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How to Design a Water Efficient Sprinkler System

You need to design a water efficient sprinkler system for homeowners no matter where they live in the U.S. and Canada. Municipalities are setting up stricter rules on water conservation, and water rates are rising. Efficient irrigation systems for homeowners are a must.

Designing an Efficient Irrigation System

There are many reasons to plan a water efficient sprinkler system. The biggest reasons center on:
  • Following local and state watering ordinances
  • Avoiding fines associated with an inefficient irrigation system
  • Lower water bills
  • Promoting healthy lawns and landscapes while using the least amount of water possible
  • Water conservation, including local waterways.

Why You Must Design a Water Efficient Irrigation System

For homeowners to conserve water for the above reasons, it’s vital that you, the irrigation contractor, design lawn and landscape sprinkler systems that correlate with what the homeowner needs and wants.

You should also include in your design for future expansion or any changes you foresee with a developing residential lawn and landscape.

How to Design and Build an Efficient Water Sprinkler System

As you know, designing an efficient water sprinkler system has many steps, including getting your client’s, the homeowner, approval. Depending on where you live within the U.S. and Canada, you may also need to submit plans to local authorities for approval as well.

So, you need to complete the following steps:
1.  Evaluate the property, take measurements, and talk to the homeowner about what he/she needs and wants in a lawn and landscape sprinkler system. Ask the homeowner where utility lines are on the property too, or call 811.

2.  Then, you draw up a design to get the appropriate plants in the right spots for hydrozoning. You can’t do much about turf—except knowing that areas in shady spots don’t need as much water as those in full sun and on sloping areas.

3.  Improve the soil where you can so it absorbs water and keeps it in the ground longer. Then set up flowerbeds and other landscaped areas according to the hydrozone plan.

4.  For dripline irrigation, choose between drippers, bubblers, soakers (inline emitters) and micro-sprayers. Customize each one to meet the various plants’ needs. Remember not to mix different emitters in the same zone — place drippers, bubblers, soakers, or micro-sprayers in different hydrozones as appropriate.

5.  Next, you want to design the pop-up sprinkler heads to deliver water in a full, half or a quarter circle based on the lawn’s watering needs, property size and hydrozones.

Tips: Make sure you arrange the sprinkler heads so where one ends the other begins without overlapping. Make sure you use sprinkler heads from the same irrigation manufacturer.

6.  Consider installing rotor sprinklers since they’re more efficient than regular sprinkler heads. The water emits slower out of the rotary nozzle than it does out of a sprinkler nozzle. Rotor sprinkler heads work well in smaller lawns and narrow turf areas.

7.  Now to consider water pressure. If the water pressure is too high, then there will be a lot of water drift. If the water pressure is too high or low, you could have some dry lawn areas. Adjust water pressure using the appropriate irrigation equipment.

8.  Make sure you include overspray prevention. Nothing wastes water like a sprinkler system spraying water on sidewalks, parking lots, driveways and other hardscapes. Make sure you build an irrigation system with no chance of overspray.

9.  Finally, it’s time to add those accessories and parts that reduce water usage. These parts include:

Why You Need K-Rain Irrigation Parts to Build a Water Efficient Sprinkler System

You can build an efficient water sprinkler system for both lawns and landscapes when you use K-Rain products. Our engineers design and manufacture irrigation parts using the latest technology to reduce water usage in irrigation systems.

Plus, you can join our Premier Contractor Program created to save you money when you invest in K-Rain sprinkler products for all of your sprinkler system designs.

This post is an overview of designing and building an efficient residential sprinkler system. You can read more on efficient irrigation systems by going to these sources:
Written by K-Rain
12/19/2022
Water Efficiency

How to Design a Water Efficient Sprinkler System

You need to design a water efficient sprinkler system for homeowners no matter where they live in the U.S. and Canada. Municipalities are setting up stricter rules on water conservation, and water rates are rising. Efficient irrigation systems for homeowners are a must.

Designing an Efficient Irrigation System

There are many reasons to plan a water efficient sprinkler system. The biggest reasons center on:
  • Following local and state watering ordinances
  • Avoiding fines associated with an inefficient irrigation system
  • Lower water bills
  • Promoting healthy lawns and landscapes while using the least amount of water possible
  • Water conservation, including local waterways.

Why You Must Design a Water Efficient Irrigation System

For homeowners to conserve water for the above reasons, it’s vital that you, the irrigation contractor, design lawn and landscape sprinkler systems that correlate with what the homeowner needs and wants.

You should also include in your design for future expansion or any changes you foresee with a developing residential lawn and landscape.

How to Design and Build an Efficient Water Sprinkler System

As you know, designing an efficient water sprinkler system has many steps, including getting your client’s, the homeowner, approval. Depending on where you live within the U.S. and Canada, you may also need to submit plans to local authorities for approval as well.

So, you need to complete the following steps:
1.  Evaluate the property, take measurements, and talk to the homeowner about what he/she needs and wants in a lawn and landscape sprinkler system. Ask the homeowner where utility lines are on the property too, or call 811.

2.  Then, you draw up a design to get the appropriate plants in the right spots for hydrozoning. You can’t do much about turf—except knowing that areas in shady spots don’t need as much water as those in full sun and on sloping areas.

3.  Improve the soil where you can so it absorbs water and keeps it in the ground longer. Then set up flowerbeds and other landscaped areas according to the hydrozone plan.

4.  For dripline irrigation, choose between drippers, bubblers, soakers (inline emitters) and micro-sprayers. Customize each one to meet the various plants’ needs. Remember not to mix different emitters in the same zone — place drippers, bubblers, soakers, or micro-sprayers in different hydrozones as appropriate.

5.  Next, you want to design the pop-up sprinkler heads to deliver water in a full, half or a quarter circle based on the lawn’s watering needs, property size and hydrozones.

Tips: Make sure you arrange the sprinkler heads so where one ends the other begins without overlapping. Make sure you use sprinkler heads from the same irrigation manufacturer.

6.  Consider installing rotor sprinklers since they’re more efficient than regular sprinkler heads. The water emits slower out of the rotary nozzle than it does out of a sprinkler nozzle. Rotor sprinkler heads work well in smaller lawns and narrow turf areas.

7.  Now to consider water pressure. If the water pressure is too high, then there will be a lot of water drift. If the water pressure is too high or low, you could have some dry lawn areas. Adjust water pressure using the appropriate irrigation equipment.

8.  Make sure you include overspray prevention. Nothing wastes water like a sprinkler system spraying water on sidewalks, parking lots, driveways and other hardscapes. Make sure you build an irrigation system with no chance of overspray.

9.  Finally, it’s time to add those accessories and parts that reduce water usage. These parts include:

Why You Need K-Rain Irrigation Parts to Build a Water Efficient Sprinkler System

You can build an efficient water sprinkler system for both lawns and landscapes when you use K-Rain products. Our engineers design and manufacture irrigation parts using the latest technology to reduce water usage in irrigation systems.

Plus, you can join our Premier Contractor Program created to save you money when you invest in K-Rain sprinkler products for all of your sprinkler system designs.

This post is an overview of designing and building an efficient residential sprinkler system. You can read more on efficient irrigation systems by going to these sources:
Written by K-Rain
12/19/2022
Water Efficiency