Lawn Sprinker System

Lawn Sprinker System

by David Barth, written in 1987

Introduction
Watering the lawn during the summer months can be a chore. In the past, homeowners have had two choices when it comes to watering. They can move hoses and sprinklers all over the lawn throughout the season, or they can install a very complicated and expensive buried watering system. Neither of these options may be for you. This booklet provides you with a third alternative: a watering system which is inexpensive, easy to install, and automatic.

This system has been used to successfully put in a new lawn. Grass seed needs plenty of water every day during warm weather to get it to grow properly, and this system can do that whether you are at home, at work, or on vacation. If your lawn is already established, this system can keep it watered at the times and intervals that you choose, even every third day at 2 am.

An automatic system also helps give your home a "lived in" look, even when you’re away. This is an important aspect of maintaining good home security. Now that we have covered several advantages of an automatic watering system, here is a way to install it for little money.

Assessing The Lawn To Be Watered
The lawn area to be watered should be inventoried. This procedure involves sketching your lot on a sheet of paper, and then outlining the areas that have to be watered. The easiest lawn to be watered has one area in front of the house and one area in back.

Strips of grass that run along the sides of the house or driveway are usually difficult to keep green during the hottest time of the year, and they are usually used very little. You might consider covering areas such as this with some decorative gravel, which can improve the appearance of your home as well as reduce the amount of yard work you have to do.

Keeping The Basement And Foundation Dryer
As you look at the layout of the lawn, consider some suggestions that could make watering easier and the foundation dryer. First, does the grass grow right up to the foundation of the house? Such grass is difficult to mow and usually has to be trimmed by hand. Watering the grass that grows next to the foundation can result in water running down the foundation wall into the basement or under the slab, causing a wet basement or, worse yet, heaving of the concrete floor or slab.

One solution is to place gravel, bark, or other substance that does not require water, around the perimeter of the house. If you decide to do this, make sure that the ground within at least three feet of the house slopes away from it so that water from heavy rains (or the lawn sprinkler) will run away from the foundation.

Reducing The Amount Of Yard Work
Replacing the grass next to the foundation with gravel will eliminate or at least reduce the amount of grass trimming that will have to be done. It also reduces the amount of grass that has to be cut and watered. The proper border between the gravel area and the grass can eliminate trimming altogether, reducing the time that needs to be spent on yard work.

Improving Home Security
From a home security standpoint, an intruder will have difficulty keeping quiet when walking on the gravel to get near the house. The gravel will act as a sort of "barrier" to anyone desiring to get near a window when he will have to walk over a noisy gravel surface. It is best not to select large rocks that might be used to smash a window.

Placing Plastic Around The House
After you have made certain that the ground next to the house slopes away from it, you can lay two or more layers of 4 or 6 mil black plastic sheets, extending three or more feet from the foundation. The plastic will help keep grass, weeds, and other plants from growing up through the gravel. Black plastic is recommended because it blocks light better than clear plastic to help prevent plants from growing up through the layers.

Installing Edging Between The Gravel And Grass
Next, place some type of edging material where the plastic ends and the lawn begins. This edging will help keep the gravel out of the lawn. The border that is probably the most maintenance-free is paving blocks. One type is a concrete block about one and one-half inches thick and one foot long by six inches wide. The paving blocks can be placed on the edge of the plastic. The lawn mower can run on the edge of the blocks, eliminating the need for any manual grass trimming. These paving blocks can be obtained in various colors to beautify your home.

Spreading The Gravel
Now, cover the plastic with crushed rock, round river gravel, volcanic rock, bark or other substance. The depth of the rock should be enough that the plastic does not show through. Two or three inches should be sufficient, but a deeper layer should not cause a problem if you have an excess of gravel. Colored rock is usually available in most parts of the country so that you car choose a hue that beautifies as well as serves a purpose.

If you wish, you may plant shrubs or trees in the area of crushed rock as long as you remember to water them as necessary. They have longer roots than grass, so they do not normally require watering as often. The best method of planting them is to dig a low area around the base of the plant so that water can form a pool. This keeps water from running off, and gives it time to soak into the ground under the tree or shrub.

The strips of grass that run down the sides of the house and along the far edge of the driveway can be graveled, also. This reduces the amount of grass that must be mowed and watered. These strips of grass are really more work to keep in shape than they are worth. Replacing them with low-maintenance decorative gravel is usually a superior solution for creating a low-maintenance yard. It is better to remove the sod first. You may rent a sod cutter and sell or otherwise dispose of the sod, or you may simply dig it up, turn it over, and chop up the larger lumps with the shovel prior to laying plastic sheets and gravel. Be sure to make the ground slope away from the house or garage.

Items Needed For The Sprinkler System
The following items are needed to construct one automatic sprinkler system. Most homes require two systems: one in front of the house and one in back. Homes with odd-shaped lots or large areas of lawn may require more than two.

• A pulsating type of sprinkler.
  This would be one that has a base that sits on the lawn. Avoid the type that has a spike that must be pushed into the ground because it may tip over when the soil gets damp. Also try to purchase a heavier model that will not tip or "walk" when the sprinkler is operating. Some of the lightweight plastic models will actually tip over during operation. Having to place a rock on the sprinkler or otherwise fasten it to the ground just creates additional yard work and if the unit tips over, a lot of water can be wasted. A good unit is available at lawn and garden supply stores, and sells for $10 to $25, depending on the quality of the unit you purchase.


• A plastic hose.
  The hose should be of sufficient length to reach from the outside faucet to the center of the lawn area to be watered.


• A battery-powered lawn watering timer.
  These timers are manufactured especially for lawn sprinkler systems. In 1987 this item cost between $10 and $15 at lawn and garden or building supply centers. It often has a manual control that overrides the timer so that it may be operated manually for special situations.


