Posts Tagged sprinkler system design
Turn to the Pros for a Professional Sprinkler System Design
Xeriscaping is a water-wise approach to gardening that reduces water use and maintenance in your front and backyards. An efficient sprinkler system design helps you maintain a healthy landscape, saves you money on your water bill, and helps maintain your home’s curb appeal.
Working with a professional sprinkler system design and installation firm has many benefits, including:
- Working with certified designers who can help you create a personalized, economical solution for your sprinkler system.
- Access to experts who understand the most efficient layout for irrigation system elements.
- Layout designs and maps that are minimally invasive.
- Identifying and maximizing coverage zones and spray patterns.
- Accurately measuring the landscape so the job is done right the first time.
Basics of Sprinkler System Design
There’s a lot that goes into designing, installing, and maintaining the right sprinkler system for your home. In addition to the traditional spray system, low water use irrigation systems often utilize features like smart timers and drip systems.
A good irrigation system not only improves water use efficiency, it also protects the water’s quality and is sensitive to the environment. The goal is to maintain a healthy, functional landscape without exceeding minimal water requirements of the plants or the maximum water allowance in your area.
Here are some of the points you should discuss with your sprinkler system designer .
- What are the ideal areas for the plants you want to install and how will the system be designed to avoid wasting water on plants and shrubs that require different needs?
- Is your home’s water pressure able to handle the proposed sprinkler system components? For example, high pressure can cause water to drift and blow away from the area you want to water.
- Does it make sense to install a rain sensor that pauses the system whenever it rains?
- Does the design work to prevent overspray onto patios, decks, driveways, paths, and sidewalks?
You’ll also want a watering schedule for your timed system. One of the greatest recent innovations has been the introduction of smart controllers into sprinkler system design. These systems decrease water use by drawing on data from weather and soil moisture sensors to accurately determine your landscape’s water needs, delivering just enough moisture at just the right time. You can even monitor and control different zones from your mobile device!
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Designing, installing, and maintaining a sprinkler system is not a small investment but it can be a smart one that will serve you for years to come. No one knows better than California homeowners that water is an extremely valuable resource for all our communities. Working with a professional sprinkler system design and installation company like DK Landscaping ensures you get an irrigation system that is perfect for all your landscape needs.
If you’re ready to get started on designing and installing a new water-smart irrigation system for your Sonoma County home, contact us today. We’d love to show you how a sprinkler system creates not only a more beautiful yard but a more beautiful life for you and your family!
Three Irrigation System Maintenance Tips To Grow Green Grass
It is always amazing to see your landscape thrive with green grass. However, the work that goes into ensuring that your landscape remains as healthy as you want it to be should never be ignored. Among the easily forgotten parts of landscaping is the maintenance of irrigation systems. Without enough care, a damaged irrigation system can result in your lawn getting excessively irrigated or failing to get enough water.
Here is how to maintain your irrigation system:
Perform Regular Checkups
You should inspect your irrigation system a couple of times each season. Ideally, the first check should be at the start of the season, with the next one somewhere in the middle. If possible, try checking the system each month. You should confirm that the controller is plugged in and functional, correct the date and time, ensure that the wires and connectors are still connected, and replace the backup batteries. Also, it might be ideal to turn on each individual green grass zone, checking for damage and leaks.
Flush The System Regularly
If left unattended, your irrigation system can become clogged. Clogging can arise from the accumulation of debris, as well as the use of contaminated water and regular wear and tear. Before the start of any season, flush your irrigation system to get rid of this accumulated debris.
This will allow water to flow smoothly through the pipes as well as the nozzles. Aside from flushing, take measures that increase the efficiency of the system’s filtration, install screens on every sprinkler head, and replace any clogged nozzles.
Take Care Of The Sprinkler Heads
Assuming that your irrigation system’s sprinkler heads are in splendid shape can be a mistake. Sprinkler heads go through wear and tear throughout their lifetime, which increases their chances of the sinking or the breaking of the heads.
Some of the key reasons behind wear and tear include damage from lawnmowers, improper installation, shifting of the soil, and regular wear and tear. For you to maintain them optimally, you should replace the missing or damaged heads before proceeding to water your lawn. It is better to install your irrigation system on swing pipes as there is a reduced chance of damage since they ‘float’ within the soil.
A damaged irrigation system might be the reason behind your grass having brown spots, or failing to grow healthily from being overwatered. Other than ensuring that you can enjoy green grass, maintaining your irrigation system also helps preserve water. For a better experience watering your lawn, consider purchasing smart irrigation systems. Contact us for more information.
Irrigation 101: The Importance of a Good Sprinkler System Design
A good sprinkler system is one that satisfies your home’s landscape watering requirements, letting it flourish beautifully while saving large amounts of water and money. The benefits of investing in professional sprinkler system design are numerous:
- You no longer need to worry about watering at the proper times.
- Plants, tree, and ground covers get the right amount of water.
- Over and underwatering is virtually eliminated.
