Fillable checklist

Irrigation System Checklist: Sprinklers Controller and Winterize (Free Printable PDF)

Fillable irrigation maintenance form: sprinkler heads, valves, controller, leaks, rain sensor, and winter blowout. Print blank or save a filled PDF.

Maintenance Fillable form · 8 sections · 40 checks Download filled or blank PDF and CSV Cross-checked against EPA WaterSense, Hunter, Rain Bird, ENERGY STAR · Last verified Sep 16, 2026

Snugage fillable checklist

Fill this on screen, then download a PDF or CSV. Download a blank copy to complete by hand. Answers stay in this tab only. The next visitor sees a blank form. This is owner and technician periodic maintenance for a US home in-ground irrigation system: sprinkler heads, valves, controller, leaks, rain or soil-moisture sensors, and winterize. It is not a landscape plant checklist, not a full home inspection, and not a licensed irrigation audit. Follow the OEM manual for the controller and valves on site.

  • 8 sections
  • 40 checks
  • Blank for each visitor

Form details

System and service date

Record the in-ground system that is actually installed. Mark drip-only lines N/A when there is no microirrigation. Mark winterize lines N/A in a climate that does not freeze. This is a maintenance template, not a substitute for the OEM procedure or a WaterSense certified irrigation professional.

11 fields
System and service date

Hunter, Rain Bird, or other timer on the wall or in a pedestal.

Stations on the controller. Record the count. This is not a pass or fail limit.

ENERGY STAR: adjust a clock timer at least once a month. EPA: revise the schedule when the season changes if the controller is not WaterSense labeled.

EPA WaterSense: hire a pro certified by a WaterSense labeled program every few years.

EPA: winterize for cold weather. Hunter: spring start opens the main slowly and walks every zone.

Owner, technician name, or company.

Inspection station

Leaks, shutoff, and backflow

Walk the yard while a zone is running, then look again between cycles. Head aim, coverage, and misting stay in the heads section. Valve-box wiring stays in the valves section.

6 items
Leaks, shutoff, and backflow

Each zone walked while running

EPA WaterSense Sprinkler Spruce-Up and Find It, Flag It, Fix It: run a test of the system and walk each zone. Night or early-morning programs hide broken heads. Flag a leak or break so you can return to it. This is the water-on leak walk, not a plant-health walk.

Each zone walked while running: Done, Skip, or N/A

No pooling, spray, or seeps at joints

EPA: leaks show at valves, connection points, joints, sprinkler heads, and drip lines. Walk while the system is on and look for pooling or water spraying where it should not. Spruce-Up: leaking joints can also point to high pressure or grit. Do not treat any psi number on this form as Pass or Fail.

No pooling, spray, or seeps at joints: Done, Skip, or N/A

No unexplained wet spots between cycles

EPA Spruce-Up: pooling between irrigation cycles can mean an underground leak. ENERGY STAR: outdoor sprinkler systems are a common leak source. Mark Skip if you cannot return between cycles on this visit.

No unexplained wet spots between cycles: Done, Skip, or N/A

Irrigation main shutoff found and operable

Rain Bird winterization: know and use the main shutoff before drain or blowout. Hunter spring start: open that valve slowly so the mainline does not slam full. If there is no dedicated irrigation shutoff, note it and mark what you used.

Irrigation main shutoff found and operable: Done, Skip, or N/A

Backflow device present, not leaking (visual)

Hunter: freeze water in a backflow can crack the brass and ruin internal parts. Rain Bird: follow the backflow maker for drain steps. This line is a visual only. A certified backflow test interval is a local rule, not a federal Pass or Fail on this form.

Backflow device present, not leaking (visual): Done, Skip, or N/A

Water bill compared with the same month last year

EPA WaterSense home checklist: compare the bill monthly with the same month a year ago to spot leaks. A jump with no extra watering days is a reason to walk the system again. Mark Skip if you do not have last year's bill on this visit.