• A washing machine pressure hose.
  This pressure hose will fit between the outside water faucet and the battery-powered timer. Since the faucet is on all the time, the hose needs to be able to contain the water pressure without leaking. A regular garden hose will leak after awlile.


• A "wye" connection.
  This wye is connected to the outside faucet. One side of the wye will connect the faucet to the washing machine hose and the other end will have a hose shut—off valve for you to use whenever you need water from the faucet from a regular hose.


• A hose shutoff valve.
  This shut-off is placed on one side of the wye, mentioned above.

Finding The Best Location For The Sprinkler
Before putting the system together, first connect the garden hose to the pulsating sprinkler head and the outside faucet. Turn on the water and adjust the spray pattern of the sprinkler and its location until you have found the best placement that permits the entire lawn to be watered. It is all right for the sprinkler to water the gravel areas around the house because the water will run down to the lawn if the graveled area has been properly installed and slopes away from the house.

There are two primary ways to position the sprinkler. It may be placed near the center of the lawn and adjusted so that it rotates in a continuous circle, or it may be located at the edge where it can scan back and forth over the lawn. The decision on which location to use depends on the size and shape of the area to be watered.

A general rule of thumb is that if it is impossible to water a certain area, and that area does not have to be in grass, then gravel it or build a sand box at that location for the kids. Remember that garden areas need to be included in the area to be watered.

Installing The Sprinkler System
Once you have found the best location for the sprinkler, you may place the garden hose so that it runs from the timer to the location you have chosen for the sprinkler. There is usually too much hose. I recommend that you cut off the extra hose and put on a new hose end. This gets rid of excess hose.

If the sprinkler location is at the edge of the gravel, the hose can be buried beneath the gravel to hide it. The sprinkler may be tipped by pushing gravel under one side so that its angle is higher on one side to achieve the proper watering pattern.

If the sprinkler is to be located on the lawn, dig a ditch about six inches deep from the point that the hose leaves gravel area next to the house, to the location of the sprinkler. Bury the plastic garden hose in this ditch. This hides the hose and keeps it out of the way for mowing. It also improves the looks of the yard over the usual long snakes of hoses crossing the lawn.

At the sprinkler end, I recommend cutting the hose off just below the ground level, installing a new end on it, then putting on a short, metal forty-five degree angle hose attachment, and then connecting a three foot length of hose from the metal attachment to the sprinkler. The reason for the extra connections is that if you accidentally cut the hose with the lawn mower, you need only replace the short length from the angle connector to the sprinkler. The three-foot hose extension that connects the sprinkler allows you to move the hose during mowing. Also, if the wind blows or there is an area that needs a little extra water (a garden or a dry spot, for example) you can position the sprinkler closer to that area.

Attaching The Parts

• Be sure to install hose washers in each of the female hose ends to keep them from leaking.


• Attach the washing machine pressure hose.
  Screw the pressure hose to the input side of the battery-powered timer valve.


• Attach the wye to the outside faucet. Screw the wye to the outside faucet.


• Attach the hose shut-off valve.
  Screw the hose shut-off valve to one side of the wye.


• Attach the washing machine pressure hose. Screw the washing machine pressure hose to the opposite side of the wye from the shut-off valve.


• Attach the garden hose to the timer.
  Screw the garden hose to the outlet side of the battery-powered timer valve.


• Attach the other end of the garden hose.
  Screw the other end of the garden hose onto the pulsating type sprinkler.

Testing The System
Check the system for leaks. When the timer is set for the proper length of time on the desired schedule, make sure you are present when it is due to turn on. If the system does not work, see "TROUBLE-SHOOTING THE SYSTEM," below.

Trouble-Shooting The System
If the system fails to turn on, check to make sure the timer is set to go on at the proper time. Make sure that the area is being watered properly. Make sure you have inserted fresh batteries into the timer. Insure that the outside faucet that the washing machine pressure hose is connected to is turned on and that there are no shut-off valves between the faucet and the sprinker.

Setting Up Timers For The Front And Back Lawns
To provide maximum water pressure to the system, when you have installed a system at the front of the house and one at the back, it is best to set them so that they do not water at the same time. This will give them the greatest flow of water. Also, it is best to water early in the morning, between midnight and 4 AM when the residential usage is at its lowest.

Seasonal Considerations
When late autumn arrives and a night of freezing temperatures is likely, the system should be disconnected to prevent the valve and the hoses from freezing and possibly being split or damaged. The components should not have to be drained. Simply removing the pressure by disconnecting them and laying them so that excess water runs out should suffice. Hoses that will be left out all winter should have the ends covered with a piece of plastic or a "baggie" with a rubber band or wire tie to secure them to the end of the hose to keep out nesting insects and small animals.

Be sure to turn off the outside faucet and disconnect the timer from the wye connection on the outside faucet. Take the timer into the garage or house, and remove the batteries. The sprinklers can be left in place throughout the winter if they are not in an area that persons will be walking through.

Conclusion
This inexpensive, automatic sprinkler system will not work for every type of lawn. Very large lawns or those with odd shapes may have to use a different approach to watering. It is hoped that these ideas will give you some ideas of your own for reducing the amount of yard work that your home requires.

Disclaimer
This paper does not guarantee that this system will work for your lawn. If you have any questions, consult a professional in the area of home sprinkler systems. Also, if you have any doubts about whether this system is for you, consult professionals in the field to ensure that there will not be any undesirable effects from installation of this system. Check the Yellow Pages for your area to locate sprinkler system professionals.

The contents of this booklet reflect the author's experience and results through research. The author is not engaged in rendering any legal or professional advice. The services of a professional person are recommended if advice or assistance is needed. The author disclaims any personal loss or liability caused by utilization of any information presented herein.