How to install or service irrigation

Every zone is a separate hydraulic circuit — its own valve, its own runtime, its own head type. Cramming too many heads into one zone starves the back of the run; over-zoning runs up the install cost without watering benefit. A real designer measures pressure at the hose bib, calculates GPM available, and matches head precipitation rates within each zone. Hydrozoning (grouping sunny lawn separate from shady lawn, beds separate from turf, slopes separate from flats) is the difference between a system that waters efficiently and one that drowns half the yard while parching the other half. Ask your installer to walk you through the zone plan before they trench.

Rotors (Hunter PGP, Rain Bird 5000) throw 25–50 ft and suit open turf. Spray heads (Hunter Pro-Spray, Rain Bird 1800) cover 5–15 ft and fit narrow strips and edges. MP Rotators are spray-bodied multi-stream nozzles with a precipitation rate close to rotors — they cut runtime by half versus standard spray nozzles and are the modern default for medium-width areas. Drip (inline emitter tubing) belongs in every shrub and perennial bed. A bid that uses one head type everywhere is a tell — ask what type goes in each zone and why.

On open lawn a vibratory pipe-puller plows in polyethylene line at 12–18 inches with minimal surface damage — fast, clean, and the lawn knits back in a week. Crossing a driveway, sidewalk, or paver patio means boring underneath or saw-cutting and patching — $300–800 per crossing. Ledge or thick tree-root mats slow trenching dramatically. Restoring planted beds, sod, or mulch after the dig is its own line item. Ask whether the bid includes restoration and what gets restored to what condition.

A state-approved backflow preventer is required by code on every irrigation tap in RI and MA — no exceptions. A simple PVB (pressure vacuum breaker) sits above grade outside, costs $200–400 installed, and works for most residential systems. A double-check valve (DCVA) is required where the irrigation line crosses a foundation or where the supply could be contaminated. An RPZ (reduced-pressure zone) is required for any system with fertilizer/chemical injection or backflow risk and must sit in a heated enclosure if installed outdoors in our climate. Annual testing by a certified tester is required by every municipality — typically $75–150/yr and the test report goes to the water authority.

A 2026 install without a smart controller is leaving 30–50% water savings on the table — Rachio 3, Hunter Hydrawise, and Rain Bird ESP-TM2 all pull local ET (evapotranspiration) data from a nearby weather station and skip cycles when soil moisture is adequate. Rain sensors ($25–60) cut watering during and after rainfall; freeze sensors stop the system below 37°F to prevent ice damage; soil-moisture sensors ($80–200) are the gold standard for irrigation-restricted municipalities. EPA WaterSense-labeled controllers qualify for rebates in many RI/MA water districts — ask your installer to check.

Two non-negotiable annual visits in southern New England. Spring start-up (April/May): re-pressurize the system, check every head, adjust spray patterns, test the controller program, verify the backflow preventer. Fall blowout (mid-October through Thanksgiving): compressed air pushed through every zone to evacuate water before the first hard freeze. Skipping blowout cracks PVC fittings, splits valves, and burst-fits poly line — and the damage shows up in April. Reputable companies offer prepaid two-visit annual packages at a discount.

A typical residential system loses 1–3 heads per season to lawnmowers, plow blades, foot traffic, and freeze damage. Solenoid valves last 8–15 years; rotor gears wear out after roughly 10 seasons of heavy use. Most service calls are 30–60 minutes — diagnose, dig the head or valve, swap the part, backfill. Asking your installer about a "service-call only" rate for the rest of the season (after they did the install) often gets you a better number than a cold callout.