Sprinkler system

[The Grebe]

Does anyone know approximately how many pounds per square inch it takes to blow out a standard perimeter sprinkler system, say 75 feet x 90 feet?

We don't have a sprinkler system yet, but I told my wife I would have one put in for her next spring for a birthday present (She takes care of the yard and gardens....I do the bull work, build the retaining walls, patios, fencing, stuff like that). When I do this, I want to also get an air compressor that I can use for working on equipment and also blowing out the system, any thoughts?

[Powerstroke]

PSI won't be the problem. You need volume not pressure.

It just depends on how efficient you want to be at blowing it out. The commercial outfits use the huge gas powered compressors because it has lots of volume, lots of power to keep air moving and can run for hours without a break.

The average guy can do it with say a 30gal compressor, they say it on here every year, but it takes hours to get it done.

[LwnmwnMan2]

It's not the PSI, it's the Cubic Feet per Minute that you need to be concerned about, and being able to keep that same airflow going for an extended period of time.

I agree with Powerstroke. By the end of the day, you'll have 4 more responses on how you do it yourself, they've been doing it for years, but for a system that small you're going to pay $50-75.

Find a legit company, and they're responsible for repairs in the spring. A broken line is going to cost you much more in repairs than you're going to save by doing it yourself. Plus you don't take a whole Saturday to do it.

[leechlake]

our yard is an acre and it costs $50-60 to have it blown out every year. I handle turning it on in Spring fixing any problem heads etc but the blow out I leave to a sprinkler company. We have a few different ones that do it in our neighborhood so they don't charge much since the jump from house to house. Still I've got 3-4 flyers near mailbox from other companies asking to do it.

Buy the compressor and use it for other stuff if you want a new compressor. Pay $50 for the blowout.

[echotrail]

I've had a sprinkler system since 1988. The first few years I hired out and paid $60 for 6 zones. They were in and out in about 20 minutes ramming as much psi as they could into the lines. I'd activate the system in the spring and 1 or 2 heads would pop out of the ground. I'd call whoever did the blowout and they told me it must have been a faulty head.

I started renting a 8 horse gas compressor for $40 for 4 hrs. and did it myself for several years. 7 or 8 years ago I bought a 30 gal, 150 psi electric compressor and it takes me 1.5 hrs. (Same as the 8 hp). No more annual cost and not 1 blown head. Very happy.