Irrigation decision guides
Tune first, repair second, replace last. Buried pipe is the expensive part and it rarely fails on its own - heads, nozzles, valves, wiring and controllers are all cheap and replaceable. Full replacement is justified when the original zone layout is wrong: mixed head types in a zone, turf and beds sharing a valve, or too few zones for your water supply. Before installing a system at all, be honest about whether your landscape needs one - WaterSense's guidance favors regionally appropriate plants that need little supplemental water once established.
The question nobody in the industry will ask you: do you want the lawn? Homes with clock-timer irrigation use around 50 percent more water outdoors than homes without irrigation, according to EPA WaterSense. If your goal is a low-maintenance, low-cost yard, planting for your region and mulching well may serve you better than any system.
If you do have a system, upgrading it beats replacing it in most cases. The upgrade path in rough order of value: fix broken and misaligned heads, convert beds to drip, add pressure regulation, install a WaterSense labeled controller with a sensor, then re-zone only if the layout is genuinely wrong.
Cost gives the decision shape. LatestCost puts a new system at roughly $200 to $700 per zone with a five-zone suburban install commonly $2,000 to $3,500. Against that, an audit and a controller are small numbers, and EPA estimates the controller alone can save an average home up to 15,000 gallons a year.
Be skeptical of a first visit that recommends full replacement without running the zones. If the diagnosis didn't involve watching the system operate, it isn't a diagnosis. Get a second opinion - ideally from someone in EPA's directory of WaterSense certified professionals.
Choosing irrigation between the options
The judgement calls that decide the bill, before anyone quotes you.
- Watch the system run before deciding anything A contractor who quotes replacement without operating each zone has not diagnosed your system.
- Follow the upgrade ladder Heads, then drip in beds, then pressure regulation, then a smart controller. Re-zoning last.
- Re-zone only for design faults Mixed head types, or turf and shrubs on one valve, are the faults that justify real money.
- Consider the low-water option honestly Regionally appropriate plants and 3 to 4 inches of mulch reduce the need for irrigation in the first place.
- Get a second opinion from a certified pro EPA's WaterSense directory is searchable by ZIP code and certification type.
All irrigation decision guides
When to Call a Pro for Irrigation
DIY vs Professional Irrigation
Urgent vs Scheduled Irrigation
Where these figures come from
Sources last checked
- EPA WaterSense - Sprinkler Spruce-Up · retrieved 2026-07-26
- EPA WaterSense - Irrigation Controllers · retrieved 2026-07-26
- EPA WaterSense - Landscaping Tips · retrieved 2026-07-26
- EPA WaterSense - Find a Certified Professional · retrieved 2026-07-26
- LatestCost - Sprinkler System Cost Per Zone (2026) · retrieved 2026-07-26
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