Gear-driven rotor sprinkler heads are an improved version of the older (and much louder) impact style of rotor sprinklers.
Bubbler-type sprinklers only work on flat ground. If you try installing a bubbler on a sloped patch of your yard, you’ll end up with a small river running downhill.
Fixed pop-up head sprinklers are also great to use next to paved areas like driveways and streets.
Drawing out the area you’d like to irrigate will also ensure that the entire area is covered by the sprinklers.
Areas larger than 1,200 square feet (110 m2) would require special heads and a higher volume of water than you can normally get from a residential water system.
A good-quality rotor head will spray an arc, semicircle, or full circle about 25–30 feet (7. 6–9. 1 m) in diameter. If you’re using rotor heads, situate each head about 45 feet (14 m) apart to allow adequate overlap. [6] X Research source Fixed pop-up head sprinklers spray roughly 10 feet (3. 0 m). To ensure adequate coverage, install fixed pop-up heads about 18 feet (5. 5 m) apart from one another. If you’re installing bubbler sprinkler heads, map them out so that the heads are located about 1. 5 feet (0. 46 m) apart, since each will cover a radius of roughly 1. 75 feet (0. 53 m). As a rule of thumb, it’s better to have too much overlap than not enough. Keep in mind when you’re positioning the sprinkler heads that the angle of spray on rotor and pop-up heads can be adjusted.
Keep in mind that the PVC pipe you’ll use for the water lines can curve only slightly, so all lines must be straight and should turn at 90-degree angles. This portion of the diagram will give you an idea of the length of pipe you’ll need. The sketch can be rough, though.
Further down the line, you may decrease the size of the main to 3⁄4 inch (1. 9 cm), also, since near the end it will be supplying only 2 or 3 heads.
If you’re planning to only attach 1 sprinkler head to each branch line, you could get away with using 1⁄2 inch (1. 3 cm) pipe.
Purchase a water gauge at any hardware store or home improvement store.
Because you’re using PVC pipe, you don’t need to dig the ditch in a perfectly straight line, as this material will bend fairly easily. Measure all distances with a tape measure to ensure that all of the distances are precise.
If you live in a region that gets frosts during the winter, dig the ditches at least 6 inches (15. 2 cm) below the frost level for your area. A trenching shovel may be the best tool to use for this part of the job. Dig carefully so as to avoid your home water lines, exterior lighting circuits, and waste and sewer lines.
Depending on the setup you’re using, you may also install funny pipe at this point. “Funny pipe” is a flexible butyl rubber pipe used in sprinkler systems, which has its own unique fittings that slip into the pipes without glue or clamps, and adaptors to thread it into the PVC branch lines and the sprinkler heads. Funny pipe also allows the heads to be adjusted for height and is forgiving if you are prone to driving over the head with a riding lawn mower or vehicle.
Before you install the riser, make sure the terminal fitting is the correct thread size for the head.
“Manifold” is the commonly-used term that describes several valves that are grouped together. Be sure to use the appropriate valve for the type of control you are using.
If you don’t install a backflow preventer, your home’s potable water could be contaminated.
You’ll use the timer unit to set and adjust the watering schedule for the sprinkler system. Without a timer unit, your sprinkler system would spray water 24 hours a day.
Clogged sprinkler heads can be a major headache to clear. So, clearing the pipes at this point can save you time in the long run.
Bury the heads deeply enough that the soil will support them and they will be slightly recess below the top of the turf at your preferred mowing height.
Continue working zone by zone until you’ve installed the entire system.
The way you adjust the sprinkler heads can vary from one manufacturer to another. Most have a small radius adjustment knob on the top of the sprinkler head.
It’s important to check for leaks before you shovel the soil back in place over the water lines. If you don’t, you could end up needing to dig up the lines again in the future to find a leak.
Shovel up any roots or other organic matter that you unearth while installing the sprinkler pipes. Dispose of these materials in the trash or compost bin.
