Do I need a sprinkler system for my lawn in Virginia?

Usually not. A sprinkler system is a choice about how green you want the lawn in July and August, not something a Virginia lawn needs to survive. Established lawns commonly ride out a dry summer by going dormant, then green up again when rain returns. A system pays off for new lawns, high-maintenance turf, or owners who want it green all season and will not water by hand.

Lawns that receive little to no water from irrigation or rainfall during summer months will go dormant, and most lawns will recover when water returns.^[1] Virginia Cooperative Extension's Henrico County office lists "Rarely irrigated once established" among the expectations for a regular-maintenance cool-season lawn.^[2]

When a system is not worth it

If your lawn is established and you accept some brown in a dry spell, a system buys you little. Dormancy is a survival mechanism, not death. The limit is severe drought: during an extreme and persistent drought, it is possible that some cool-season grasses may die and require reseeding in the fall.^[1] Warm-season grasses handle drought better,^[1] and a drought-tolerant grass choice often does more for a dry lawn than an irrigation system does.

Overwatering is also a real cost. Overwatered lawns frequently lead to excess blade growth, summer fungal diseases, and more frequent mowing.^[1] A system on autopilot makes that easy to do.

When it is worth it

A system earns its cost in a few situations:

• A new lawn. Seedling or recently established lawns, less than a year old, have little to no drought tolerance.^[1]
• You want green turf all summer. Most turfgrasses require approximately 1 inch of water per week — whether from rainfall or supplemental irrigation — to sustain growth during warmer conditions.^[1] A system delivers that on a schedule you do not have to remember.
• Large or awkward lawns, or beds that need frequent water, where dragging hoses is a chore you will drop.

Before committing, try the cheap version. Timers exist for aboveground setups too: Extension notes relatively inexpensive timers that are attached to hoses for aboveground sprinkler systems.^[1] If a hose sprinkler on a timer keeps the lawn healthy, you may never need to dig.

If you do install one, make it efficient

Efficiency is where the money goes, in both water and the bill. Residential outdoor water use across the United States accounts for nearly 8 billion gallons of water each day, mainly for landscape irrigation,^[4] and experts estimate that as much as 50 percent of this water is wasted due to overwatering caused by inefficiencies in irrigation methods and systems.^[3]

Ask for these in writing:

• A rain sensor. Rain sensors optimize water use efficiency and should be a part of any installed irrigation system.^[1]
• A smart controller. Replacing a standard clock-based controller with a WaterSense labeled irrigation controller can save an average home up to 15,000 gallons of water annually.^[3]
• A soil moisture sensor, if the budget allows. Extension says they are much more effective in optimizing water savings, typically reducing watering needs by 50 to 75 percent.^[1]

Who may install it in Virginia

Sprinkler work is licensed contracting. The Board for Contractors defines "Landscape irrigation contracting" as the service that provides for the installation, repair, improvement, or removal of irrigation sprinkler systems or outdoor sprinkler systems.^[5] The PLB and H/H classifications also provide for this function.^[5] (PLB is the plumbing classification.) A specialty irrigation contractor may also handle the backflow preventer: this specialty may install backflow prevention devices incidental to work in this specialty when the installer has received formal vocational training approved by the board.^[5]

DPOR's consumer guide says a valid Virginia contractor's license is required for work valued at $1,000 or more.^[6] Verify license status online^[6] with DPOR's license lookup.^[7] Get at least three written bids,^[6] on the same zone layout and equipment so they compare, and limit your deposit to 10% down or $1,000, whichever is less.^[6]

Price depends on lawn size, the number of zones, soil and obstacles to trenching, the type of heads, the controller and sensors, and the backflow device. Prices vary widely, so use a written quote rather than a rule of thumb, and ask it to list each of those items.

Stop and call a pro if

• You plan to dig trenches or tie into the water line yourself. No person shall make or begin any excavation or demolition without first submitting a locate request to the notification center.^[8] Lawn irrigation work involves trenching, so call 811 before anyone digs.
• The bid is for $1,000 or more and the bidder has no licence on DPOR's lookup.^[6]
• The work touches a household water line, a backflow preventer, or the controller's wiring. Leave these to a licensed contractor in the irrigation specialty or another classification the Board lists above.
• Water pools, a valve will not close, or the bill jumps on an existing system. That is a repair, not a settings problem.

Getting help in Virginia

If you already have a system, how long to run the sprinklers covers the settings, and how often to water new sod covers new lawns. Browse more lawn and landscaping answers or lawn and landscaping businesses.

When you are ready, describe the irrigation job once and licensed local contractors can quote it.