Sprinkler Blowouts For Thursday, November 13, 2025

It looks like the weather is actually cooperating as we slide into what should be the end of sprinkler blowout season. And by “cooperating,” I mean it’s not actively trying to freeze our trucks to the road or turn valve boxes into tiny ice cubes of regret.

At the pace we’re moving — juggling new requests, cancellations, and a parade of “Hey, I forgot to sign up… again” texts — we should be wrapped up by Thanksgiving. That is, assuming the universe doesn’t decide to dump a thousand last-minute signups on us the moment other companies hang their “We’re done for the year, good luck!” signs.

Because every season, without fail, we get that magical wave of folks who realize in November (or December… or, my personal favorite, deep into January) that their sprinkler system is still full of water. And suddenly it’s a crisis of national importance.

Honestly, at this point, late-December blowouts are as traditional as holiday cookies. And January blowouts? Those are for the elite — the sprinkler procrastination grandmasters. We see you. We salute you.

Idaho weather is about as predictable as a toddler with a kazoo. By this time last year, we’d already had a handful of nights dipping into the mid-20s — the kind of cold that hangs around just long enough to freeze the above-ground galvanized piping solid.

It wasn’t a catastrophe, just annoyingly time-consuming. Nothing says “living the dream” quite like standing outside with a torch, gently warming a stubborn metal pipe at 7 a.m., trying to convince it to stop impersonating a popsicle long enough to push the water into the still-sane underground lines.

Just another day in Sprinkler Blowout Land, where even the plumbing tries to test your patience.

Our biggest issue with cold weather isn’t the blowouts themselves — it’s the machines. When temps drop, the condensation inside our 3/4″ hoses turns to ice, and suddenly the airflow stops like someone put a cork in it.

So what do we do? The only thing you can do: take the end of the hose, hold it near the exhaust pipe while the machine is still pushing air, and wait for the ice inside to heat up just enough to launch out the end like a .30-06 round on opening day.

It’s effective, but you definitely want to stay upstream of that hose. One flying ice slug, and your perfectly good day turns into an express trip to the ER with a story no doctor is prepared to hear.

Just another fun winter tradition here in Sprinkler Blowout Land — where even the hoses are out to get you.

Here are the routes for today:

Ben with “Leroy” in Boise 83714

North 1st Avenue
North Brookside Lane
North Palisades Way
North Bridle Way
W Utahna Street
West Lamplighter Street
West Tobi Court
North Edenburgh Way
W Cove Street
West Marigold Street
North Yaquina Head Way
W Sterling Lane
West Mystic Cove Way
Northwind Court
W Chinden Ridge Drive

Eddie with “Purple Rain” in Boise 83702 and Boise 83703

N Quail Summit Place
West Samara Street
N Woody Drive
W Gavin Street
North 21st Street
North 23rd Street
North 19th Street
West Hill Road
North 13th Street
W Ofarrell Street
North 6th Street
Union Street
North 7th Street
W East Way
West Braemere Road
West Palouse Street