Water bill compared with the same month last year: Done, Skip, or N/A

Inspection station

Sprinkler heads, coverage, and drip

These lines are nozzles, rotors, pop-ups, and drip emitters only. Valve boxes and the controller stay in their own sections. Mark drip-filter lines N/A when there is no microirrigation.

8 items
Sprinkler heads, coverage, and drip

Broken, missing, tilted, or stuck heads flagged

EPA: one broken or missing component can waste as much as 1,000 gallons a week. Look for heads that do not pop up fully, sit tilted, or throw a geyser. Flag the spot. You can replace some heads yourself. If you are unsure, call a pro certified by a WaterSense labeled program.

Broken, missing, tilted, or stuck heads flagged: Done, Skip, or N/A

Spray kept on the landscape, off hardscape

EPA Spruce-Up and Watering Tips: turn nozzles off driveways, sidewalks, walls, and the house. Water that hits pavement goes to the storm drain. In most cases you can twist the nozzle. Flag it for a pro if the head will not stay aimed.

Spray kept on the landscape, off hardscape: Done, Skip, or N/A

Head-to-head coverage checked

EPA: spray from one head should reach the next (head-to-head). Dry spots and soaked patches often mean a weak throw, a clogged nozzle, or a missing head. Adjust the radius or call a pro to add or move heads. This is a coverage walk, not a plant-selection task.

Head-to-head coverage checked: Done, Skip, or N/A

Misting or fog from high pressure noted

EPA: a fine mist blows away and never reaches the soil. Ask an irrigation professional to check pressure and, if needed, install WaterSense labeled spray bodies with built-in regulation. Hunter spring: low pressure can mean a break or a missing head. This form does not invent a psi Pass or Fail.

Misting or fog from high pressure noted: Done, Skip, or N/A

Clogged nozzles or head filters cleaned

EPA Watering Tips: inspect monthly and clear obstructions so water throws evenly. Hunter spring start: clean filters on heads that perform poorly and set heads back to grade. Turn the zone off before you pull a screen.

Clogged nozzles or head filters cleaned: Done, Skip, or N/A

Pop-ups at grade, not buried or sunken

Hunter: adjust heads to grade at spring start. A buried or leaning head will not pop fully and will soak one spot. EPA: tilted heads spray the wrong area. Mark N/A on drip-only zones with no pop-ups.

Pop-ups at grade, not buried or sunken: Done, Skip, or N/A

Drip emitters at the root zone, lines intact

EPA Find It: microirrigation drippers belong next to the plant root zone, not on bare soil. Look for cut or moved tubing and small geysers. Move a line back to the roots. Mark N/A if this property has no drip or soaker zone.

Drip emitters at the root zone, lines intact: Done, Skip, or N/A

Microirrigation filter cleaned if installed

EPA Watering Tips: clean microirrigation filters as needed. A packed screen starves emitters and looks like a dry zone. Mark N/A when there is no drip filter.

Microirrigation filter cleaned if installed: Done, Skip, or N/A

Inspection station

Valves and valve boxes

These lines are the zone valves, master valve, and boxes only. Visible joint leaks while a zone runs stay in the leaks section. Controller programming stays in the controller section.

6 items
Valves and valve boxes

Valve boxes found, lids on, interiors reachable

EPA Spruce-Up: open the boxes and confirm valves and fittings are connected and can shut. A valve that will not close can seep after the program ends. Keep soil and mulch off the lid so you can find the box next visit.

Valve boxes found, lids on, interiors reachable: Done, Skip, or N/A

Each zone valve opens from the controller

Hunter spring start: manually run every station from the controller or the app and confirm the valve opens. If a zone stays dry, check that the irrigation water is on and that a master valve (if installed) is also open. Solenoid voltage tests are a trained task, not an owner Pass or Fail on this form.

