COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- It is usually a sound associated with summer, but nothing says fall quite like the hum of a sprinkler being blown-out.
And for Coloradans, it is a sure sign, winter is right around the corner.
"It always kind of takes you by surprise, because you have days like this where it is 75 degrees or 80 degrees," homeowner Kristina Knight said.
Local experts said in anticipation of the huge drop in temperatures, home and business owners have been calling non-stop to have their sprinklers and pipes drained.
"In fact the battery on my cell phone is down because so many people called last minute this morning," Steve Ledford said.
Steve Ledford owns All About Lawn Care.
He said if you do not take care of your sprinklers, the pipes and joints can freeze, crack, break, and then leak come spring.
"Pipe repairs can cost $60, $90 or $100 to fix," Ledford said. "And first they have to find it."
Another thing Ledford said homeowners need to aware of is scam artists.
He said a lot of people are looking to make a quick buck right now, and do not know how to do the job right.
"Not having a compressor that is sufficient to blow all the water out is a sign, so if someone shows up with a little tiny compressor, or says 'I will be done in five minutes,' you know that probably is not right," Ledford said.
Ledford said an average home should take around 30 minutes to blow-out.
It is a small price to pay to avoid a big headache when the warm weather arrives.
"Everything floods in the spring, and then you find it, and have to spend money to fix it," homeowner Karine Pignatiello said.
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