Does McKinney require a rain and freeze sensor on sprinklers?

Yes. The City of McKinney requires a rain and freeze sensor on irrigation systems installed on or after June 1, 2005. The sensor interrupts the signal from the controller to the valves when there has been enough rain or when the temperature drops near freezing, so the system stays off when it should. Texas rules for licensed irrigators also require a rain or moisture shut-off device on new systems.

What that means for your yard:

• Newer systems. If your system went in after mid-2005, it should already have a sensor. If you can’t find one, or it no longer shuts the system off, it needs repair or replacement.
• Older systems. A system installed before June 2005 may not have one. Adding a sensor is a small job, and it keeps the system from running in the rain or icing the sidewalk, both of which can draw a city violation.
• The sensor has to stay. McKinney expects the sensor to stay in place while you own the property, so don’t remove it to get around a missed watering day.

How to check yours: with a zone running, press the test button on the sensor or wet the discs by hand. The zone should shut off within a minute or two. We test rain and freeze sensors on every Sprinkler Care Plan visit and replace them when they fail.