Sprinkler Winterization?

I'm looking for advice/recommendations on having our in-ground automatic sprinkler system winterized. This is our first house with one and so we need to learn the drill. I have an estimate from the company who did it for the previous owners of our home but don't know how competitive it is. To do the whole blowout and leak check procedure it will cost about $175. If that sounds about right to people here then we can do that through the current company, Allen's Sprinkler, unless someone has another recommended company.

It seems that to do more than just turn the main valves off that it takes someone with more experience and skill than we have!

Thanks for any advice as we learn about the new home maintenance!

 

If $175 is for turning it off, blowing it out and removing the backflow and then coming back in the sping to reverse everything them its in the ball park.

I use Hydrotech Irrigation out of Chantilly.

 

Ours was $175 but that also includes start up in the spring.

 

we used affordable lawn $95 for winterization & spring start up

 

just got a contract proposal for winterization and spring turn-on but noticed a seperate item for Backflow preventer inspection, additional $80. Says it is county requirement.

Does anyone know if this is true, never noticed it before on a bill?

 

The inspection is indeed a county requirement. Can't recall exactly how much we paid but memory tells me that $80 is in the ballpark.

 

Thanks

 

I did some investigating and the county requirement is to have a backflow preventor installed, not have an annual inspection. I got the same pricing (Allen's Sprinklers) and we decided to choose someone else to do our services since it appears from their plans that we'd have to pay extra to get good customer service.

 

How would I know if I had a backflow preventer installed already?

 

Well, it's a requirement within the county to have one with a sprinkler system, so you most likely already have it. As far as how to identify one, I'd have to google that ;-)

 

Look near your outdoor hose bibs...you should see a 18"-24" pipe that is horiz to the house it should have a valve that comes off (usually the center portion)...this is your backflow preventer.

If you want I can take a picture of ours so you can see what one looks like, let me know.

As for inspection - Affordable (our sprinkler company) has NEVER charged us - it is part of the winterization/spring package...and I am not aware of the county having an annual inspection...just the installation of one.

 

Thanks for the feedback. How much does Affordable charge for the winterization/spring turn on?

 

We just signed up with affordable (thanks for the recommendation pea!) and it's $95 for winterization and $90 for spring turn on (the first 45 minutes, if there are repairs needed then it's $90/hour but Carl said it rarely happens).

 

Great to hear - we've been very happy with affordable (going on three years now).

Carl & Bryan (are brothers and co-owners) they have always been responsive and we've never felt like they would take advantage of us as customers.

 

Hmmm... I might have to give them a try this year.

 

I'm at the office and can't look at my paperwork, but I am almost certain the Loudoun CO. sprinkler backflow valve inspection is mandatory every year. If you have a sprinkler system installed, it must have the backflow valve, and that must be inspected annually.

 

Okay! I just called Loudoun Water and an annual backflow inspection is required by them. Price may vary by vendor, but it is, in fact, required by the water company.

 

I called LW (Laurie Tish) and Affordable (Bryan Mynaz)...much to our pleasure our sprinkler company has inspected and completed the forms for us for three years. The inspection is part of the Spring & Winter maint package from Affordable.

So this might explain why I never knew about it, b/c our irrigation company already did it as part of the corporate SOP.

I hope this input helps and I stand corrected that annual inspection is required by LW. Our vendor had already been doing it... gotta love good customer service.

 

Great! That makes Affordable a notch higher in my book to include it! Nice of Allen's Sprinklers to try to get $80 more dollars for it in addition to their winterization pricing...

 

In case others are wondering how to get in touch with Affordable - here is their website.

http://www.affordablelawnsprinklers.com/

We had a few issues, such as the main head-in unit (bad fuse) and a drip line...but we still had the warranty and they came right out to fix it. Last Spring they were a bit late (late May v. April) turning our system on, but that was a requirement from Loudoun Water - so I cant fault Affordable.