As you’ll see, the process of planning a sprinkler system can be a worthwhile challenge. It requires time and accuracy. We’ve seen countless times how a small mistake—a bad measurement, a misplaced head, or forgetting a feature of your garden—can result in a bad plan (which, if not caught before installation, can cost hundreds of dollars in supplies and labor to replace).

The Orbit Sprinkler System Designer (OSSD) can make this step very simple. Just upload a bird’s-eye picture of your property (which can usually be obtained online through Google Maps or similar programs) and then trace over it. You’ll only need to measure one item of your yard, like the width of your driveway, for scale and the computer does the rest. Once you’ve finished tracing and drawing (it usually takes about 30 minutes) the system will ask for the water flow information you collected in last week’s blog and, bingo, you’re done. The computer will do the calculations and give you a plan for placing heads, valves, and zones in ideal locations. OSSD will even give you a comprehensive parts and estimated price list of all the supplies you’ll need. You also are able to print a detailed, customized guide for installing the sprinkler system, down to the placement of every pipe, every sprinkler head, and every nozzle. Oh, and it’s totally, completely, 100% free!  Yeah, it’s a pretty great tool and we’re quite proud of it. We encourage you to give it a shot.

For those who are able to find success with the sprinkler design system, the rest of this post will be more about sprinkler theory and why things are done the way they are. For those going the old fashioned way, pay close attention to what follows.

Theory and Best Practice

Irrigation systems work in funnels; well, reverse funnels is probably a better description. At the top you’ve got your main water line connection. This usually comes from the municipal water system, but for some people a well is used or even, in rare cases, pumps from some freshwater source like a river or lake. But the Average Joe is connecting to his city’s water line.

From the water source, the water travels to your valve box containing a manifold and several valves. Of course, your water may be required by local code to pass through such things as a backflow prevention device, but the basic premise is water comes from the main line, passes through the manifold, and then flows out through a valve to the watering zone. Each zone contains a number of sprinkler heads, which is determined by your available water flow. Sprinkler heads are the mechanisms you see spraying the water on your lawn. There are various types of heads, each with a specific purpose, and we’ll get to that in a bit.

There are many approaches you could take in deciding the number of zones, type of heads, and watering means you will use, but the question that should guide all your choices is, “How can I effectively water all areas of my yard using the least amount of water?” This is where the savings will really come from, because no matter what kind of system you put in, it will generally pay for itself if you maximize efficiency. So, make watering efficiency and conservation your target and you’ll get where you need to go.

Head types

There are a plethora of head types used in irrigation systems. Let’s talk about each, their pro’s and con’s and where you might use them.

Medium Area Sprinkler Heads

The most common sprinkler head is the pop-up. They come in a number of sizes, but the basic premiss remains the same: the water forces the interior of the sprinkler to pop up and spray water in a pattern through interchangeable nozzles. Pop-ups are fabricated to spray at different distances, which you will choose based on your yard layout. Adjustable nozzles used on pop-up sprinklers can spray anywhere from 4–19 ft. They are great because they are inexpensive, reliable, and easy to repair. The nozzles screw on and off, letting you choose the one that best suits head placement. They are great for watering the average lawn and errors can be easily detected.

Pop-up sprinkler heads aren’t perfect though, and there are situations where they may not be ideal. Pop-ups are the carpet-bombing of sprinklers; they’re not precision instruments. Now, when you’re watering your lawn, this isn’t a big deal—in fact, it’s what you want—but for watering flower beds, gardens, trees, pots, or anything that doesn’t cover an expansive area of ground, pop-ups aren’t the best choice. The advantages of using pop-up sprinkler heads are the ease of use, even watering patterns, and affordability.

Large Area Sprinkler Heads (Rotors)

There are two types of large area heads, impact and gear drive. As their name implies, these sprinklers are effective in covering large areas of turf. Impact heads are familiar to us because of the recognizable ratcheting noise they make as they go back-and-forth.

Gear drive sprinkler heads are a relatively new product in the sprinkler line-up. These are very quiet in their operation, and emit a single stream of water. Their superior area coverage means you don’t have to install as many sprinkler heads. These heads are adjustable, allowing you to adjust the spray distance (how far the water goes) and the radius (how wide the arc of the head is). Their closed case design resists clogging from grit, sand, and heavy grasses.

Remember, rotors aren’t ideal for small patches of land. They cost more and repairs can be a more intricate and may even require changing the entire head.  Finally, rotors require higher water pressure.  When considering rotor sprinklers it’s important to determine if your area meets these requirements   If so, you’ll be pleased with the outcome.

