Did you take the brass backflow valve contraption off and store it inside
your home? If you did not and it froze up and ruptured the diaphragm you
are in for some big bucks to replace it. It will cost you about $250 to
replace. I turn my water supply to the system off the last week in October
and blow each zone out with compressed air. I then remove the brass valve,
store it, and put baggies over each pipe end and rubber band or tape them
up. This is an ABSOLUTE must to do at seasons end!! I live in Illinois.
In the Spring reinstall the valve, turn the water on and you're set to go
again for another season.
My 2 cents worth.

"Jim" jim.morris wrote in message
...
Depending on the size of the break in the line...if there is a break it
will
affect the head popping up.
Since the head relies on water pressure to pop up and a small crack is
possibly in the plastic line then the head may come up lazy and not throw
the water as far. If they bounce right up and throw water like they did
last
year I would say you have nothing to worry about.....If the contractor
blew
"half of the water out" of your system. the water may be only located
inside
your pipes underground as the heads would drain themselves of the water
and
then not be affected by the freezing water....
Given the fact that you are from Calgary might be of some help too as
you
folks get milder winters there....how cold was you coldest cold snap and
for
how long?

Jim


"Habsfan" wrote in message
...
Good day from Calgary!

I do have a pipe outside that I will inspect today as well as the
manifold is in ground but I can take the cover off and inspect. From
your comment below, if I had a break in the pipe do you thin the head
wouldn't pop up at all? Are the heads my concern or the pipe which is
down underground?


On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 09:48:30 -0600, "Jim" jim.morris wrote:

Greetings from Saskatchewan.,

I bought a house in the fall of 1996 with underground sprinklers
and
didn't know enough to blow them out before freeze up. I lucked out and
only
had a few pipes burst right at the sprinkler manifold as it was above
ground
and outside. The water drained out of the sprinkler heads and went into
the
pipes which didn't break.
Do you have any pipes outside that are above ground that you can
see
right now?. Are they broken? If not you may have gotten lucky like I
did.
Only thing you can do right now is wait till spring and turn them
on...make sure the frost is out of the ground before turning the valve
on.......look for boils of water comming up in the yard grab a shovel
....dig up the area and patch the break if there are any. If your
sprinklers
pop up and start working fine, consider yourself lucky. BTW they sell
the
splicing stuff at Home Depot. I'd also continue searching for your
contractor...... Hope that was of some help....Jim