Having green grass is key to a lawn with beautiful curb appeal — but it can also be extremely time consuming to drag a regular sprinkler all around the yard to ensure that your lawn looks nice. Since it can be expensive to get a sprinkler installed by a professional, you can cut costs by doing it on your own. Check out the following tips to make installation a little simpler. (Keep in mind that sprinkler installation is not the easiest DIY project, but it can definitely be done. Plus, the money you will save makes it well worth it in the end.)
- Obtain Design Plans:
Most companies that create home irrigation systems have premade design plans that are very easy to follow and understand. Knowing this, simply visit your local hardware store and pick one up. If the design appears too complicated, this may be the time to consider hiring a professional. However, if you feel like you can get the job done, make sure that you are really in need of this irrigation system. Different variables such as your type of grass and your typical weather conditions are factors that could affect your decision and the necessity of such a project. Also, keep in mind that the typical lawn zone requires 15 to 22 gallons of water per minute. Larger lawns will require even more gallons of water. This is obviously a lot of water, so make sure that you are willing to pay the large water bill that this will surely confer.
- Do Your Research:
Before you start digging into your lawn, it is critical that you first check to see if you need a building permit in order to install the sprinkler system. Additionally, you should call your city for information about utilities that may be underground. By all this research ahead of time, you can ensure that you will not break and city ordinances or cause any major damages to your home and lawn.
- Choosing the Type of Sprinkler:
This is a crucial step for many reasons. For one, you want to make sure that you get full water coverage of your lawn and avoid any dry spots. Each sprinkler is designed for a specific need. For example, if you have a lawn with many sidewalks and walkways, you may want to purchase sprinklers that target a specific area and do not spray water everywhere. Pop-up sprinklers are a good choice if you want the whole thing to be hidden underground until the irrigation begins. If you choose to install this type of sprinkler, be sure that it is completely hidden underground before it pops up so that it is not stepped on or run over by lawn care machinery.
- Digging:
Digging is one of the most time-consuming parts of installing a sprinkler system. A simple way to dramatically cut back on this process is to rent a trencher. The price for such a rental ranges depending on the specific type of trencher you need and how long you will need it. For this, you’ll need to do some further research in order to determine if this to see if this is a good option for you. Remember that you do not need to dig your trench any deeper than a foot, but it still should be deep enough to allow pop-up sprinklers to be completely hidden in the ground. Typically, a trench will need to be about six inches deep.
- Ongoing Maintenance:
Once your system is installed, it’s important to keep an eye on your lawn in order to gauge how effective your installation is. Are you noticing certain areas that are brown or dry? Do you have areas that appear to be overwatered? If the former is the issue that you notice, it may be the case that you have a clogged sprinkler head or pipe. By keeping a close eye on your system, you can fix these problems before they turn into larger issues. If you notice persistent problems, it may be time to call in a professional to take a look at the system. While this will cost you some money, it is better to get the system fixed than to have wasted your valuable time and money on installing the sprinklers in the first place.
Written by Mike West, owner of WestCo Grounds Maintenance, a ground maintenance with extensive experience installing irrigation systems in the Jefferson City and Columbia MO areas.