Wednesday Sprinkler Blowout Update

A quick scheduling update for our sprinkler blowout customers:

Bryan is out sick today, which leaves us one technician short. Rather than completely rearranging everyone’s routes—and creating even more confusion—we’re adjusting as we go.

If Eddie finishes his scheduled route early enough today, he’ll head to Kuna and start working on Bryan’s route. Jesse will then pick up wherever Eddie leaves off and finish the remaining Kuna stops on Thursday.

If you were scheduled for today and we don’t make it to you, you haven’t been forgotten, and you don’t need to sign up again. Your address is still on the route.

This is one of those little realities of sprinkler blowout season. We can plan routes, organize addresses, send technicians in every direction, and try to account for just about everything.

Then somebody gets sick.

Unfortunately, I still haven’t found the checkbox in Google Sheets that fixes that.

We’ll keep things moving and take care of everyone as quickly as we can. Thanks for your patience while we shuffle things around.

End Of Update

Want to Wait? Just Tell Us Before We Get There

Day two of sprinkler blowout season is officially in the books, and I almost hate to say this out loud, but nothing broke.

The compressors ran, the technicians finished their routes except for a handful of stops, and nobody provided me with particularly good material for today’s blog post.

I’m not complaining. I’m just suspicious.

Most of the stops we couldn’t complete fell into two categories: locked gates and customers who decided they’d like to wait a little longer before having their sprinkler systems blown out.

Waiting is perfectly fine. We’re not going to show up at your house, wrestle you to the ground, and winterize your sprinkler system against your will. If you’d like another week or two of watering, that’s entirely up to you.

We just need you to tell us before we drive there.

When you sign up for a sprinkler blowout, your address eventually gets grouped geographically with other customers in your area and assigned to a technician’s route. We send a notification the night before we’re coming so you know to expect us.

If you’ve changed your mind and want to wait, that’s the perfect time to let us know.

Otherwise, the technician drives to your house only to discover that you don’t want the service yet. We’ve already spent time getting there, put unnecessary miles on the truck and compressor tires, and burned fuel—which, if nobody has noticed lately, ain’t cheap.

A quick message beforehand saves all of that.

The Catch With Waiting

One thing to keep in mind if you decide you’re not ready yet:

Our routes continually move throughout the Treasure Valley. Once we’ve finished a particular area, we move on to the next one. We don’t necessarily return to the same neighborhood the following week.

That means if you decide to wait when we’re already at your house, it could be two or three weeks before we’re back in your area.

We’re perfectly happy to come later. Just understand that “I’d like to wait another week” doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be able to return exactly one week later.

And Then There Are Locked Gates…

Locked gates are a little different. If we need access to the backyard and the gate is locked, there’s not much our technician can do.

Technically, there are alternatives, but most involve damaged fences, angry homeowners, and possibly law enforcement, so we’ve elected not to include them in our standard operating procedures.

If you’re expecting us and won’t be home, please make sure we can access the areas we need before you leave.

It saves us a wasted stop, keeps the day’s route moving, and—most importantly—keeps your sprinkler system from becoming the subject of a future blog post.

All things considered, Day 2 went remarkably smoothly.

Which means I’ve probably just jinxed Day 3.

Here are the routes for today:

Bryan in Kuna with Purple Rain

Kittredge Dr
Night Rider Drive
Esquel Street
La Pampa Way
Firestone Drive
Screech Owl Drive
Four Point Place
Farmall Way
Poplin Street
Shady Grove Way
Full Moon Street
Winding Trail Avenue
Johns Bay Avenue
Tomen Avenue
Jump Rope Place
Ash Ave
Hayward Ave
Deserthawk Drive
Topanga Court

Eddie in Meridian 83646 with Blowzilla

Barron Way
Ashby Drive
Cooper Avenue
McKinley Park Ave
Buckstone Avenue
Great Basin Dr
Abruzzo Avenue
Milazzo Street
Chimney Peak Avenue
Sage Springs Court
Station Place
Station Avenue
Maracay Dr
San Remo Dr
Trestle Dr
Watersong Way
Crescent Street
Price Ave
Alzano Dr

Jesse in Kuna, Middleton & Star with Leroy

Snowy Owl Street
Sherwood Road
Murtaugh Lake Street
Caitlin Lane
Hercules Drive
Aries Avenue
Paddington Pl
Saddlebrook Way
Hidden View Way
Annafaye Street
Procyon Place
Taurus Way
Ringle Creek Street
Plummer Road
Wyatt Earp Drive
Spring Hollow Place
Pavo Court
Aliso Creek St
Blessinger Road
Daylily Avenue
Moon River Drive