Toronto & the GTA
When Should You Blow Out Your Sprinklers in Toronto?
In Toronto and the GTA, sprinklers are usually blown out between mid-October and mid-November, before the first hard freeze. Once nights stay below freezing, water left in the lines can crack pipes, valves, heads and the backflow preventer.
Updated
Why the timing matters
A light frost on the grass does not damage buried pipe. The risk comes from a hard freeze, when the ground and the exposed backflow preventer get cold enough for trapped water to freeze and expand. Blowing out in late October or early November avoids that risk while still letting the lawn get water in early fall.
Signs it is time to book
- Overnight lows are forecast near or below 0 °C
- Leaves are falling and the lawn no longer needs regular watering
- You are leaving for the winter or closing a cottage
What happens if you wait too long?
If a hard freeze arrives before the system is cleared, damage usually stays hidden until spring. Then it shows up as leaks, soggy patches, geysers or zones that will not turn on. Repairs at that point cost more than the blowout itself.
What air pressure is used?
A safe blowout uses a high volume of air at a moderate pressure, staying below the lowest pressure rating of your pipes, heads and valves. Our closing reports show the pressure we used on a gauge, so you can see exactly how your system was cleared. See our blowout pressure guide for how to read a compressor gauge.
Prices
Fall winterization is $80 for up to 6 zones, $160 for up to 10 zones and $200 for up to 16 zones, before HST. Every closing includes our Freeze Guarantee: if a freeze break shows up at our spring opening, we fix it free.