Winter Freeze Prep Checklist for Kelowna Homes

By Jacks, 2026-10-19

Okanagan winters swing from mild afternoons to nights well below freezing, and the first hard frost tends to arrive before people expect it. Water left in an irrigation line, a hose bib, or a pipe in an unheated space freezes, expands, and cracks whatever is holding it. You find out in April when the sprinklers come back on and a zone floods the yard.

Most of this list takes an afternoon. The irrigation blowout is the one job to book early, since every irrigation company in Kelowna gets busy at the same time.

Blow Out the Irrigation System

Kelowna yards run on irrigation through the summer, and those lines sit just under the soil where frost reaches them.

• Shut off the water to the irrigation system at the main valve.
• Blow out each zone with compressed air to clear the water from the lines and sprinkler heads. Too much pressure can damage the system, and the job carries some risk, so most homeowners hire it out.
• Protect the backflow preventer. Compressed air shouldn't go through it, and it's the most expensive part to replace if it freezes. Drain it and wrap it, or have your irrigation tech handle it.

Shut Down the Outdoor Taps

Disconnect every garden hose first. A connected hose traps water against the tap. Then close the interior shutoff valve for each outdoor tap, open the tap outside, and leave it open to drain. Foam covers add a layer of protection on cold nights.

Check Pipes in Cold Spots

Look at pipes in crawlspaces, garages, and along exterior walls. Foam pipe sleeves are cheap and quick to fit. If you have a lake house or cabin that sits empty over winter, have it winterized properly, with the water off and the lines drained.

Get Ready for Snow

• Clean the gutters once the leaves are down, so meltwater can drain instead of forming ice dams. Our fall gutter checklist covers that job.
• Service the furnace or heat pump before the first cold week.
• Have a snow plan. If you're on a hillside street in the Upper Mission or Black Mountain, book snow clearing before the first storm.

Book It Before the Rush

Irrigation blowouts and furnace service fill up fast in late October and November. If you'd rather hand these jobs off, book early.

Jacks is bringing its home maintenance marketplace to Kelowna, connecting homeowners with local, independent, insured tradespeople. Join the waitlist to hear when it launches.