Eco-Stream Rotator (Rotary)

The pop-up Eco-Stream Rotator Sprinkler Head is a hybrid between pop-ups and rotors. Often called the rotary sprinkler, it looks like a popup, but behaves like a handful of gear drives being sprayed in a kaleidoscope pattern. Further, they offer the adjustability of rotors with the effectiveness of popups. Other benefits include use with lower water pressures where gear drives cannot be used. There is also evidence suggesting that rotary sprinkler water coverage is superior to popups. They are also easy to install and repair. These are best for medium sized watering areas.

 What head you use will be determined by the size of the watering area. For areas larger than 25’ x 25’, you’ll want to use large area sprinklers (either gear driven or impact heads). Areas smaller than 25’ x 25’ will use popups (either traditional or rotary). For flower beds, shrubs, ground cover, etc. you’ll want to use small area sprinklers, drip, or soaker lines.

The Garden

Gardens and flowerbeds require a different approach to watering. Pop-up, gear drive, and impact sprinkler heads work great for the lawn but they aren’t precision instruments. These will work well if you have a lot of ground cover, but what if your beds just have shrubs, flowers, etc.? For those plants, drip irrigation is an excellent choice because it’s easy to install and maintain, its flexibility in a changing garden is unmatched, and it’s efficient. We will talk more about this awesome option in a later edition of our blog, but be aware that using drip irrigation can save on your water bill and water your plants more efficiently and directly.

Head Placement

Head placement is perhaps the most important part of making sure your system is effective and efficient. A term to become familiar with is head-to-head coverage. This concept is demonstrated in the graphic below.  

This pictures shows excellent head-to-head coverage. Head-to-head coverage means the water from one head extends all the way to the next head. It provides even spacing and excellent water coverage of the area, ensuring no dead spots result. Now many have complained that this seems like double watering, but not so. The lawn in the example above will be watered efficiently without missing any spots, but below is an example of bad coverage which misses the center area (the part in red). Notice that there are no heads place along the center of the perimeter, but only in the corners.

Here’s our example yard where we’ve placed our heads:

And here’s what the spray patterns will be:

The Zones

Once you’ve placed your heads you are ready to create your zones. This part can be tricky and requires a bit of math. Group plant types into specific zones. By this we mean that grass, flowerbeds, growboxes, etc. should all be separated into their own zones. This is because each plant type has different water requirements.

Warning! Heads of different types (rotors vs. pop-ups) cannot be combined in the same zone. This goes for drip and shrub sprays as well. Things have to be the same because each type of head has different GPM requirements and output. If you combine different head types in the same zone, you won’t be able to evenly distribute water; some places will get over watered, some under watered.

You’ll need to know how much water is coming through your valve (which we showed you how to find in the previous blog). In this example, it’s 15 GPM. Next, you’ll determine the GPM of each head—this is determined by the head and nozzle—and write this information next to the corresponding head on your plan. When you’re done, it will look something like this:

Knowing these two things, you can begin to group your heads into zones. When mapping out the zones, it’s important to provide sufficient water pressure to each zone. All the heads in the zone combined must be using at or below the total available water flow (GPM). You might even want to step it down by 1-2 GPM just to make sure there is enough water in the case of a drop in pressure. Note how we’ve grouped the two zones on the right in the example above. They don’t exceed the total GPM of our main line (14 GPM and 13.35 GPM). We’ll do the same with the other zones.

Manifold Placement

Zones connect to valves, which are grouped together in a valve box, where they connect to the main water line. These boxes usually can hold up to four–six valves. Placement is a matter of preference, but there are few things to take into account when deciding where to put your valve boxes.  

First, grouping is a good idea so you can daisy chain the main line. The main line from your water source is the most expensive run of piping that you’ll lay, so it’s best to keep these runs short. Of course, we don’t recommend putting all your boxes in the front yard, but you don’t want to space boxes all over the yard either.

Another consideration is making sure your boxes are easy to access. When you’re having problems with your sprinklers—which will inevitably happen—there’s nothing more frustrating than having to poke around in difficult to reach places behind rose bushes or under trees. A better option is to have the boxes in a clear location where you can work in them with ease. Admittedly, the caps can clash with the aesthetics of yard but options, such as faux rocks, can blend the boxes with your landscape.  

So, there you have it. We’ve covered the basics of sprinkler theory, sprinkler head types and placement, as well as manifold placement.

Visit us next week to learn more about pipe layout, digging trenches, and timers.

Increase Home Value and Cost Savings

Underground irrigation systems offer a host of benefits. For starters, the upfront effort and cost pay for themselves after just a few watering seasons. You will see a decrease in your monthly water bill almost immediately. An underground irrigation system can also enhance your home’s curb appeal, which increases marketability and home value.

