall. The elevation change between the river and the Heights makes a real difference to timing, so we route through the area as the temperatures turn rather than working to a fixed date.
Kittitas County and Upper County
Ellensburg, Cle Elum and Suncadia freeze first and hardest. If you are up valley, treat the first week of October as your target rather than your deadline.
Central Washington runs on irrigation. Almost every established lawn in this region is on a system, which means almost every established lawn has something worth protecting before winter.
Our promise to you
Simple service, same standard
01
On Budget
When we give you an estimate, we include everything we can foresee and commit to completing your project as close to budget as we can.
02
On Time
Your time matters. We commit to being at your jobsite when we said we would, and to completing your project within the time we budgeted.
03
With Excellence
If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing with excellence. That's our mission in a single word, and it shows up in every interaction.
Common Questions
Sprinkler and irrigation FAQs
Is a sprinkler blowout necessary?
In Central Washington, yes. Our ground freezes deep enough and long enough that water left in a lateral will expand and split it. In a mild coastal climate you can sometimes get away with draining. Here you cannot.
What does sprinkler blowout mean?
It means forcing compressed air through your irrigation system to push out every bit of standing water before winter. Zone by zone, until the heads run dry.
What air pressure should I use for a sprinkler blowout?
We run between 50 and 100 PSI depending on the system's age and size. If you are doing it yourself, stay near the low end. Volume matters more than pressure: a compressor with high PSI and low CFM will mist the heads without clearing the line. Most failed DIY blowouts are a volume problem, not a pressure problem.
When should I do a sprinkler blowout?
Before the first sustained hard freeze. Upper County and Wenatchee go first, often from the first week of October. Yakima usually has a couple more weeks. We route by area as the temperatures turn, so the safest move is to get on the list in September.
Can I blow out my own sprinklers?
Yes, if you have a compressor with enough airflow and you keep the pressure down. The section above covers what actually goes wrong.
Say goodbye to pests. And hello to a healthier landscape.
Call and get a free quote today. Our team is here to help.