The system of pipes that run under your yard transports water to the strategically placed retractable lawn sprinklers. No more lugging around a hose or attempting to position a bulky sprinkler attachment. If you are curious as to how your home’s sprinkler system works, then keep on reading.
The Basics of Your Lawn Sprinkler System
Your yard’s sprinkler heads distribute water across your lawn, and they operate on a pressure system. This pressure system allows pressure to build up in the pipes, which causes the sprinkler heads to extend and shoot water out in a pre-determined spray arc. When the water pressure stops, the lawn sprinklers retract back underground. This allows them to be out of the way of lawnmowers or your feet if you walk over their path.
Lawn sprinkler heads that are located in garden beds are usually raised-head-type heads. This means that they permanently stay above ground. Having these can be a good way of making sure that your gardens get watered without getting clogged by mulch and dirt. However, on an open lawn, this may not be the best idea.
Most up-to-date sprinkler systems have a control box allowing you to program times for the sprinklers to run and control what areas go off and for how long. You can invest in sensors that will override a specific scheduled time if it is already raining, this prevents you from wasting water.
While there are many different ways to design and set up your lawn sprinkler system, they operate on the same basic concept and utilize the same components. At the heart of the lawn irrigation system is the need to harness the power of the irrigation system and have better control over the flow of water.
Types of Water Sources
When you have an in-ground lawn sprinkler system, it is pretty simple and straightforward. The system kicks on when the control is activated, and the water flows through the pipes and out of the sprinkler heads. However, one question may rest on your mind, where does the water come from?
With an in-ground sprinkler system, you can get water from two sources usually. This depends on the system design, the location of your property, the site setup, and what is available to you. Essentially you have a choice of either a pump system or a metered water system. Here is a little more information about both systems.
- Metered Water System: This system typically connects directly to your home’s existing water system. Even though this involves an additional water cost, it is often easier to perform work on this system and you can keep it in great shape for a longer period of time. Issues such as filtration, damage, and other repairs are less troublesome to get repaired with this system.
- Pump System: These systems work by pulling in water from an underground well. This allows homeowners in Columbia, IL to run their lawn sprinkler system as they need, without increasing any additional water bills. This is because the water is not counted on their monthly meter readings.
Lawn Sprinkler Systems Require Maintenance
No matter what type of system you have, you will need to get regular maintenance in order to keep your system working at its best. This is why our team of professionals at Diversified Services is here to help make sure your lawn sprinkler system is working its best. If you have any questions or want us to come out and look at your system, give our team a call today!