Each zone valve opens from the controller: Done, Skip, or N/A

Each zone shuts off, no leftover seep

EPA: valves that cannot close completely let the system seep when it should be off. After you advance to the next station, look in the box and at the heads for a dribble that never stops. Recurring seeps need a diaphragm or solenoid service, usually a pro.

Each zone shuts off, no leftover seep: Done, Skip, or N/A

Master valve or pump start checked if installed

Hunter: a master valve must be open for laterals to see water. Rain Bird: if the controller starts a pump, winterize by isolating those wires so a dry pump cannot run. Mark N/A when there is no master valve and no pump.

Master valve or pump start checked if installed: Done, Skip, or N/A

Flow-control stems not left slammed shut

Hunter valve support: not every valve has a flow-control handle, but if it does, a stem left closed or barely cracked will starve the zone and look like a dead solenoid. Return it to the setting that waters the zone evenly. Mark N/A if the valves have no flow stem.

Flow-control stems not left slammed shut: Done, Skip, or N/A

No standing water drowning the solenoids

A box full of water can hide a leaking bonnet or a failed joint (EPA leak points include valves). Pump or bail enough to see the solenoids. Persistent flooding is a repair, not a note you ignore.

No standing water drowning the solenoids: Done, Skip, or N/A

Inspection station

Controller and watering schedule

Record brand, type, zone count, and the last schedule date in the header. These lines are the clock and program only. Rain-sensor hardware stays in the sensors section.

7 items
Controller and watering schedule

Controller date and time correct

A clock that drifted after a power cut will water at noon or on the wrong day. Hunter spring start: reprogram automatic watering after you walk the zones. Rain Bird: a long outage can drop the clock even when programs stay in memory.

Controller date and time correct: Done, Skip, or N/A

Backup battery replaced if the controller uses one

Hunter spring start: replace the controller backup battery if needed. Rain Bird: some indoor models keep a cell for outages. Hard-wired controllers with no cell: mark N/A.

Backup battery replaced if the controller uses one: Done, Skip, or N/A

Clock-timer schedule revised for this season

ENERGY STAR: adjust an automatic irrigation controller at least once a month for weather. EPA home checklist: if you do not have a WaterSense labeled controller, revise the schedule as the season changes. EPA Find It: a weather-based unit should be in weather-based mode, not locked on a midsummer clock.

Clock-timer schedule revised for this season: Done, Skip, or N/A

Weather-based or soil-moisture mode confirmed

EPA: WaterSense weather-based controllers use local weather or an onsite sensor. Soil-moisture units skip a cycle when the soil is wet enough. ENERGY STAR: a labeled controller plus a rain shutoff, soil-moisture, or humidity sensor further limits waste. Mark N/A on a plain clock timer (use the seasonal-adjust line instead).

Weather-based or soil-moisture mode confirmed: Done, Skip, or N/A

Start times avoid the hot midday window

EPA Watering Tips: do not water in the middle of the day when sun evaporates water before it reaches the plants. Local watering-day rules can also ban certain hours. This form does not invent a national start-time Pass or Fail. Follow the water utility.

Start times avoid the hot midday window: Done, Skip, or N/A

Run times checked for pooling or runoff

EPA: if water pools, stop and shorten the run, or split it into cycle-and-soak (shorter cycles with about 30 minutes between). Their can example is a planning aid (time to 1/2 inch, then twice a week), not a Pass or Fail inch number. Typical landscapes often need about one inch a week including rain, but that varies by climate and plants.

Run times checked for pooling or runoff: Done, Skip, or N/A

Zones identified (turf vs beds vs drip)

EPA Find It: test zones one by one so you know which station waters which hydrozone. Similar plants belong on the same zone. This line is station identification for the controller. Plant choice and mulch belong on a landscape checklist, not here.

Zones identified (turf vs beds vs drip): Done, Skip, or N/A

Inspection station

Rain sensor and soil-moisture sensor

Complete these lines when a rain shutoff or soil-moisture sensor is installed. Mark every line N/A if the system has no sensor. Controller schedule lines stay in the controller section.

