Irrigation System for Home Landscape

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Irrigation System for Home Landscape

• Developed by
• Dr. Teri Hamlin
• Georgia Department of Education

2
Planning

• Before installing a permanent irrigation system,
  you'll need to
• See if your locality requires a building permit.
  
• Check for underground utilities before digging.
• The North America One Call Referral Service at
  1-888-258-0808 connects you to a national
  directory of utility companies.
• Research your local municipal watering ordinances.

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Planning

• In order to purchase the right components, you'll
  also have to determine your own specific
• Water pressure in pounds per square inch (psi).
• Water meter size (for a municipal system) or well
  pump size (for a well).
• Water service line size.
• Water flow rate in gallons per minute (GPM).
• Type of backflow prevention required by local
  code.

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Determining Water Pressure

• Working Water Pressure
• PSI (pounds per square inch)
• Local Municipality source

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Determining Water Meter Size

• Imprinted on Meter
• Meter Size 5/8, ¾ or 1
• Well water source obtain pump size

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Determining Service Line Size

• To match the size of irrigation pipe to your
  existing water service, you'll need to know the
  size of your incoming supply line. To do so
• Get a piece of string.
• Wrap it once around the water pipe.
• Measure the length and compare to the given
  chart.

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Conversion Pipe Chart
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Determining Flow Rate

• This is measured in gallons per minute
• Get a container that has a measurable or known
  capacity.
• Turn on the water.
• Record the time it takes to fill to a measurable
  level.
• Divide the filled container size (in gallons) by
  time (in seconds) it takes to fill it.
• Multiply it by 60 seconds.
• The number you get is the flow rate in gallons
  per minute (GPM). (Multiply that number by 60 if
  you need to determine gallons per hour).

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Determining Flow Rates

• Examples
• A 3-gallon bucket takes 15 seconds to fill.
• 3 15 0.2
• 0.2 x 60 12 GPM or 720 GPH.
• A 4-gallon bucket takes 30 seconds to fill.
• 4 30 0.13
• 0.13 x 60 7.8 GPM or 468 GPH.

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Determining Backflow Requirements

• Refer to local ordinances for backflow prevention
  requirements
• Prevent contaminated water getting back into main
  water supply
• Most require a double check value at point of
  connection

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Mapping Out the Irrigation System

• Things to Consider
• Flower beds or mulched areas
• Trees
• Sidewalks
• Fences and other man-made features
• Slopes
• Areas of sun and shade
• These factors and the GPM will determine the
  number of zones needed
• A zone (or circuit) is an independently contained
  set of pipe and sprinkler heads.

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Mapping Out Irrigation System

• Measure and plot property to scale on graph
  paper.
• The map should include the house and all
  permanent landscape features.
• Mark on the map where the water meter is located.

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Mapping Out the Irrigation System

• Mark on Map
• Landscape features
• Prevailing winds
• Slopes
• Manifold location
• Electric, Gas Water Lines

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Mapping Out the Irrigation System
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Coverage

• Goal 100 coverage
• Overlap Spray Pattern
• Head to Head Coverage

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Head Selection

• Amount Coverage Needed
• Type of Plants
• Height of Plants
• Type of Heads
• Pop Up Style Heads
• Shrub Sprinklers
• Mixing head types in one zone decreases
  efficiency.
• Always use the same type of head for each zone.
• GPM will determine number of heads per zone

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GPM will determine number heads per zone
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Primary Parts of Irrigation System

• Valves open and close pipes to allow watering of
  each zone.
• Head styles vary based on the water requirements
  of the plantings and your water supply. Sprinkler
  heads are rated according to the GPM they can
  supply water at your particular psi.
• Risers connect pipe to sprinkler heads.
• Fittings or couplings, such as tees and elbows,
  connect and redirect pipe.

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Primary Parts of Irrigation System

• A manual control should be able to maintain
  several areas with differing needs.
• A backflow preventer is an anti-siphon device
  that's required in most areas.
• Timers allow presetting of the on/off function of
  the system.
• The valve manifold is the master control of the
  system.
• Pipe choice depends on the region you live in.
  You'll use either PVC or polyethylene pipe.

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Which Pipe Do I Use?

• Polyvinyl chloride (or PVC) pipe
• Most commonly used in Georgia
• Polyethylene
• More flexible and used in colder climates
• Installation Pipe puller or trench area

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Digging

• Hand
• Trencher
• 8-12 deep
• Heads retract underground
• Before you dig
• Stake out line location
• Flag head location

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Assembly

• Connecting PVC Pipe
• Cut the pipe to length. Make your cut straight so
  the pipe is fully seated in the fitting.
• Insert the pipe into the fitting and adjust to
  the correct position. Mark the pipe and fitting
  with a reference line to make it easy to find the
  position again after you have added the cement.
  
• Remove the pipe, clean the surfaces, brush both
  the outside of the pipe and the inside of the
  fitting with hot glue/cement.
• Push the pipe into the fitting with the marks 1/4
  turn apart. Twist the pipe to align the marks.
  This spreads the cement and makes a bead along
  the edge of the fitting. The bead should extend
  all the way around the pipe.

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Connecting Heads

• Most heads thread onto riser
• Important to flush debris from line before
  connecting heads
• Install swing joint riser to give your head some
  flexibility upon impact

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Selecting Nozzles

• For slopes and compacted soils, select a nozzle
  with a lower precipitation rate.
• For windy areas, select a nozzle with a low
  nozzle outlet trajectory.
• To achieve even water distribution without having
  to separate part-circle from full-circle
  sprinklers, select a nozzle set that features a
  matched precipitation rate.
• For flexibility with spray heads, select a nozzle
  with an adjustable or variable arc.

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Connecting the System to the Service Line

• 2 ways
• Connect valve to existing outdoor faucet
• Connect directly to service line
• Steps
• Shut off water supply
• B/W Main shut off and house cut 1 section out of
  service line
• Install compression tee fitting and additional
  valve to allow the systems water supply to be
  controlled independently

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Install Backflow Value

• Prevents
• Water being siphoned back into supply
• Reverse pressure
• Chemical from lawn to enter water supply

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Control System

• One control value per zone
• A manifold groups the values
• Timer controls zone
• Know number of zones needed before selecting a
  timer
• Programmed frequency and duration of watering

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Sprinkler Maintenance

• Plants need minimum of 1 water per week during
  growing season how long do you run your
  sprinkler to get 1 water?
• Place rain gauge under each zone and time
• Routine check for clogged heads
• Winterize blow out residual water

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