Sprinkler winterization in Howell, MIAir in the lines, not ice.
Misty's blows out Howell systems zone by zone with compressed air, so nothing is left in the pipe, the heads or the backflow device when the hard freezes come. Howell is our farthest drive, so the earlier you get on the fall list, the better.
- 5.0 on Google, 40 reviews
- Zone by zone air blowout
- Backflow device cleared too
- Licensed and insured
Illustration
Winterizing in Howell
When the cold actually gets here.
NOAA's climate records include a station at Howell's wastewater plant, and its 1991 to 2020 normals give a fair picture of when a system out here needs to be empty. A few local details change how the blowout itself should go.
First frost around October 7
In a typical year, that station records its first 32 degree night around October 7 and its first hard freeze, 28 degrees, around October 20. Buried pipe can ride out a light frost, but the backflow device above ground and the heads near the surface feel it first.
Thompson Lake drops in October
By court order, the county lowers Thompson Lake three feet for winter in even numbered years, and the 2026 drawdown was set to begin October 9. A lake pump with a shallow intake can be left high and dry. Blow those systems out before the water starts falling.
Long runs on township acreage
On a big township lot fed by a well, some zones sit a long way from the house. It takes steady air and patience to push all the water out of a long run of pipe. We work each zone until its heads spit only mist, then move to the next one.
Buried boxes in older yards
Most homes in the city were built before 1980, and older systems often have valve boxes lost under turf and mulch. We find them before the blowout, because a zone we cannot see is a zone we cannot clear, and a valve full of water cracks.
What you get
A fall blowout, zone by zone.
Every blowout follows the same order, so the water comes out of every part that can crack and the backflow device is left ready for winter.
- Water shut off
The irrigation shutoff closed and its drain opened, so the supply line empties.
- Air in below the backflow
The compressor connected past the backflow device, never through it.
- Every zone cleared
Each zone blown out through its heads until it goes from water to mist to dry air.
- No zone run dry
Air set for the pipe in the ground, and no zone left blowing once it is clear.
- Backflow device drained
Test cocks opened and ball valves left half open, so no water is trapped inside.
- Controller off
Switched off for the winter, with anything we noticed noted for the spring startup.
Try it
Blow it out, then let winter come.
Run the blowout zone by zone, then drag the season forward. Skip it and see what the frost does to water left in the lines.
Water is sitting in every pipe, the way it is all summer. Blow it out, or skip it, then drag winter in.
In Howell
Booking a Howell blowout early.
Fall is when everyone calls at once. Howell is about 30 minutes from Fenton, our longest drive, so we plan blowouts out here ahead and do several nearby yards on the same trip. Get on the list in September by calling or texting (810) 423-9513 or through book service, and we will call back with a time.
You do not need to be home if we can reach what we need: the irrigation shutoff, the backflow device and the controller. Tell us where each one is, and on a well system, where the pump and pressure tank are too. After the blowout, leave the controller off until spring.
- Typical first frost
- Around October 7, per NOAA's Howell station
- Typical first hard freeze
- Around October 20
- When to call
- September, before the fall rush
- From Fenton
- About 30 minutes, visits grouped
5.0
From 40 reviews on Google.
What people mention most
- Promptness6
- Reasonable pricing5
- Sprinkler repair3
- Winterization3
- Leak repair2
- Hardworking staff2
Misty’s Irrigation came out to repair and inspect our lawn irrigation system and did a great job. Very knowledgeable, professional, and just great people to work with. It’s always nice being able to support a local Fenton business, especially when they provide this kind of service. Highly recommend!
Quick to respond to phone message. Scheduled service call and took great care of my sprinkler system, replacing 2 sprinkler heads and checked all of the others. I highly recommended this company for their services
Questions
What people ask about winterization in Howell.
If yours is not here, call or text (810) 423-9513.
When should I book a sprinkler blowout in Howell?
September, if you can. Misty's plans fall visits out here ahead and groups them, and we blow out systems from late September into November, ahead of the ground freezing. With the typical first hard freeze around October 20 at the Howell station, getting on the list early gives us room to reach you in time.
Does a system on a well need a blowout?
Yes. Water sits in the pipe, the valves and the heads no matter what feeds them. On a well system we shut the sprinkler supply off, or switch off a pump that serves only the sprinklers, before the air goes in, so the pump is not trying to push water while we push air out.
What happens if I skip the blowout?
Water left in the lines freezes and expands. The usual damage is a split backflow device, cracked heads and fittings, and valves that leak come spring. You find out at startup, when a zone will not hold pressure, and the repair is a bigger job than the blowout would have been.
My lawn waters from Thompson Lake. Does the drawdown change anything?
It can. In even numbered years the county lowers the lake three feet, beginning in early October. If your intake sits in shallow water, have the system blown out and the intake pulled before the level drops. More on lake pump systems around Howell.
Do you winterize the backflow device too?
Yes. The pressure vacuum breaker sits above ground and is often the first thing to freeze. We blow it out with the rest of the system and leave its valves set for winter. If yours cracked last year, see backflow preventers.
More in Howell
Book service
Book winterization in Howell.
Send it here or call. We will call back, ask a couple of questions so the right parts are on the truck, and give you a time.
- A real person calls you back. Promptness is what reviewers mention most.
- Fair, clear pricing. That is the second thing they mention.
- Licensed and insured, family run out of Fenton.