6 items
Rain sensor and soil-moisture sensor

Rain or soil-moisture sensor installed and enabled

ENERGY STAR and EPA: add a rain shutoff, soil-moisture, or humidity sensor so the system does not run after rain. EPA: Florida, Georgia, and New Jersey require rain sensors by law. Other states differ. Confirm the controller bypass is Active or On, not left in Bypass (Hunter).

Rain or soil-moisture sensor installed and enabled: Done, Skip, or N/A

Rain sensor in open sky, outside spray zones

EPA rain-sensor sheet: mount where rain can hit it (fence or eave), not under an overhang, foliage, or gutter, and outside all irrigation zones so your own spray does not trip it. Hunter Mini-Clik: closer to the controller means a shorter wire run.

Rain sensor in open sky, outside spray zones: Done, Skip, or N/A

Sensor wired, jumper removed, not in Bypass

Hunter: most controllers ship with a jumper across the SEN terminals. The jumper must come off for a rain sensor to work. A Bypass or Off switch left on is a common reason the sprinklers ignore rain. EPA: confirm the device is actually connected to the controller.

Sensor wired, jumper removed, not in Bypass: Done, Skip, or N/A

Sensor interrupts a running zone (hose or spindle)

EPA: spray the sensor with a hose while a nearby zone runs. If it does not stop after a few minutes, the installer needs to fix it. Some clocks need a specific test mode. Hunter Mini-Clik: start a visible zone and press the spindle. Hunter Rain-Clik notes: use Manual All Stations. A single-station manual start often ignores the sensor.

Sensor interrupts a running zone (hose or spindle): Done, Skip, or N/A

Sensor debris cleared, wireless battery checked

EPA: homeowner maintenance includes clearing debris and replacing batteries on the interval the OEM states. Hunter spring start: uncover and clean weather sensors. Wireless units that never flash on a test need replacement per the OEM.

Sensor debris cleared, wireless battery checked: Done, Skip, or N/A

Soil-moisture probe buried in the root zone

EPA Find It: the probe must sit deep enough for a real reading, per the maker. Exposed soil around a pulled sensor is a reinstall. EPA controller sheet: place it in the zone that needs water most often (often sunny turf), calibrate to the OEM, and wire a rain sensor in series if both exist. Mark N/A if there is no soil-moisture sensor.

Soil-moisture probe buried in the root zone: Done, Skip, or N/A

Inspection station

Winterize, blowout, and spring start

Use these lines in a freeze climate. Mark every line N/A where piping never freezes. Hunter and Rain Bird both prefer a licensed contractor for compressed-air blowout. Do not invent a single psi Pass or Fail. OEM air limits do not match.

7 items
Winterize, blowout, and spring start

Irrigation water shut off before drain or blowout

Hunter and Rain Bird: close the irrigation supply first. Rain Bird: wrap the exposed shutoff and any above-ground pipe with foam and a bag so the valve itself does not freeze. Leave a note if there is no dedicated shutoff.

Irrigation water shut off before drain or blowout: Done, Skip, or N/A

Blowout scheduled with a licensed contractor, or N/A

Hunter: compressed air can cause serious eye injury from flying debris. Wear ANSI-approved eye protection and do not stand over pipes, heads, or valves. Both OEMs recommend a qualified licensed contractor. Rain Bird: use high volume and low pressure, with a regulator. Mark Done if a pro did the blowout. Mark Skip if you will hire one. Mark N/A on a drain-only system or a no-freeze climate.