When properly installed, maintained and operated, an in-ground sprinkler system can easily save hundreds (and in some cases thousands) of dollars in annual water costs. Sprinkler systems allow you to more efficiently regulate water to different parts of the yard, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Time Savings

In-ground systems are also great at saving time. Many homeowners know the frustration associated with dragging hoses around their yards, remembering timing schedules, and trying to spot-correct problem areas. Underground sprinkler systems operate on the “fire and forget” principle: set the system properly and let it run (with only minor tweaks along the way). Ideally, you should set your sprinklers to run early in the morning, between 4:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Watering early in the morning frees up the yard for outdoor activities and allows the turf adequate time to absorb the water before evaporation.

How do I get started installing my underground irrigation system?

An in-ground irrigation system is no small project. It’s one you want to get right because mistakes can be costly and time consuming to fix. But a well installed system will yield results almost immediately and require little maintenance over the years. The following paragraphs explain how to begin the process.

Determine Local Codes

Before digging a trench or installing pipe, check with your local municipality about code requirements for underground irrigation systems, backflow prevention, and anti-siphon valves. Backflow prevention with anti-siphon valves is important to consider because it prevents possibly contaminated water for being drawn back into the main water supply lines when water pressure decreases.

Ask if a permit is required to install a system or if a licensed plumber is necessary to connect your main line. If you live in a freezing area, pipes need to be buried 8-12 inches deep. You may also ask for recommendations on pipe size.

Your municipality may offer the option to use reclaimed water. Reclaimed water is sewage and wastewater that has been treated at a facility. Though the water isn’t suitable for human consumption, it is a great resource for watering yards. Besides being greener (it’s basically recycled water), reclaimed water can be significantly less expensive than regular water. However, certain precautions need to be taken when using reclaimed water, which the municipality will explain further.

Determine Water Flow

Determining available water pressure is an important step. Water pressure affects every aspect of the system including: how many zones will be needed to water evenly, the type and amount of sprinklers to add to the line, and length of watering intervals.

String Test Method

To determine the available water pressure, attach an Orbit pressure gauge (part #53020 or #91130) to an unregulated outside faucet. Unregulated means a line without a pressure regulator. Open the faucet and record the reading. No other water should be running during the test. We recommend you perform this test as close to the time of day when the sprinkler system will be operating. Pressure will generally be higher in the mornings. To be most accurate, take several readings at different times, even different days, and record the lowest one.

Next determine whether your main water line is copper, galvanized, or PVC. If you are unsure of your pipe material or size, your municipality can tell you. Then, determine your pipe size. You can do this by performing a simple string test. To do this, wrap a piece of string around your main water service line then measure the length of the string. Use the table to convert the string length to pipe size diameter.

Knowing the amount of available water pressure and the size of your main line will allow you to calculate water flow. Water flow is measured in Gallons per Minute (GPM). Use the following chart below to complete the calculation. Water pressure (measured in PSI) is along the top of the graph. Locate the box that coincides with your pressure reading. The vertical boxes along the left side of the chart show different sizes of mainline pipe. Locate the size that corresponds to the string test you performed. You will find your GPM where your PSI rating and your main line measurement intersect.

Bucket Test Method

Water pressure can also be found by performing a bucket test. Simply time how long it takes the unregulated outside faucet to fill the bucket. Then, multiply the size of the bucket used by 60. The result will be your water flow in Gallons per Minute or GPM. For example, if you filled a 5 gallon bucket up in 30 seconds you would take 5 gal. / 30 sec. *60 = 10 GPM. This would equate a 10 Gallon per Minute water flow.

Measure and Draw Your Property

The final step is to measure and draw your property. You can draw your property by hand, but this process is often tedious and time consuming. To solve this, Orbit has created an online tool to make the process a breeze. Simply visit our Sprinkler System Design Tool at http://design.orbitonline.com where you can import an overhead photo of your property from Google Maps and then trace over the features of your yard. The system will even let you distinguish various areas of your yard, such as lawn, flowerbeds and garden areas, and then you can specify the type of sprinklers you want in these areas.

After you have entered all the necessary information, the Orbit Sprinkler System Design tool will automatically draw an efficient sprinkler system for your yard.

While the above steps may seem like a lot of work, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is to design your system right. Any errors in this planning phase will affect the design and function of your system.

Used correctly, the Orbit Sprinkler System Designer allows you to plan and design a system that runs optimally with little maintenance.

Check back next week for part two of our series.

Sounds complicated, you say.

Trust us, it simpler than you think.

Just start off with four simple steps.

