How to Choose an Irrigation Sprinkler System

Did you know that studies have shown that homeowners can expect a 7-18% increase in property value with the addition of a sprinkler system? Experts agree that the increase in property value is not a direct result of the sprinkler system but the curb appeal that the sprinkler system creates. Green grass sells homes for more money.

If you are thinking of installing a sprinkler system for your home or business, you may hesitate if you have seen how many offers and products are on the market now. How are you going to choose the right irrigation sprinkler system for your needs?

In this article I will try to answer at some questions which arise when you are thinking to install an irrigation system.

Aren’t all sprinkler systems the same?

With any product or service there are always different brands of quality. Be careful, there are a lot of consumer grade products on the market. Thinking that you would like to not repair your irrigation system very often you should think at high quality products, as Hunter for example. Hunter Industries is the world’s leading manufacturer of residential and commercial irrigation equipment, their products being known worldwide for their exceptional features and performance. Rainbird, Nelson, Toro, Weathermatic are other brands well known for their quality too. All these products are latest technology, and this is what you are looking for. But keep in mind that no matter how awesome the technology is, it should be used as part of a complete solution in order to be effective. Be sure that you know the right installation procedures proven to ensure reliable and efficient performance.

Shall I install an irrigation sprinkler by myself?

Yes and … no. If you do it yourself you will enjoy it (100% sure), you will understand the system very well and it will be cheaper BUT it will take longer time than if a contractor will do it for you, it will require hard work and most probably you will not design and set up the system as well as a long time experience contractor.

How long will it take to install a sprinkler system?

Depending on the system size and type, soil condition, time of the year, the area type (hills area or with a lot of trees) it can take few hours up 2 days. A residential area usually takes 1 day.

Should I think at the maintenance from the beginning?

Annually you will need to winterize your system against freezing. Look for a company which provides this kind of services, which includes blowing out the lines in the fall and then restarting the system in the spring and any other necessary adjustments.

Will the installing procedures damage my lawn? How long it will take for it to recover?

Depending on the technology you use to install the sprinkler, your lawn can be less or more damage. You will not need to worry about the mess and the inconvenience caused by PVC pipe placement if you choose to have a sprinkler system installed through trenchless technology.

How much a sprinkler system costs?

The irrigation sprinkler system’s cost depends on few factors:

- The size of the yard - if you have a larger garden or a grass lawn, you'll definitely need a good quality spray nozzle or sprinkler. For small areas, the most efficient is rotary sprinkler that waters the lawn from the tips of few spray arms that spin.

- The source of the water – wells or water city, local ponds or rivers, all of them could be used as water source for an irrigation system. You need to know the water pressure and flow rate; these are measured in a different way for different water source.

- The concept of the system – depending on the zones of the sprinkler, your system can be les or more expensive. For some yards it is impossible to water all the area with the same sprinkler. The entire area should be divided in zones in this case, and a pipe network should be used.

- The type of the sprinkler system needed – it can be a low cost sprinkler system (as little as $20) or a high price one. Of course you get what you pay for. A low cost sprinkler usually wastes a lot of water; require turning the water on/off manually and moving the sprinkler around the yard to guarantee that entire area is properly watered. On the other side, an automatic underground lawn sprinkler system costs more, but it is completely programmable; what you have to do is to set up the timings and the system will turn on/off the system at certain times.

There are a lot of companies ready to customize the irrigation system for your needs. If you do not have a lot of experience in this field, it’s wise to request a quote from a sprinkler company.