Blowout scheduled with a licensed contractor, or N/A: Done, Skip, or N/A

If owner blowout: OEM air limits followed (not a site score)

Hunter: stay at or under 50 psi on polyethylene pipe or 80 psi on PVC, and never above the weakest part of that zone. Rain Bird: air must not exceed 50 psi. Those OEM numbers disagree, so this form does not pick a Pass or Fail psi. Use the lower limit for the pipe and parts on site, or stop and hire a pro. Do not dump a shop-tank blast into a closed main. Never run the compressor with no zone valve open. Short cycles (about 2 minutes). Stop when the heads show only mist. Do not blow through a backflow or a pump (Hunter).

If owner blowout: OEM air limits followed (not a site score): Done, Skip, or N/A

Backflow drained, ball valves left about half open

Hunter: after the laterals are empty, work the isolation balls several times, leave them about 45 degrees (roughly half open), and open the test cocks. Rain Bird: leave shutoffs open after draining. Ball valves at 45 degrees keep water out of the seals. Do not blow air through the backflow. Insulate or heat-tape in extreme cold per the backflow maker.

Backflow drained, ball valves left about half open: Done, Skip, or N/A

Controller set to Off or Rain Off, program kept

Hunter: leave power on and the dial or switch Off so the transformer dries the box and solenoids stay quiet. Rain Bird: Rain or Off keeps the clock and programs. If the controller starts a pump, Rain Bird wants the MV and common wires isolated so a surge cannot dry-run the pump. Unplugging an indoor timer can drop the clock.

Controller set to Off or Rain Off, program kept: Done, Skip, or N/A

Cup-type rain sensor emptied or bagged if needed

Hunter winterizing: a cup or bowl sensor can hold water that freezes. Empty it and bag it. Hunter Mini-Clik: no required winter cover and it does not have to be removed. Follow the sensor you actually have. Flow sensors: Hunter says remove them before blowout so air does not destroy the meter.

Cup-type rain sensor emptied or bagged if needed: Done, Skip, or N/A

Spring start: main opened slowly, every zone walked

Hunter spring start: open the main slowly to avoid water hammer. Then run every zone, check rotation, aim, coverage, and filters, restore the automatic program, replace the backup battery if needed, and uncover weather sensors. EPA: winterize in fall and inspect again as watering resumes. Mark Skip in mid-season. Mark N/A if this visit is winterize-only.

Spring start: main opened slowly, every zone walked: Done, Skip, or N/A

Form details

Service log and sign-off

Write what you found and replaced, set the next schedule, winterize or spring-start, and audit dates, then sign. If a leak, failed valve, or compressed-air blowout needs a license, pick Licensed technician needed instead of Service complete.

9 fields
Service log and sign-off

List station numbers you actually walked. Leave blank if you did every zone.

ENERGY STAR: at least monthly on a clock timer. Sooner after a heat wave, a soak, or a utility watering-rule change.

EPA: winterize before cold weather. Hunter: spring start before the first programmed week.

EPA WaterSense: a certified pro every few years, sooner if leaks or coverage stay broken.

Draw your signature, or upload an image to replace it.

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References

  1. Find It, Flag It, Fix It irrigation walk - EPA WaterSense
  2. Sprinkler Spruce-Up inspect, connect, direct, select - EPA WaterSense
  3. Watering tips, schedule, and monthly inspect - EPA WaterSense
  4. Home maintenance checklist: irrigation and winterize - EPA WaterSense
  5. Rain sensors mount, hose test, and state rules - EPA WaterSense Homes
  6. Irrigation controllers and soil-moisture install - EPA WaterSense Homes
  7. Outdoor irrigation: monthly schedule and rain shutoff - ENERGY STAR
  8. Winterizing blowout, drain, controller, and sensors - Hunter Industries
  9. Spring startup: open main slowly, walk zones, sensors - Hunter Industries
  10. Mini-Clik rain sensor test, bypass, and winter note - Hunter Industries
  11. Homeowner winterization guide: drain, blowout, valves - Rain Bird

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These checklists are provided for general reference only. Always verify the steps against local codes, a licensed inspector or a qualified contractor before relying on them, especially for safety-critical work.