Do I need a rain sensor on my sprinklers?

A rain sensor isn't legally required for residential irrigation in New Brunswick, but it's one of the smartest upgrades you can make to any sprinkler system — and in NB's climate, it pays for itself quickly.

New Brunswick receives roughly 1,100–1,200mm of rainfall annually, distributed fairly evenly throughout the growing season. That means your irrigation system will frequently try to run right after — or even during — a rainstorm. Without a rain sensor, you're watering wet ground, wasting money, and potentially causing the exact problems (fungal disease, root rot, overwatering stress) that proper lawn care is meant to prevent.

The fungal disease issue is especially important in NB. Our Maritime climate brings high humidity through June, July, and August — prime conditions for snow mold, brown patch, and powdery mildew. Overwatering a lawn that's already saturated from rainfall dramatically increases your risk of these diseases taking hold. A rain sensor cuts the system off automatically when meaningful rainfall has occurred, keeping your lawn drier and healthier overall.

From a cost perspective, a basic wired rain sensor runs $20–$60, and a wireless model is $50–$150. Most irrigation installers in NB can add one to an existing system for $75–$200 in labour. Compare that to a seasonal water bill inflated by unnecessary watering cycles, and the sensor typically pays for itself within one or two seasons.

A few practical tips for NB homeowners:

A good rain sensor should be set to interrupt the system after about 6–10mm of rainfall — enough to meaningfully wet the soil but not so sensitive that a light drizzle shuts everything down for days. Mount it in an open area away from roof overhangs so it gets accurate exposure. Wireless models give you more flexibility on placement.

Also remember: your irrigation lines need to be blown out before freeze-up every fall, typically by mid-October in most of NB (earlier in Bathurst or Campbellton). A rain sensor doesn't change that — burst lines from an un-winterized system are one of the most common and costly irrigation mistakes NB homeowners make.

If you're installing a new system or upgrading an existing one, a smart Wi-Fi controller (like Rachio or Hunter Hydrawise) takes this a step further — it connects to local weather data and skips watering cycles based on forecast rain, not just rainfall that already happened. These run $150–$300 for the controller and are well worth it for larger properties.

For irrigation installation or sensor upgrades, it's worth hiring a pro — proper pressure balancing and winterization setup really do matter in our climate. New Brunswick Landscaping can match you with a local irrigation specialist for a free estimate if you're ready to get it sorted.