Blowing Out Irrigation System with Snow on Ground Cancel The title field is required!

1. Darryl Glinski

   

   0 posts
   
   11/18/2014 11:11 AM

   I am writing for advice and/or helpful pointers. We typically blow-out our irrigation system in late November (southwestern Idaho). Last week, we had 8 inches of snow and plummeting temperatures (single digit lows). Our irrigation system is not blown-out. For the most part, the ground has not frozen...I think the snow is actually 'helping' us. The snow is slowly melting, so we are concerned the ground will begin to freeze. We plan to blow-out in a couple of days. We will probably have 6 inches still on the ground. Has anyone blown out an irrigation system with snow on the ground? What challenges did you encounter? Any helpful advice...beyond blow-out earlier next year?
   
   Thanks,
   Darryl

   
   
   
   
2. Ronald Conard

   

   4 posts
   
   11/18/2014 12:11 PM

   I've probably have done it a dozen times or so by now. It's not a lot of fun but what works best is to have someone try to listen and watch for the heads as the heads are blowing out. Run the heads whatever way you choose and have someone walk the line to each head. They will be able to tell if the head is blowing air, water, or neither. Most of the time it pretty obvious even from a distance.
   
   The more difficult part is trying to find the q.c.'s buried in snow. That's why we stake everything and color code the stakes to tell us if it is a valve, q.c., air relief, etc. We do this a few weeks before blowing out just in case we wind up in a situation like you are in now. A metal detector will help but its still a slow process.
   
   It's really not anything to worry about though. You'll get it done.

   
   
   
   
3. Keith Pegg

   

   0 posts
   
   11/18/2014 5:11 PM

   I don't blow lines in Japan but in the 70's I did many times and almost every year after the snow was on the turf. worked fine every time maybe even better because without snow the ground was frozen and the snow was warmer at ground level.
   
   Keith
   Zama Japan

   
   
   
   
4. Bradley Frunchak

   

   24 posts
   
   11/18/2014 6:11 PM

   Getting around the course might be a challenge also.
   I've had heads frozen and not pop up. Some warm water on them to melt the ice worked fine, as did a screw driver to pop the head up. Just watch your face in case the part of the head breaks off when it pops up.

   
   
   
   
5. Justin VanLanduit

   

   0 posts
   
   11/19/2014 12:11 PM

   Finding the head and making sure it isn't frozen down is the biggest issue. Probably going to take longer than normal as you'll be walking around trying to find heads if you can see or hear them popping up. Good luck! Like a snap of the fingers and things got real! Cold as hell here in Chicago, normally don't blow our for another week but did a few weeks ago.

   
   
   
   
6. Sean Hoolehan

   

   0 posts
   
   11/19/2014 2:11 PM

   Daryl,
   
   This is in the misery loves company file. I got caught with this unusual weather to. Looks like it should clear off here over the weekend and we are blowing Monday AM. I drained the system a few days befor the storm and I have been checking the ground so far no significant frost in the ground even though it has not got above freezing in over a week. I will be blowing before Halloween next year. I will have a 375CFM machine so i hope to get it all in one day. Good luck

   
   
   
   
7. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   11/20/2014 8:11 AM

   Daryl,
   
   Just blew out a system in SW Michigan a couple days ago. Most of the course is under snow so finding the heads was a challenge and definitely added time needed to complete the blow out. I had to physically follow the heads as they were "supposed" to pop up. There were a few sprinklers that did not pop up so I had to go digging. A few were frozen but a little help from a screw driver was enough to get the head to open. I did find a couple heads that were in the off position (go figure) so a simple turn of the key got the air flowing in those heads. Once I got through the entire system it went smooth the second time around with all the heads popping up on their own.