How to Upgrade to a Smart Irrigation System

Where the Savings Come In: A smart controller connects to the internet and collects historical weather data, adjusting your watering schedule seasonally. It also pairs with a wireless sensor that detects local conditions in real time. As explained in a This Old House segment, one week the system might water your lawn for a full hour, but the next week it might determine only 20 minutes is needed — meaning the system pays for itself over time through reduced water use, especially considering that between 30 and 70 percent of all residential water use goes toward irrigation.

Steps:

1. Before doing any digging, always call the local utility locating service to identify underground utilities. This will help you avoid hitting or damaging them while working on the project.
2. Turn the irrigation system on. When the current irrigation heads come up, use the flags to mark their location. This will make them easier to find.
3. Dig down near each of the flags to expose the irrigation heads. Unscrew the old heads and thread on the new smart heads.
4. Place a landscaping ring around each new head to protect it from lawn tools, like a lawnmower.
5. For drip irrigation, there is a T-head that can be screwed in the same way as the other heads. Then, drip tubing can be connected through both ends of the T to create a closed-loop drip irrigation line.
6. When replacing the timer, unplug the old unit from the wall. Mark the old wires and remove. Mount the new timer, attach the wires, and plug it in. Connect the timer to the home’s WiFi system for remote monitoring and control.

Why Upgrade the Heads: Older spray heads can waste significant amounts of water by spraying sidewalks, driveways, and even the house itself. Newer rotary heads use a lower angle to deliver a uniform spread of water straight to the roots, reducing waste and improving coverage over larger areas. For smaller square footage areas, updated spray heads create a curtain of water that drops more efficiently and causes less evaporation.

Resources:

Jenn upgraded the irrigation system with the following components: 1800 High Efficency Sprays, 42SA Simple Adjust Rotors, Emitter Conversion Kit for Drip Irrigation, and a WiFi Controller (Model ST8i). All of these are manufactured by Rain Bird.

The irrigation shovel can be found at The Home Depot.

Expert assistance with this segment was provided by Ken-Lin Landscaping Inc. in Oviedo, FL and Nawada Landscape Design.

Why Different Heads Matter: As demonstrated on the This Old House TV project, the irrigation layout uses 180-degree heads along walls so they’re “not soaking the wall,” 360-degree heads in the middle of open areas, and 90-degree heads tucked into corners. The key principle is to throw the water just where you need it, matching each head’s spray pattern to the specific zone.

Shop Watering & Irrigation at The Home Depot

Shopping List:

Flags
Smart irrigation heads
Drip tubing
Landscape ring

(All products above via The Home Depot)

Tools: