What I'm actually checking every visit
Every Wet Check runs through the same twelve points in the same order. It's not a random walk-through — it's a specific inspection sequence designed to catch failures in their early stages. On most systems it takes 30-45 minutes. On larger systems with 10+ zones, up to 90 minutes. I leave nothing skipped, because the whole value of the service is that it's comprehensive. What follows is every item on the list, what I'm looking for, and what I've caught by looking for it.
Run every zone, walk every zone
First thing every visit. Controller into manual mode, run zone 1, walk to where the heads should be spraying, watch them operate. Move to zone 2, walk it, repeat. Nothing gets inspected from the controller alone — I physically stand next to every head as it operates.
Spray pattern and coverage check
While zones run, I verify the spray pattern hits what it's supposed to (lawn), misses what it shouldn't (driveway, fence, neighbor's property). Heads drift over time — mower strikes nudge them, mulch settles around them, the ground shifts. A head that was perfectly aligned two years ago is often throwing water onto concrete now.
Nozzle condition and output flow
Nozzles wear out. Calcium and sediment clog them. I look at each nozzle for signs of wear — distorted spray streams, wrong trajectory, pressure issues. Catching a worn nozzle before it fails completely is a $25 fix instead of a brown spot that takes a month to recover.
Valve operation test
As each zone runs and shuts off, I verify the valve is opening cleanly and closing fully. A valve that "clicks" to shut but doesn't fully seat can weep continuously between cycles — invisible to the homeowner, visible on the water bill. I listen for the click, watch for drip-down after shutoff, and verify full pressure on the next cycle.
Backflow preventer inspection
The backflow preventer is the device that keeps irrigation water from flowing back into your household potable water. It's legally required on every Texas irrigation system and requires specific inspection. I check for external leaks, proper valve position, and test-port integrity. Annual pressure-tested inspection is a separate regulated service, but monthly visual checks catch the failures between those annual tests.
Controller programming review and seasonal adjustment
The programming that was right in April is wrong in July and wrong again in October. On every Wet Check I review the current schedule, verify it matches the season and the soil, and adjust if needed. This alone is where many homeowners see the biggest value — watering schedules that actually match what the lawn needs.
Rain sensor or weather feed verification
If you have a rain sensor, I test whether it's still functional. They fail silently — you'll never notice a non-working rain sensor except by the larger water bill over time. For smart controllers using weather feeds, I verify the feed is connected and pulling current data.
Wiring connection spot-check
I open the main valve box, visually inspect for corroded wire nuts, water damage, and loose connections. Wire nuts that weren't properly waterproofed at install eventually corrode and produce intermittent zone failures. This is the place they show up first.
Pressure evaluation
Systems with pressure regulation get a quick test at the backflow outlet or at an in-line test port if available. Pressure that's drifting out of spec — either too high (damages heads and components) or too low (causes poor coverage and erratic operation) — gets flagged. Pressure changes slowly, so monthly monitoring catches problems before they damage components.
Leak indicator monitoring at the meter
Before I leave, I shut down every zone and watch the water meter's low-flow indicator for 60 seconds with everything off. Continuous movement means a continuous leak somewhere — either a valve not fully closing or a supply-line issue. This is the same check I teach homeowners to do themselves when they have a high bill, and it's always part of every Wet Check visit.
Head-clearing and minor adjustments
Included at no additional cost during every visit: clearing mulch from heads, tightening risers that have backed out slightly, straightening heads knocked askew by mowing, removing grass clippings from nozzle screens. Any adjustment that takes under five minutes happens automatically and is included in the visit fee.
Written summary and any quotes
Before I leave, you get a text message summary of the visit — what I checked, what I found, anything I adjusted. If anything needs repair, you get a written quote with clear parts and labor breakdown. No pressure to do the repair that day. Most customers want to think about non-urgent repairs; I don't push. Urgent items (active leaks, complete zone failures) are called out clearly.
The Irrigation Association — the U.S. professional trade organization for irrigation contractors — recommends at minimum an annual professional audit for residential irrigation systems, with monthly or seasonal visual inspections during active watering seasons. Most residential systems do not receive even the annual audit. Wet Checks are the monthly-visit version of this professional standard, priced to be sustainable for individual homeowners rather than commercial properties.
Irrigation Association · Landscape Irrigation Standards and Best PracticesWhy the season matters
The twelve-point inspection stays the same, but the emphasis changes dramatically by season. An April Wet Check and an August Wet Check are looking for different things, because systems fail differently in different conditions.
The visit where I find nothing wrong is the most valuable visit of the year. It means everything I caught the previous eleven months is still holding.
— Landon, on why boring visits matter
What you're actually buying at $15 a zone.
Monthly Wet Checks aren't a pure dollar-for-dollar return — they're a way to stop thinking about your irrigation system between emergencies. The calculator below shows what a year of monthly visits costs for your specific system, the realistic dollar value of problems caught early, and the qualitative things that come with the subscription that don't show up in any spreadsheet. For commercial properties with a lot of zones, the math is straightforward. For most residential systems, the real question isn't ROI — it's whether avoiding surprise emergencies is worth a predictable monthly cost.
When Wet Checks are not the right fit
Not every irrigation system needs monthly professional monitoring. Here are the situations where I'd tell you not to sign up:
- New systems under 3 years old. Well-installed new systems rarely fail in their first years. Your value is mostly in schedule optimization, which you can do yourself using the clay-soil article. Revisit Wet Checks at year 4.
- Small systems with 1-3 zones. The math gets marginal on very small systems. A one-zone drip setup for a flower bed doesn't need monthly professional attention. Save your $15 a month and just call when something breaks.
- Properties you're selling in under a year. If the system is going with the house soon, the buyer inherits any issues. Wet Checks make sense for long-term ownership, not for short-term transitional periods.
- Systems with consistent, specific problems that aren't getting fixed. If you know your system has a recurring issue that you haven't addressed, fix it first. Wet Checks aren't a substitute for the underlying repair — they're ongoing monitoring of a functional system.
- If you want to handle everything yourself. This entire journal exists partly to support the DIY homeowner. If you have the time and interest to run your own monthly inspection, the twelve-point list above is exactly what to do. I'd genuinely rather you do it yourself than pay me for something you could do.
Wet Checks are most valuable on aging systems (7+ years) with 5+ zones where component failure rates become frequent enough that monthly monitoring catches multiple small problems per year. On those systems, the service pays for itself multiple times over through prevented damage and wasted water. On newer or smaller systems, the math is weaker and I'll tell you so when you call.
How to start — or to try it once
If you're considering Wet Checks, the low-commitment approach is to book a single visit as a one-time service at $75/hour — effectively buying a diagnostic audit of your current system. This gets you the full twelve-point inspection, the seasonal schedule optimization, and a report of anything that needs repair. If the visit delivers obvious value, roll it into monthly service. If not, you've still gotten one good audit out of it.
For homeowners who want to start monthly service directly: text or call (817) 993-9306 with your approximate zone count and property address. I'll confirm pricing, schedule the first visit, and add you to the route. Billing is monthly in arrears — no prepayment, no upfront commitment. Cancel any time by text.
The service exists because I believe most irrigation disasters are preventable. If your system is at the age where components are failing multiple times a year, this is the cheapest way to fix that pattern. If it isn't, I'll tell you.