Well, That Stinks! Another Day in the Sprinkler Blowout Business

Just when you think you’ve seen everything in the sprinkler blowout business, something comes along to remind you that you haven’t.

In this case, it was a dead skunk.

Yes, you read that correctly. A dead skunk inside a main water tube.

I’ve been doing this long enough to know that sprinkler systems can hold a few surprises. Broken valves, buried shutoffs, mysterious plumbing arrangements, and homeowners who have absolutely no idea where their water turns off are all part of the job.

We’ve also found mice, garter snakes, lizards, and even rattlesnakes hiding inside sprinkler valve boxes. Apparently, the local wildlife considers irrigation equipment prime real estate.

But every once in a while, Mother Nature decides to contribute something special.

Something Smells Fishy. Or Rather, Skunky.

Eddie texted me from the job site to report that he’d discovered a dead skunk inside a main water tube. He even included a photograph as evidence.

Don’t worry. I’m not going to share the picture. Some things are better left to the imagination.

Naturally, I responded with all the sympathy and professionalism you’d expect from the owner of The Maintenance Shop:

“Well, that stinks.”

That was my entire response.

What else was I supposed to say?

Unfortunately, this wasn’t a situation where we could simply hook up the compressor and carry on. The homeowner had to remove the deceased visitor before we could return and finish the sprinkler blowout.

Apparently, skunk removal wasn’t included in the original service agreement.

And Eddie wasn’t volunteering.

Some People Just Can’t Handle the Wildlife

Now, I can’t give Eddie too much grief. Well, actually, I can. That’s one of the perks of being the boss.

But I have some experience in this department myself.

Years ago, I encountered a dead squirrel inside one of those tubes. And unlike certain employees who shall remain named Eddie, I removed the squirrel myself.

Was it pleasant? No.

Was it something I woke up that morning looking forward to doing? Absolutely not.

But sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves and deal with whatever the day throws at you.

Or whatever crawled into a pipe and never crawled back out.

I suppose everybody has their limits. Mine apparently involves squirrels. Eddie’s involves skunks.

To be fair, a skunk does have a rather convincing argument for being left alone, even after its final curtain call.

A Little Advice: Put a Lid on It!

Here’s something homeowners might want to consider.

Your main and drain tube originally came with a cover.

That cover isn’t just there for decoration. It helps keep dirt, debris, and curious critters from finding their way inside.

Unfortunately, over the years, those covers have a habit of disappearing. They get broken, misplaced, run over by lawnmowers, or simply vanish into that mysterious place where missing sprinkler parts go.

If your main and drain tube is sitting wide open, you might want to consider replacing the cover.

It’s a relatively inexpensive way to discourage unwanted visitors from turning your irrigation system into a wildlife condominium.

After all, replacing a missing cover is a lot easier than explaining to your sprinkler technician why there’s a deceased skunk occupying the plumbing.

And if you do find a rattlesnake in a valve box, please don’t attempt to remove it yourself. That’s a job for a qualified wildlife professional, not an enthusiastic homeowner with a pair of barbecue tongs.

Meanwhile, the Blowout Season Marches On

While we’re dealing with unexpected wildlife, the sprinkler blowout season continues to keep us running.

We’re now at the point where all of our outer-area routes are closed for new requests this season.

That means we’re concentrating our remaining time and manpower on the areas where we still have customers waiting.

There’s only so much daylight, only so many technicians, and only so many sprinkler systems we can get through in a day.

And unfortunately, the sun doesn’t care how many names are left on my spreadsheet.

Tomorrow is another example of the juggling act. Eddie is only available for a half-day, so we’re planning to give him approximately ten stops in Meridian’s 83646 ZIP code, while Jesse tackles Eagle.

It sounds simple enough on paper.

Of course, so did today’s schedule.

And nobody wrote “dead skunk” anywhere on that one.

Never a Dull Moment

People sometimes think sprinkler blowouts are pretty straightforward. Show up, hook up the compressor, blow the water out, collect payment, and head to the next house.

And on a good day, that’s pretty much how it works.

But then you encounter a shutoff nobody can find, a schedule that runs out of daylight, or a skunk that apparently decided a water tube would make a fine final resting place.

You just never know.

So if you’re one of our customers still waiting for your sprinkler blowout, we’re working our way through the remaining routes as quickly as we can.

And if you happen to look inside your main and drain tube before we arrive, we’d certainly appreciate knowing whether anything furry has taken up residence.

Preferably while it’s still alive.

Until next time, remember: At The Maintenance Shop, we blow out sprinkler systems. Wildlife removal is apparently a whole different department.

And Eddie isn’t applying for that position anytime soon.

Here are the routes for today:

Eddie In The Meridian 83646 with Blowzilla (Half-Day)

North Dayside Avenue
North Elisha Avenue
North Christian Way
West Pinestone Street
North Sweetwood Avenue
West Classic Drive
North Tessa Avenue
North Crystal Cove Avenue

Jessse In Eagle With Orange Julius (OJ)

North Echohawk Way
East Snocreek Drive
North Sevenoaks Avenue
North Wooddale Avenue
South Dorset Place
East Halsey Drive
East Courtland Drive
East Celia Court
East Jade Creek Lane
North Eagle Hills Way
East Thunderbird Court
East Knoll Drive
North Falling Water Way
North Echo Creek Place
North Trail Creek Way
North Trail Creek Lane
East Shadowwolf Drive
East Shadowband Street
North Shadowridge Avenue