It's Time To Winterize Your Sprinkler System Before Cold Front Moves In Thursday

DENVER (CBS4) - The chance of an early October storm has homeowners across the Denver metro area rushing to winterize their homes, especially to blow out their sprinkler systems. Preferred Sprinklers told CBS4 by 11 a.m. Monday they had received 140 calls.

"That's double the number of people trying to schedule an appointment than we would normally see," Sam White explained, the owner of Preferred Sprinklers.

White said right now, they'll service about 75 houses a day. With a storm approaching later in the week temperatures could drop, which means pipes can freeze and expand.

"If you don't have your water shut off, it can flood the basement or flood the yard," White said. "So it's very important to have done."

White says if you can't get your sprinklers blown out before the weather takes a turn, you shouldn't worry just yet.

"If you wrap your pipes that are exposed, you can usually wait until the end of October," he explained.

To do so, White said homeowners need to find their exposed outdoor sprinkler shutoff. People should cover it was a blanket or insulation.

"Then you want to put a trash bag over it all," he said. "Everything underground is usually safe until the end of the month but this being outside, and being exposed means it can freeze pretty easily."