My system is about 5 years old and it's self draining.
I just drain it for the Winter and it's never frozen.
You might check with whoever put it in and find out if your system needs to be blown out.
Mine came with instructions on how to Winterize.
I usually shut mine off when the temps near freezing (mid Oct or so)

Berry, I'm in Fort Collins too. I moved here last year and had never had an inground sprinkler system before. We didn't know how to start it up so I called someone for that. I won't mention that name, but I was not pleased. So after manually watering for a while, I broke down and called another company, who I would recommend. Here's the phone number 372-1288 that he's set up just for booking these appointments. The company is Awesome Sprinkler Guy. I know, kind of off putting, but like I said, much better experience than the first company.

Good luck!

Thanks plantlady & aliceg!
I had a friend install this- has taken 4 years so far for this whole landscaping project but Alice, I'll give the Awesome Sprinkler Guy (I've been watching too much Winnie the Pooh w/my kids- all I can think about is Rabbit's "awesome bunny of upsidasia" when I read that name) a call- thanks for the info!

Ditto on the never having an underground sprinkler system before. I've been here 12 years and half of my delay in landscaping has been that I've never had to actually "plan" where to put a garden before....in Western WA you barely have to think about using a hose!

Thanks again to both of you!

Best, D

Berry,
I'm in Fort Collins also. The most vulnerable part of your system is that upside down U pipe that sticks up and has the funny valve thing on it. That's the back flow device which prevents dirty water from your sprinkers from gettin into your drinking water if the City water pressure drops. Since it sticks up out of the ground, it can easily freeze which cracks the pipes.

Last fall around the first week of November my buddy (who hadn't drained his) woke up at 3AM to the sound of water running. He couldn't figure out what it was so he went back to bed. In the morning when he went out to his car, he found a 10 foot geyser where his back flow valve should be. It flowed so much water he had a lake in his side yard. The ground later sunk 10 inches next to his house there. He was fearful his foundation might be damaged but luckily it was not. It cost him about 250$ to get a new one put in.

That same night I had not drained mine yet either, but after hearing it was supposed to drop to 25 on the ten O'clock news, I went out and covered mine up with an old sleeping bag. Luckily mine was okay, and that next evening I turned off the water and opened the valve which lets it drain between main line and cutoff.

Stupidly, some how I got so busy later that month that I never had my system blown out. Previous years I've paid anywhere from 40 to 60 bucks to get a blow out. Usually around the end of October, or beginning of November. My system is also designed to be self draining, but previously I'd never taken the risk. Well, things seemed pretty good this spring despite no fall blow out, but by midsummer I'd become aware of several new water line leaks in parts of the system where the water has no where to drain, like in the main line between the backflow valve and my valve box. I ended up having to dig up one whole branch of my system, along with that main line, replacing entire segments. Saving that 50 bucks for the blow out last fall, was not worth all the effort I ended up putting in this summer.

This year, I think I'm going to cover up and drain the back flow thing within the next couple weeks (definitely before Halloween) and I think I'll wait and get the system blown out the first or 2nd week of November. If it gets dry, I can re-open and water again, up until I get the blow out.

By the way, make sure you are home, and watch when they do the blow out. As he blows each section go around to where those sprinklers are and while it's blowing trace the sprinkler line back to the valve box listening carefully for bubbly sounds and looking carefully for misty air spraying up out of the ground from leaks you hadn't noticed yet. Mark each leak, so you can repair them in the spring before you start using your system. During the blow out is the best time to find leaks.

Also, pay the guy cash. That will bring a smile to his face and make him more willing to help you out next time.

Bruce

Bruce, Sounds like your friend had a really bad experience and your's wasn't much better!

Thanks for sharing. Gives me ideas of what to look out for and some good tips.

I reactivated an old well that was on the property and usable only for irrigation so don't have a backflow preventer. There is one place, on the back wall of my garage where the pipe between the pump and the pressure tank is exposed. I think I'll try to insulate that now.

Yes, I plan to be home and also to have my friend who designed and installed the system be there too. I want to write down all the instructions of what valves to open, etc, so I remember it for future years. It's a large system- 16 zones.

Best,
Debra