- Categories: Irrigation
Irrigation Services in Greater Nashua, NH
NorthShire Landscaping & Irrigation provides fall irrigation winterizations and sprinkler blowouts, spring startups, repairs and new system installations for homes, HOAs, businesses, and town and municipal buildings in Greater Nashua and surrounding towns in southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts, from Manchester, Bedford and Londonderry, NH to Lowell, Chelmsford and Westford, MA. See the full list of towns we serve. We have served the area since 2006. To book your blowout or get a free quote, call (603) 620-5700 or request a quote online.
Our irrigation services:
Fall Irrigation Winterization & Sprinkler Blowouts
In southern New Hampshire, any water left in an irrigation system over the winter can freeze. Water expands by about 9% as it turns to ice, and that expansion can crack pipes, split fittings, break sprinkler heads and damage valves and backflow preventers. The damage usually stays hidden until spring, when the system is turned back on and the leaks appear. A fall winterization, often called a sprinkler blowout, clears the water out of the system before the first hard freeze.
What our fall winterization includes
- Shutting off all water to the irrigation system
- Blowing out all lines with compressed air
- Removing and winterizing any pumps
Sprinkler blowouts and winterizations start at $85. Larger systems and commercial systems are quoted individually, and quotes are free.
How a sprinkler blowout works
A blowout uses compressed air to push the water out of the system’s pipes, valves and sprinkler heads. In a typical blowout, the water supply to the system is shut off, an air compressor is connected, and each zone is run in turn until the heads release only air and mist instead of water. The air pressure and volume have to suit the system: too little air leaves water behind in low spots, and too much pressure can damage pipes and fittings. That is why blowouts are best done by an irrigation professional with the right equipment.
When to schedule your blowout
Most irrigation systems in the Greater Nashua area are winterized between late September and November. The goal is to finish before the first hard freeze, when overnight temperatures stay in the mid-20s °F or colder for several hours and shallow pipes, heads and above-ground parts start to freeze. A light frost on the lawn is not usually a problem for an irrigation system, but a run of cold nights is, and in southern New Hampshire that can come as early as October. There is no booking cutoff, but we recommend scheduling your blowout before the first major freeze so your system is protected before the weather turns.
Why backflow preventers need attention
The backflow preventer keeps irrigation water from flowing back into your home’s drinking water. On many systems it sits above ground next to the house, which makes it one of the most freeze-prone parts of the whole system. Water trapped inside can crack the valve body or damage its internal parts, and a damaged backflow preventer has to be repaired or replaced before the system can run again in spring. Draining it is an important part of winterizing any system.
Ready to protect your system this fall? Blowouts start at $85. Call (603) 620-5700 or book online.
Spring Irrigation Startups
Once the ground has thawed and the risk of a hard freeze has passed, usually in April or May in southern New Hampshire, your system is ready to be turned back on. A careful startup catches winter damage early, before a hidden leak wastes water or floods part of your lawn. The water should be turned back on slowly, because opening the main valve all at once can send a pressure surge (water hammer) through the pipes.
What our spring startup includes
- Checking for leaks and functionality across the system
- Adjusting sprinkler heads so they water the lawn and beds, not the driveway, walkway or house
- Programming the controller for the season
- Inspecting the valves
Healthy lawns should receive about 1 inch of water a week, whether from natural rainfall or irrigation, so a well-programmed controller is the starting point for good watering all season. Pair your irrigation with our lawn care services for a healthier lawn.
Irrigation Repairs & Troubleshooting
Sprinkler problems often show up as dry or brown patches, soggy areas or puddles, heads that don’t pop up or spray in the wrong direction, a zone that won’t turn on or off, low water pressure, or a water bill that is higher than expected. NorthShire handles irrigation repairs including:
- Sprinkler head replacements
- Valve rebuilds and replacements
- Leaks from main lines or lateral lines
System upgrades
We can also upgrade an existing system with:
- Smart controllers, which can adjust watering schedules to the weather
- Rain sensors, which pause scheduled watering when it rains
- Efficient watering heads that put water where your lawn and plants need it
Irrigation System Installation
Installing a new irrigation system is a smart investment in the health and beauty of your landscape. Our team will design and install a custom system tailored to your lawn’s specific needs, for efficient and effective watering. A well-designed irrigation system:
- Provides automated watering, saving you time and effort
- Delivers water directly to the root zone, minimizing waste
- Lets you set watering times and durations based on your lawn’s needs
- Waters evenly across your lawn for healthy, uniform growth
- Helps conserve water by preventing overwatering and runoff
Planning a new lawn as well? See our new lawn installation services.
Who We Serve
NorthShire provides irrigation services for every type of property, residential and commercial:
- Homes
- HOAs
- Businesses and commercial properties
- Town and municipal buildings
Whether you have a single home lawn or a larger commercial system, we handle fall winterizations and blowouts, spring startups, repairs and installations.
Towns We Serve
NorthShire is based at 10 Thoreau Dr. in Nashua, NH, and provides irrigation services across Greater Nashua and surrounding towns in southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts, including:
New Hampshire
- Nashua
- Hudson
- Hollis
- Amherst
- Merrimack
- Pelham
- Litchfield
- Bedford
- Manchester
- Goffstown
- Milford
- Londonderry
- Windham
- Brookline
- Mont Vernon
Massachusetts
- Tyngsboro
- Dunstable
- Dracut
- Chelmsford
- Westford
- Pepperell
- Groton
- Lowell
Not sure whether your property is in our area? Call (603) 620-5700 or email info@northshirelandscaping.com.
Why NorthShire
- Local since 2006: NorthShire started in 2006 with lawn mowing and landscaping and has grown into a Nashua-based landscaping, irrigation and landscape lighting company.
- Every type of property: homes, HOAs, businesses, and town and municipal buildings.
- One team for your property: irrigation alongside lawn care, landscaping and landscape lighting.
- BBB A+: NorthShire is an A+ member of the Better Business Bureau.
Irrigation Winterization & Blowout FAQ
In southern New Hampshire, most sprinkler systems are winterized between late September and November. The goal is to blow out the lines before the first hard freeze, when overnight temperatures stay in the mid-20s °F or colder for several hours. There is no booking cutoff, but we recommend scheduling your blowout before the first major freeze, which in the Greater Nashua area can come as early as October.
Water left in the system can freeze and expand, cracking pipes, splitting fittings, breaking sprinkler heads and damaging valves and the backflow preventer. The damage often stays hidden until the system is turned on in spring, when it shows up as leaks, low pressure or zones that don’t work. Repairing freeze damage is usually more expensive than preventing it with a fall winterization.
A sprinkler blowout uses compressed air to push water out of the irrigation system. The water supply to the system is shut off, an air compressor is connected, and each zone is run in turn until the sprinkler heads release only air and mist. The air pressure has to suit the system, because too little leaves water behind and too much can damage pipes and fittings.
NorthShire’s fall winterization includes shutting off all water to the irrigation system, blowing out all lines, and removing and winterizing any pumps.
NorthShire’s sprinkler blowouts and winterizations start at $85. Larger systems and commercial systems are quoted individually. Request a free quote at https://northshirelandscaping.com/request-a-quote/ or call (603) 620-5700.
As a general rule, a blowout on a typical home irrigation system takes about 30 minutes to an hour. Systems with more zones, and larger commercial systems, take longer.
It depends on where your system’s water shutoff and controller are. In many homes the irrigation shutoff valve is inside, often in the basement, so someone may need to provide access. Tell us where your shutoff and controller are when you request your quote, and we will confirm what is needed.
The backflow preventer keeps irrigation water from flowing back into your drinking water. On many systems it sits above ground next to the house, which makes it one of the most freeze-prone parts of the system. Water trapped inside can crack the valve body or damage its internal parts, so it has to be drained when the system is winterized.
No. Shutting off the water stops new water from entering the system, but the water already in the pipes, valves and sprinkler heads stays there and can freeze. Blowing out the lines with compressed air removes that water, which is why a blowout is the standard way to winterize an in-ground irrigation system in New Hampshire.
Spring startups are done after the ground has thawed and the risk of a hard freeze has passed, which in southern New Hampshire is usually April or May.
NorthShire’s spring startup includes checking the system for leaks and proper operation, adjusting the sprinkler heads, programming the controller and inspecting the valves.
Yes. NorthShire provides irrigation services for every type of property, including homes, HOAs, businesses, and town and municipal buildings.
NorthShire provides irrigation services in Greater Nashua, including Nashua, Hudson, Hollis, Amherst, Merrimack, Pelham, Litchfield, Bedford, Manchester, Goffstown, Milford, Londonderry, Windham, Brookline and Mont Vernon, NH, plus Tyngsboro, Dunstable, Dracut, Chelmsford, Westford, Pepperell, Groton and Lowell, MA, and surrounding towns in southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts.
Request a free quote at https://northshirelandscaping.com/request-a-quote/, call (603) 620-5700 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm), or email info@northshirelandscaping.com.
Book your fall sprinkler blowout or plan your spring startup today. Tell us about your property and what you need, and we’ll get back to you with a free quote. Prefer to talk? Call (603) 620-5700, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, or email info@northshirelandscaping.com.