What You’ll Need to Know Before Installing Your Sprinklers

It takes some patience and the proper preparation to install your own sprinkler system. It will save homeowners a lot of money to do the work on their own, and it is possible with the proper equipment. Follow this guide to installing a sprinkler system in your yard.

You should have a map of how your system needs to be laid out. Using this map as a guide, the first step is to plant a flag at each spot where there will be a sprinkler head. Using a string to make a straight line between each sprinkler head, spray paint the path that you will need to dig up to lay out the pipe.

Once the system is mapped out on the yard, it is time to dig the irrigating trenches. These trenches should be somewhere between six inches to one foot in depth. Keep an eye out for random underground equipment such as mining pumps. Once the trenches have been dug, then you will lay out the PVC pipe that transports the water through the system. Make sure to fit the PVC pipe snugly at each juncture. Any leaks in the system can lead to flooding, forcing you to come back later to dig up the yard at the spot of the leak.

Once you have all the PVC piping laid out, you can install the sprinkler heads at the designated areas. This is another step in which you will want to ensure that there are no leaks. Make sure to attach the sprinkler heads to the system securely to ensure the best water pressure and reduce the chances of a leak.

Once the system has been laid out throughout the yard, it is time to hook it up to the main water supply. You will have to shut the outside water off while you do this. Once the sprinkler system is hooked up to the main water supply, turn the system on to flush out any air in the lines. Follow the pipes along the path the water flows. Look for leaks or any sprinkler heads that are not putting out a steady flow.

Once every part of the system looks good, it is time to cover up the system. Repack the dirt around the sprinkler heads and the PVC piping. Reseed the dirt with grass to fix the damage caused by digging. You can also accelerate the process by laying out new sod instead.

If you want your sprinkler system to work well, approach each of these steps with attention to detail. This will lead to a well installed system that will keep your yard looking great.