Winter can be a winter wonderland, but not necessarily for your sprinkler system. If there is water in your sprinkler system (and trust us, there will be,) then when the temperature dips below freezing, the water will freeze and likely cause damage to your sprinkler system.

Many newbies at sprinkler systems have learned the hard way that freezing water can severely damage their sprinkler system, and many people who live in slightly warmer temperatures find out the hard way what damage can occur if there is a sudden flash freeze in their area.

There are actually two ways to get your sprinkler system winterized, the hard way and the easy way.

The easy way is to hire a professional to do it for you. Typically costing between $75 and $125, professionals know all the precise tricks of the trade to do it the right way.

And another advantage of hiring a pro is that most offer a no-freeze guarantee. On the other hand, you can do it yourself and save $100 or so, but you really need to know the complete steps required to accomplish the job. If you do choose to do it yourself, the first step, quite naturally, is to shut the water off.

This is somewhat trickier than it seems. While it's quite easy to locate the valve to shut off the water, the vast majority of homes also have a stop waste valve between the water supply and the backflow preventer device. This also must be turned off in order to do the job.

Next, you will need an air compressor, knowledge of how to use it.

Beware of so-called "weekend warriors" who comb the neighborhoods offering to do the job for a ridiculous price such as $40 or so.

While it might sound tempting, it's entirely possible to blow out the pipes of your sprinkler system if too much pressure is applied.

And not only will an unlicensed amateur not give you a no-freeze guarantee, but if they injure themselves working on your property, they won't carry the necessary insurance to protect you from lawsuits.

In addition, an amateur can destroy whatever warranty that came with your sprinkler system.

Finally, how much does a non-licensed pro understand about your particular sprinkler system? Not all sprinkler systems are the same and require knowledge of how to purge the water properly. And the same goes for you as a homeowner.

Sure you can go to Home Depot or some other tool store and rent an air compressor for around $50, but is it powerful enough to actually purge the water in your sprinkler?

Also, be wary of sending too much water pressure too quickly into your sprinkler system, otherwise, you may blow out or weaken the pipes.

Often, the rental cost of a compressor that sends enough compressed air through your system, (between 90 and 180 cubic feet per) costs more to rent than to hire a pro.

Most trailer-mounted systems that produce even the bare minimum of 90 CMF, costs around $75 to $100 for a single days rental. Plus you have to pick it up with a pick-up, bring it to your house, and then return it back the same day.

When you hire a pro, they do all that work for you. By hiring a professional, they will have the knowledge and the expertise to blow air at around 2 CMF per zone, and can typically get the job done in 30 minutes. If the air compressor you rented is too weak, it may take a few hours to c complete the job.