When you turn you sprinkler system on for the first time this season:

1. Inspect and repair manifolds, valves, and sprinkler lines for any leaks.

2. Replace any broken sprinkler heads or nozzles.

3. Clear any debris interfering with sprinkler heads and nozzles.

4. Adjust sprinkler patterns to prevent watering sidewalks, streets, and driveways.

These steps, along with smart watering, can help you save up to 3,000 gallons of water per watering session. To learn more about how conserving water can help you save money, check out this post.

World Water by Numbers

• Water, energy, and food are intrinsically linked: water is needed to produce energy, energy is needed to deliver the water needed for food production [1]
• In much of the world, water plays a role in gender inequality. Research in sub-Saharan Africa suggests that women and girls in low-income countries spend 40 billion hours a year collecting water. That’s time spent they could have used for education or other work and family care! [2]
• In 60% of European cities with more than 100,000 people, groundwater is being used at a faster rate than it can be replenished [3]
• About every 19 seconds, a mother loses a child due to a water related illness [4]
• 1.8 billion people around the world still lack access to fresh water [5]
• The average American uses 100 to 176 gallons of water per day; in contrast, the average African family uses 5 gallons of water per day! [6]

For more about the world water crisis, check out this video produced by charity: water.

Whether it’s related to our personal hygiene, the food we eat, our yard and home care routine, the products we use, or the clothes we wear, water influences every aspect of our daily lives.

This year’s theme for World Water Day is cooperation. Here’s what the UN has to say about water cooperation:

“Water is a shared resource and its management need to take into account a wide variety of conflicting interests. This provides opportunities for cooperation among users. . . . Promoting water cooperation implies an interdisciplinary approach bringing in cultural, educational and scientific factors, as well as religious, ethical, social, political, legal, institutional and economic dimensions.”

Here at Orbit, much of our business revolves around water. We are dedicated to protecting and conserving this precious resource while helping homeowners around the world maintain beautiful landscapes. Please join us in using smart water management skills, heeding water regulations in your area, and doing your part to keep our water resources safe. You can visit our conservation resources pages on our website and on this blog.

We’re interested. Please share what you are doing to conserve water.

The Irish Tradition of Green

Long before green became associated with St. Patrick’s Day, the ancient Celts wore green in celebration of the Vernal Equinox and the rebirth of the earth. And who could blame them? Known as the Emerald Island, Ireland’s principal color is green. Some even claim that the island boasts over 40 shades of that beloved color. As time passed, the wearing of green came to symbolize Irish nationalism. Today, people all over the world wear green once again to celebrate the coming of spring.

For those of us who aren’t lucky enough to enjoy the green hills of Ireland on a daily basis, here are some tips to help you bring that Irish green into your landscape this spring.

1. Clear–rake up any leftover leaves from fall, pick up any broken branches from winter. If thatching is a problem, use a rake or a power thatcher to clear away the problem.
   
2. Prune–trim back fruit trees and summer blooming bushes (including roses). Pruning encourages new growth and allows the plant to receive plenty of sunlight.
3. Weed–it’s best to stop the weeds when they’re young. After removing new spring growth, take preventative measures (i.e. landscape fabric, mulch, pre-emergent herbicides, etc.) to limit weed growth throughout the season.
4. Divide–make sure your perennials have plenty of room to grow. If things are getting a little tight, divide them up. Your neighbors would probably love some, or maybe there’s a spot in your yard that’s looking a little bare. Whatever the case, your plants will bloom better with that extra room to grow.
5. Plant–bring color and new life to your yard by adding some new plants to the mix.
6. Fertilize–if you have a well-established lawn, spring is a great time to fertilize. Pick a fertilizer with a slow-release nitrogen (nitrogen help keep your lawn green, but too much can cause damage to your lawn and the environment—especially water sources—so make sure you use it sparingly).
7. Water–it’s important that you don’t over or under water your lawn, as both cause problems. At this time in the watering season, you will most likely not need to water your lawn every day. Rather, set your timer to water less frequently and allow the moisture to soak deep into the soil and establish a stronger root system.
8. Grow–let your grass grow. Your lawn will be healthier if you don’t cut it too short. By letting your grass grow about 2 to 4 inches in length, you will protect the roots from the sun and disease, which will keep your lawn greener and healthier.

These tips will help keep your landscape lush and green this spring. So, here’s to wishing you the luck of the Irish!

Sources

• http://merganser.math.gvsu.edu/myth/meaninggreen.html
• http://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/garden-care/spring-garden-guide/#page=1
• http://www.cheapvegetablegardener.com/how-to-prevent-weeds-in-your-garden/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertilizer