Take care of your landscapes and lawns by installing an automatic irrigation system. Sprinkler installation is the best way of ensuring your lawn’s health is maintained throughout the growing season. Imagine a landscape filled with colorful flowers, green grass, and healthy trees. Sprinkler installation increases the aesthetic appeal of your home while using water sparingly. Learn how to install a sprinkler system and keep your lawn healthy.
Irrigation system
The sprinkler should be installed carefully at strategic locations on the lawn to optimize coverage and avoid problems. The landscape’s soil type, sun, slopes, and shade should be considered when designing and installing the sprinkler system. Sprinkler system installation is a long, messy, and frustrating job. Find a team that has experience in sprinkler installation. The system is programmed to water your lawn at a specific time. Replace old sprinkler systems that don’t function well.
The features of the sprinkler system and the size of the lawn, affect the cost of sprinkler installation. It is a convenient and easy way to maintain your lawn. Manually watering the yard is a time-consuming task. The property’s value will increase if you install a sprinkler system in your yard. However, sprinkler systems can be costly and require frequent maintenance. Broken or shifted sprinkler heads are replaced. A professional should winterize the sprinklers to prevent underground water lines from freezing.
Components of sprinkler system
- Valves
It opens and closes to release or stop the flow of water from underground pipes.
- Sprinklers
It distributes water to different areas of the landscape or lawn.
- Controller
It controls how the sprinkler system works.
Sprinkler system installation
- Create a plan
A reputable sprinkler installation company will create a written plan to guide the installation process, ensuring complete coverage. Check the water pressure and the town’s restriction on watering. Obtain the necessary permits from the local building departments. The existing electric, gas, sewer, and water lines are located and marked to prevent damage during digging.
- Digging trenches
- Locate the pipe used as the primary water source. It can be found in the basement, water meter, or buried underground.
- Plastic flags or wooden stakes mark the sprinkler and trenches’ location.
- A gas-powered trenching machine excavates the trenches to the recommended depth.
- Create water connections
- The water supply to the house is closed at the meter.
- After cutting into the main water supply, use a primer and PVC cement for tee fitting.
- Use glue to connect the PVC elbow onto the male PVC adapter at 90 degrees.
- The adapter is threaded into the tee fitting installed on the main water line.
- Installation of zone valves
- Dig a trench from the water line to the location of the valve box. Dig a hole where the valve box will be put. It is 18 inches deep and 3 feet long.
- Use gravel to line the hole then set the valve box into it.
- Glue the manifold together and, attach the zone valves. In the valve box, put the manifold.
- The PVC pipe is connected from the main water line to the backflow-prevention device then connected to the manifold.
- Dig a shallow trench from the valve box to the location of the timer.
- Connect the wires from each valve to the underground wire laid on the trench.
- Place the pipes in the trench
- Place the PVC pipes in the trenches that lead from the valve box. Use PVC cement and couplings to join the pipe sections.
- Tee fittings are spliced into the pipe that branches off to a sprinkler head. A short flexible pipe is attached to connect to the sprinkler head.
- Attach a short vertical pipe, upturned elbow, and pressure reducer where drip-irrigation tubing connects to the pipe.
- Pipe connection at the valve box
- The zone valve pipes are joined with PVC water pipes in the trenches using 90 degrees elbows.
- Flush the debris and dirt from the sprinkler system with water. The water supply is closed to install the sprinkler.
- Install the sprinklers
- Attach a sprinkler to the end of the flexible piping.
- After removing the cap from the sprinkler, attach the appropriate spray nozzle.
- Roll out irrigation tubing
- The drip irrigation tubing connects to a microfilter and pressure reducer from the underground PVC pipes.
- Roll out the tubing close to the base of the plant. Place it 12 inches apart.
- Use a utility knife to cut the tubing at the end of the layout. Use water to flush the tubing. It is then folded and slipped on an end clamp.
- Installation of ground stakes
- Use plastic ground stakes to secure the laid irrigation tubing. The tubing is hooked with each stake and pressed into the dirt.
- The stakes are spaced 18 to 24 inches apart.
- The area is covered with bark mulch to hide the tubing and prevent water evaporation from the drip-irrigation tubing.
- Timer wires connection
- Place the timer on the wall.
- Strip the insulation of the wires leading from the timer to the zone valves.
- The timer terminals are attached to the wires.
- To power the timer, you should hire an electrician.
- Ensure the sprinklers and each zone operates properly by setting the timer and running a test.
- The nozzles that are spraying off course are adjusted.
Conclusion
To increase the aesthetic value of your property, install sprinklers. When you irrigate your landscape sufficiently, it will be filled with green grass, colorful flowers, and healthy trees. You can program your sprinklers to water your lawn at a specific time. Sprinkler installation is a long, messy, and frustrating job. Hiring a contractor to do the installation is a good idea. The steps followed during sprinkler installation will guide you if you want to do the installation yourself. This article will teach you everything you need to know about sprinkler system installation.
