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| Step 1: Turn off the water to the sprinkler system at the meter. | |
| Step 2: Locate and dig around head down to where the head is connected to the supply pipe. (Be careful not to damage pipe or possible wires located around the head) |
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| Step 3: Unscrew old head trying not to get dirt or debris in the pipe. |
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| Step 4: Place first threaded connector onto the supply
line. Use Teflon tape on all threaded connection, this will
prevent water from leaking at these connection points.
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| Step 5: Adjust the length of the swing pipe as needed. Use utility knife to cut the pipe and reconnect it to the connection point. | |
| Step 6: Firmly connect the new head to the swing pipe. The other end of the swing pipe can be connected to the fitting on the supply line. |
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| Step 7: Place new head in the correct position and cover only ¼ of the way with dirt. Turn on water and inspect the head for leaks as it is running. | |
| Step 8: Place new head at the correct depth and replace dirt around it. |
Once the new head is working it is time to adjust it. Depending on the type of sprinkler head it should come with a specialized tool from the manufacturer. In some cases a small flat screwdriver will work as well. This tool will control the arc of the spray so you can adjust the area that it will cover. Also use this tool to adjust the pattern to fit the specific area; if your area calls for a full circle, half, or quarter you can adjust the pattern to avoid over spray into the street or driveway.
Try to make sure that the sprinkler head is at least two inches in from the edge of any curb, sidewalk or other surface you will maintain with a power edger. If you place the head directly against the edge, an edger or weed-trimmer may damage it. Install the sprinkler heads where they are even with the level of the soil, not to the level of the turf or higher. If the sprinkler head is too high, your lawn mower will cut it or damage it every time you mow.
There are four basic types of sprinkler heads: pop-up spray and rotor heads, impact rotors, gear-driven rotors and large turf rotors which are for commercial golf courses and large fields.
One of the most common types of sprinkler heads in the home landscape is the pop-up head. Pop-up spray heads are designed to supply a continuous stream of water. There are a variety of nozzles that can be used which have a variety of distribution patterns that you can set to meet the landscape needs. Pop-up spray heads are designed to cover relatively small areas with a spray radius of between 3 to 15 feet.
Impact rotors are designed to cover larger areas than pop-up spray heads; the spray radius for most rotors is 20 to 150 feet. These are the heads that we automatically think of when we hear the sound of an older system, because when they are running, they can be quite loud when the swinging arm strikes the body of the rotor. You can set the spray pattern from as little as a 40 degree angle to 360 degrees.
Many impact rotors are being replaced by gear driven motors. Their closed body design prevents dirt and other debris from getting in and clogging them up, and their low cost, quiet operation and versatility make them a popular option. These gear-driven rotors have a radius that ranges from 18 to 55 feet and an arc rotation from 40 to 360 degrees.
Another upgrade:
A worthwhile addition to your sprinkler system is a rain sensor.
New technology in sensors can produce 25% water savings. These are
easily installed with new or older systems. They are usually
located near the controller of your system and monitor the
rainfall. This prevents the system from coming on when it is
raining. Everyone has seen it pouring down rain and the sprinkler
system is still running. This is a waste of water and money.
Now that your system is up and working, don’t set it to run daily. Know the water needs of your yard and use it efficiently. Watering deeply, but infrequently is best. To insure that the water penetrates the soil instead of running off, divide the length of time each zone runs in half, and run through the whole system twice. Avoid watering during peak demand times—5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. When everyone is showering, doing a load of clothes, or running the dishwasher, water pressure may not be at its peak. Do try to water early in the day to allow the water to get to the root zone of the plant before they need it and to avoid losing water to evaporation or wind. You can water from 3:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. or 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Avoid watering at night. Having wet foliage at night can lead to disease issues. Test your system again mid-summer.
Avoid watering during afternoon hours. Water is lost to wind and evaporation
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© 2006 |
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University of Arkansas • Division of Agriculture |
Mission
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Disclaimer
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EEO
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Sprinkler Systems
If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, your first step is to
test it. Manually run your sprinkler system as you start it each
season. Monitor the amount of water coming out of each head. Make
sure you don’t have any sprinkler heads that are dribbling or
shooting geysers, or heads that are spraying water into the street
or driveway. Check for runoff. If water starts running down the
street soon after the system comes on, the volume is too strong.
Knowing the range of your heads is important, because sprinkler
heads need to have an overlapping pattern to make sure that all
areas of the landscape are getting the same amount of water. One
easy way to test this is to place tuna cans randomly in the
sprinkler zone and turn it on. Time the spray for 15 minutes and
then measure the water in all the cans. If there is a huge
difference in rates, your system needs help. Even if everything
seems to be going out as planned, if your system is more than 5-10
years old, water efficiency has drastically changed with sprinkler
heads and you could save up to 30% in water savings just by
replacing older, less efficient heads. They are continually making
improvements on the materials which increase the durability of
sprinkler heads while decreasing their costs. Advances in nozzle
design can decrease overspray and runoff and reduce susceptibility
to losses from wind. 
If you have sprinkler heads that need to be replaced, this is an
easy do it yourself project. Dig carefully around the existing
sprinkler head, using caution as you near the water line. If you
dig too freely, you may cut sprinkler lines, which means more work
for you. If your old heads are on swing joints, you simply unscrew
the old head and replace it with a new more efficient head. If they
are on older rigid tubing, you will have a little more work, but you
should replace the tubing which holds the head to flexible tubing
called a swing joint. If you run over a spray head with a lawn mower
or a car and have used a swing joint, the risk of damaging the pipe
or fitting in the ground is not really an issue because the material
is flexible and will give with the impact. The swing joint
literally moves or swings out of the way when objects such as a car
or lawnmower impact the sprinkler. To add a swing joint and install
new heads you will need some tools. Tools you need are: Teflon tape,
PVC glue, utility knife or plastic pipe cutter, then the swing
joints, new sprinkler head and nozzle. Again, sprinkler experts can
help you decide which nozzles are right for your situation. 
