A home irrigation system is a network of pipes, valves, and emitters designed to deliver water directly to your landscape. This automated approach replaces inefficient hoses and sprinklers, offering the dual benefits of water conservation and convenience. Automated schedules prevent overwatering and ensure plants receive moisture exactly when necessary, maintaining a healthy and vibrant outdoor space.
Calculating Needs and Designing the Layout
The design phase begins with an evaluation of your water supply’s capabilities, specifically its flow rate and pressure. Flow rate, measured in gallons per minute (GPM), is determined using a simple bucket test: timing how long it takes to fill a container of known volume from your main spigot. This maximum GPM value limits the size of any single watering zone in your design.
You must also measure your static water pressure, usually in pounds per square inch (PSI), by attaching a pressure gauge to the outdoor spigot with all other water sources turned off. The system design, particularly the number of heads that can run simultaneously, must respect both the available PSI and the GPM maximum. Exceeding your supply limits results in low pressure and poor spray patterns.
Mapping your yard is the next step, identifying distinct areas based on plant type, sun exposure, and soil conditions to establish “hydrozones.” Hydrozoning groups plants with similar water requirements together, ensuring high-water-demand turf is separated from low-water-use shrubs, for example. This zoning dictates whether you use drip irrigation (ideal for containers and planting beds) or traditional spray and rotor heads (best suited for turf areas).
Required Tools and Core System Components
Installation requires gathering specialized tools and the core components of the operational system. Essential tools include a pipe cutter for clean cuts on PVC or poly tubing, appropriate solvent cement and primer for PVC connections, and shovels or a trencher for excavating the pipe runs. A wire stripper and waterproof wire connectors are also necessary for the electrical connections to the system controller.
The system requires several fundamental components, starting with a backflow prevention device. This device is often mandated by code to prevent contaminated irrigation water from siphoning back into the household water supply. Next is the main line piping, typically rigid PVC or flexible polyethylene (poly), which connects the water source to the control valves. These control valves, which can be manual or electric solenoid-activated, divide the main line into individual watering zones.
These valves are wired to an irrigation controller or timer, which automates the watering schedule. Finally, the emission devices—such as spray heads, rotors, or drip emitters—are selected based on the hydrozone’s needs. Component selection must match the calculated flow and pressure capabilities of your water source to ensure efficiency.
Installing the System: From Trenching to Testing
Physical installation begins by connecting the system to the water source and installing the backflow preventer immediately downstream. Before breaking ground, you must contact the local utility location service (811) to mark all underground lines. Ignoring this step creates a safety hazard and risks costly damage to utilities.
Residential irrigation lines are typically buried at a depth of eight to twelve inches to protect them from surface activity and freezing temperatures. The trenches should be dug to a uniform depth, and the main line and lateral lines are laid according to the design plan. PVC pipe sections are joined using primer and cement, while poly tubing is connected using barbed fittings and clamps.
Once the pipes are laid, electric solenoid valves are installed at the beginning of each zone, and low-voltage wire is run from each valve back to the controller location. Before attaching any sprinkler heads or drip emitters, the system must be thoroughly flushed by temporarily opening the ends of the lateral lines. Flushing uses water pressure to expel dirt, debris, or plastic shavings introduced during construction that would otherwise clog the emission devices.
After flushing, the sprinkler heads or drip emitters are installed, ensuring pop-up heads sit flush with the soil surface. The trenches can then be backfilled, and the system is subjected to an initial pressure test by running each zone individually for several minutes to check for leaks at fittings and connections. Repairing these leaks before the ground fully settles is important for long-term system performance.
Programming Schedules and Maintaining Efficiency
The final step involves programming the irrigation controller to maximize water efficiency based on the established hydrozones. Scheduling involves setting run times that consider the specific soil type and the plants’ needs. For instance, heavy clay soil requires shorter, repeated watering cycles to allow for slow absorption and prevent runoff, a practice known as “cycle and soak.”
Seasonal adjustments are necessary to maintain efficiency, as warmer months require longer run times to compensate for increased evapotranspiration. Conversely, schedules must be reduced or paused during cooler periods or following rainfall events. Many modern controllers use weather data or soil moisture sensors to automate these seasonal changes.
Long-term maintenance includes periodically checking sprinkler heads for proper alignment and physical damage, ensuring they are not spraying sidewalks or structures. In colder climates, winterization involves draining the system or using an air compressor to “blow out” remaining water to prevent freeze damage to pipes and valves. Regularly inspecting and cleaning filters, especially in drip systems, ensures consistent flow and pressure across all zones.