Superior Sprinkler Systems installs and repairs irrigation systems in Fairfax, VA, from the City of Fairfax to Fair Oaks, Fair Lakes and Penderbrook. We repair and update older systems, install new ones around mature landscaping, handle backflow testing and filing, and provide spring start-ups and winterizations. Family-owned in Northern Virginia since 1991.
Fairfax has some of the most mature landscaping in Northern Virginia. Many neighborhoods were built from the 1960s through the 1990s, and decades of tree growth have turned once-sunny lawns into partly shaded yards. Irrigation here is less about watering a blank lot and more about fitting a system into an established landscape and keeping older systems running efficiently.
Our shop is in Dulles, about twenty-five minutes from most Fairfax neighborhoods. Superior Sprinkler Systems has served Fairfax County since 1991, and we schedule Fairfax visits so our own crews, not subcontractors, handle every job.
Older Fairfax systems tend to fail in the same places: heads that no longer pop up, rotors that stop turning, valves that stick or weep, corroded wire splices and controllers that lose their programs. Tree roots can also crack or shift lateral lines over time, which shows up as low pressure on one zone or a wet spot that never dries.
We test every zone, check pressure at the tap, and find the source rather than just replacing parts. In many cases the pipe is sound and a retrofit with new heads, matched nozzles, drip in the beds and a smart controller is the best value. When it is not, we explain why and quote the alternative in writing.
Shade changes everything about how a lawn should be watered. Turf under a canopy stays damp longer, is more prone to disease when overwatered, and needs far less water than full-sun areas. We separate sun and shade onto their own zones, use lower-flow nozzles where trees dominate, and put established beds on drip. The result is a healthier lawn and a lower water bill.
Most homes with a Fairfax mailing address are in unincorporated Fairfax County, where the county runs a cross connection program: in-ground irrigation needs an approved backflow assembly that is tested every year by a certified tester who submits the report to the county. Homes inside City of Fairfax limits are under the city’s own permitting. We confirm which rules apply to your address, pull the right permits, and our DPOR certified testers handle the annual test and filing. See our backflow testing and certification page for details.
We work throughout the Fairfax area, including the City of Fairfax, Fair Oaks, Fair Lakes, Penderbrook and the neighborhoods off Route 50, Route 29 and Route 123. We also serve nearby Oakton, Chantilly and Centreville. Many Fairfax communities have an HOA, and we can provide a drawn layout and equipment list when architectural review is needed.
The connection. We tie into the house supply where the plumbing allows and fit a master shut off valve in a reachable spot, so a broken line can be isolated in seconds.
Backflow prevention. An approved assembly is required on in-ground irrigation. We install it where it is easy to reach for the annual test and easy to drain for winter.
Controller. Garage wall as standard, with outdoor enclosures available. WiFi controllers and rain sensors keep the system from running when the lawn does not need it.
Parts. Rain Bird, Irritrol and Hunter equipment, WaterSense certified, with rigid PVC in the ground, rotors for open turf, matched-precision sprays for tight areas, and drip through beds.
Design. Drawn by a licensed irrigator after utilities are located, with head-to-head coverage and any dry spot corrected under warranty.
Warranty. Three years against defects, with first year winterization, spring start-up and backflow test included.
Site visit and quote. We check pressure and flow, measure the yard, map sun and shade, and talk through what matters to you. You get a written, itemized estimate within 24 hours.
Permits and marking. We pull permits through Fairfax County or the City of Fairfax, depending on your address, and arrange utility locating. Head positions and trench lines are flagged before anything is cut.
Install day. Trenching, pipe, valves, heads, wiring and controller, routed to protect tree roots. Most Fairfax lots take one day, occasionally two.
Start-up and handover. Zone-by-zone testing, arc and nozzle adjustment, seasonal run times, backflow test filed, warranty activated, and a walkthrough of the controller.
Superior Sprinkler Systems is a family-owned irrigation company. Chris is our owner and founder, Brian is our general manager, and Dylan leads irrigation design and installation. Our own crews do the work, every layout is drawn by a licensed irrigator, our backflow testers are DPOR certified, and we carry full insurance. You can read more about our team or see what our customers say.
Along with Fairfax, we install and service irrigation systems in nearby Centreville, Chantilly and Herndon, and across Northern Virginia.
Every utility line is located before we plan a route. A licensed irrigator designs the system around your mature trees and established beds rather than through them. Head-to-head coverage is guaranteed, and dry spots that turn up later are corrected under warranty.
Soil moisture input, weather-driven scheduling and zone control, with WiFi available. On a part-shaded Fairfax lot this matters twice over, because ground under a canopy stays damp long after the open lawn has dried out.
Experienced crews working carefully around established planting, so water is distributed efficiently and your finished Fairfax yard is not torn up to achieve it.
The tie-in is made indoors or outdoors depending on how your plumbing runs. A master shut-off valve goes in where it can be reached quickly in an emergency.
Every system gets one. It stops used irrigation water being drawn back toward the potable supply. We install to the specification Fairfax County will pass, then test and file the report annually.
Nearly always mounted inside the garage. Where that is inconvenient we will site it in a basement, a shed, or a weatherproof cabinet outdoors.
Irritrol, Rain Bird and Hunter parts, matched to the zone rather than bought in one size. Rigid PVC rather than the flexible tubing used to cut a bid. Rotors, matched precision sprays and drip line through planting.
The relationship continues after handover, with adjustments, repairs, seasonal services and future upgrades handled by the people who installed it.
A visit to measure the lot, check static pressure and flow, map any existing system and note where trees and beds constrain the layout. Written estimate inside 24 hours.
We obtain the Fairfax County permits and arrange utility locating, then install using the least intrusive method the site allows. Turf is lifted and relaid wherever we can, and every zone is tested before we leave.
Zone by zone testing, arcs and nozzles set, run times programmed for the exposure each zone actually has, backflow filed, warranty active, and a walkthrough with you.
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Professional& ExperiencedQ: Is my Fairfax home in the City of Fairfax or Fairfax County?
A:Most homes with a Fairfax mailing address are in unincorporated Fairfax County. Homes inside City of Fairfax limits fall under the city. We confirm which applies before pulling permits or filing backflow results.
Q: Who files the backflow test for my Fairfax home?
A:Our DPOR certified backflow testers perform the annual test and submit the report to the right authority. In Fairfax County, reports go to the county under its cross connection program.
Q: My yard is mostly shade now. How should it be watered?
A:Shaded turf needs much less water than full sun. We put sun and shade on separate zones, use lower-flow nozzles under trees and move beds to drip to avoid overwatering.
Q: Can tree roots damage a sprinkler system?
A:Yes. Roots can crack or shift lateral lines over time, which often shows up as low pressure on one zone or a spot that stays wet. We locate and repair the damaged section and reroute pipe when needed.
Q: Is it worth repairing a system that is thirty years old?
A:Often, yes. If the main and lateral lines are sound, replacing heads, valves and the controller can restore it for much less than a new install. We give you both options in writing.
Q: When should I winterize my sprinkler system in Fairfax?
A:Plan for late October through November, before the first hard freeze. We clear every zone with compressed air and protect the backflow assembly.
Ready for a quote? Call 703-957-4946 or request one online. Fairfax estimates are free and there is nothing to sign at the visit.