Sprinkler Systems
Hand watering gardens, flower beds, or lawns-moving a lawn sprinkler attached to the hose every 20 minutes-is not most homeowners’ idea of fun.
A sprinkler system automates this entire process while eliminating the concern of whether or not your yard is getting the proper amount of water it needs. Hand watering or using an oscillator, takes more time, wastes water, and leaves areas of your yard either over-watered or under-watered. A properly designed and installed sprinkler system addresses all these concerns.
Basic Sprinkler System Operation
At its most rudimentary level, a sprinkler system consists of a relatively few main components. It is connected to a set of valves that regulate the flow of water into a specific “zone” in your sprinkler system. The sprinkler heads are normally placed near ground level when not in use, and then pop-up when the water pressure fills the pipes that feed them…so there you have it, the essence of a sprinkler system.
Zoning Your Lawn
Irrigation zones are an element of landscape irrigation design that allows your system to target water distribution with precision. The premise behind the landscape irrigation design concept of “irrigation zones” is a simple element of planning the system. Establishing irrigation zones allows your sprinkler system to be programmed accordingly. This ability to discharge more precise amounts of water in a targeted area further promotes water conservation and costs savings.
Sprinkler System Water Conservation Tips
Did you ever dream that you could actually save water through the use of an irrigation system? Much of the water is never absorbed. Instead of watering for a long session, water a few times for shorter periods and take 15-minute breaks between each session. This will allow time for the water to soak in, while minimizing run off. Midday watering tends to be less efficient due to water loss through evaporation and windy conditions during the day. Watering during evening hours isn’t the best idea either. 3. Divide by zones.
Different plants need different amounts of water. Both sprinkler and drip irrigation can be incorporated to achieve more efficient use of water.
Water only things that grow.
With a subsurface sprinkler system, proper sprinkler head alignment is paramount in order to water only living plants, not sidewalks, driveways or the street. A properly adjusted sprinkler head should spray large droplets of water instead of a fine mist. When it comes to watering individual trees, flowerbeds, potted containers or other non-grassy areas, consider applying water directly to the roots using low volume drip irrigation. This approach will reduce water waste from evaporation or runoff. A clogged head or a torn line can wreak havoc on your landscape and water bill.
Always adjust your sprinkler system as the seasons and the weather change. Approximate Cost of a Sprinkler System
The cost of an automatic sprinkler system depends mainly on two factors-the size of your lawn or yard to be irrigated (ie, how much pipe needs to be laid, how many physical sprinkler heads are needed) and the components you choose to build your system. For a 2500 sq. ft. lawn, you could expect a figure of around $2000-$2500 for an underground sprinkler system.
With subsurface irrigation, the water is applied at a slower rate but for a longer period of time. The slower application rate means that your sprinkler zones can be significantly larger. For example, a medium sized yard might need 8 zones with an above ground system where the subsurface irrigation system might only need 3 or 4 zones. Choosing a Contractor
Since a subsurface irrigation system can save you from 30 to 70 percent in lawn water usage, it can benefit the environment as well as your bank account. So, if a new or upgraded sprinkler system is in your plans, contact a qualified contractor for more information.
