SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

I received 2 nearly identical quotes (in terms of price). Both of them basically used the Rainbird 5000 4", very similar controllers, and a similar warranty.

The one thing that is throwing me for a loop is the fact that one of the companies is the winterization requirements. One company offers the standard blowout service ($70) and the other company is telling me that they offer a self-draining installation where the homeowner can do it themselves.

The one with the self-draining option seems very confident that I won't encounter problems. While looking thru Angies list, there appears to be 3 very highly rated companies in IL that all offer the self-draining options and they all seem to have very good reviews...not only on Angies list, but everywhere.

Most homeowners around here will tell me that you need to have your system blown out every year and that does seem to make sense. But the thing that I keep thinking is that it's in the self-draining company's best interest to just offer the blowout service.

1) It's accepted practice i.e. easy money
2) It's recurring.
3) It's probably better to be on the safe side.

So it strikes me that they must be very confident that their system will not have any issues when the freeze comes.

Can any of you experts enlighten me? Is a system like this something that I should consider or no? Both quotes are identical in price.