- A healthier landscape improves your home’s value.
Every sprinkler system we design is done with the xeriscape principles of promoting water conservation and reducing the need for regular maintenance in mind.
Plot and plan the perfect sprinkler system design
There’s a lot that goes into designing a good sprinkler system. Flow, working pressure, pipe sizing, water velocity, and friction loss must all be taken into consideration. There’s also valves, timers, and irrigation heads to think about. Add it all up, and it’s easy to see why having a pro handle it is a great idea!
Here’s a brief rundown on how a typical sprinkler system design plan comes together.
Measure and design
The first step in any sprinkler system design is measuring the property then plotting where fixed elements like your home, the driveway, paths, fences, patios, and decks are located. Next, current and future lawns, shrubs, ground covers, trees, and other plantings are added to the drawing. The landscape is then divided into areas such as front yard, back yard, side yard, shrub areas, lawn areas, and so on.
System design capacity
It’s not as complicated as it sounds. To design an automatic sprinkler system, you need to know how much water is available to irrigate your landscape. Most systems are designed to use water supplied by the city or township, but some people draw their water from wells or lakes. Determining capacity involves measuring water pressure (PSI) and water volume (GPM) then using those figures to make sure the most efficient watering system is put in place.
Product selection
Sprinkler heads and valves are two of the most important components. There two broad types of sprinkler heads:
- Rotating stream spray sprinklers that operate by rotating streams of water back and forth or in circles over the landscape.
- Small area fixed spray sprinklers that spray a fan-shaped pattern of water over a fixed radius.
Many homeowners also include a drip system in their sprinkler systems and most designs include a combination of all three types. Which ones are placed in which locations depends on water pressure, space, and area shapes like curved pathways or raised beds.
We’re sometimes asked if one system is less expensive than the other. In our experience, it tends to work out the same. Rotor heads require less pipe and trenches, but the rotors themselves cost more. Spray heads may be less expensive, but they need more pipe, trenches, and valves.
Whichever design you select, the sprinklers are then divided and placed into zones that are irrigated at different times of the day, taking into consideration things like sun exposure, plant types, and watering needs.
Create the perfect xeriscape sprinkler system
A well-designed sprinkler system design is sure to improve the health, appearance, and value of your landscape. If you’d like to learn more about our sprinkler system design services, contact us online or give us a call at 707.280.3632. Our professional team sprinkler design team is ready to give you the cost-effective, efficient, and long-term landscaping irrigation solution you’ve always wanted.
Sprinkler System Design That Saves You Money
When it comes to keeping your landscaping looking lush and healthy, your sprinkler system design could make all the difference. If your plants are getting too much water you may encounter problems such as mold, rotting, and even yellowing of your plants. Likewise, if your plants are not getting enough water, they can quickly turn yellow and brown, dying back and leaving you with large dead patches in your garden.
Sprinkler system design needs to meet all of your plants different water needs. This can be tricky, especially if you have different types of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees, grouped together throughout your garden. A small shrub may need water once a week, whilst the small annual flowers you have growing around the shrub may need to be watered daily, finding that balance can be hard.
Why Hire a Gardener or Landscape Team for Your Sprinkler System Design
There are many complexities when it comes to the best sprinkler system design for your garden, hiring an experienced gardener will ensure that your garden is having its exact watering needs met. Here are some of the things a good gardener will look for when it comes to sprinkler systems.
- When it comes to sprinklers there are many different types, choosing the right sprinkler head can make sure that your garden is getting the right amount of water, protecting your plants from too much or too little water. An experienced gardener or landscape expert will know which sprinkler head to use, in which areas of your garden.
- Water pressure needs to be considered when it comes to a sprinkler system, your water pressure should be evaluated and upgrades to the system should be made to account for either a lack of pressure, or too much pressure.
- Pipes will need to be placed throughout your lawn and garden. By having a professional design the pipe layout and lay the pipes, you can be sure that your current garden and lawn will be protected. You will also have peace of mind knowing that your systems pipe design will help you reduce your water usage, whilst providing your garden with the water it needs.
- When it comes to your sprinkler system design the placement of each sprinkler head is important. As previously mentioned there will be areas in your garden that need less water, while other plants or areas may need a lot of water on a daily basis. By accounting for run off, sprinkler direction, and which plants need more or less watering, an experienced gardener can place your sprinkler heads in the right position to benefit all plants in your garden.
- If you would like your sprinkler system design to be as low maintenance as possible, you may want a system that is automated. Hiring a gardener to design, install, and set up your system will make sure that your sprinkler system is running at a time that gives your garden the best chance of soaking up the water. This will make sure that you are not losing valuable water to the heat of the day, or causing disease to spread through your garden.
Contact Us Today for Your Sprinkler System Design
If you have been considering sprinkler system design for your home or business, contact our landscape maintenance company today. Our team of garden and landscape experts can help you get the best sprinkler system design, keeping your garden and landscape healthy no matter the season.
