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And that doesn’t include the fact that I now know how to winterize it in the late fall and how to get it ready each spring (something that people often pay $75-$150 a year to have an irrigation company do). It also stands to reason that since I know how the system works, I should theoretically be able to repair things or add onto it should I ever need to.


But yeah, not the smoothest project I’ve ever done. Perhaps I should dip into that savings for a massage to try to work out that persistent shoulder kink… .


Watering the lawn and garden is a thankless chore, and it tends to be especially wasteful if done with a hose in one hand and a beer in the other. Irrigation systems have made home watering simpler and more efficient, and while the bulk of any sprinkler system revolves around plastic pipes and a set of motorized valves attached to the water supply, the brains of the operation has always been in the controller.For decades, sprinkler controllers have hardly been elegant devices.


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This is rapidly changing, as smart sprinkler controllers enter the market. These have come from two angles: Startups looking to disrupt the market with brand-new devices, and old-guard irrigation companies that have upgraded their gear with smart innards. Both approaches to date have shown some merit. Here are our takes on the best gear on the market today.


(Note: There is also an 8-zone model that sells for $249.99). Once again, there’s no contest: The Rachio 3 succeeds the second-generation Rachio as the best smart sprinkler controller on the market. lawn watering system.The new model is even easier to install, and the company has made various improvements to its already terrific app.




Unlike Rachio, Orbit has been in this business for more than 40 years, and the B-hyve marks its big entry to the smart sprinkler world.The device is a monster, ready for outdoor use (or for bludgeoning an intruder to death, should it come down to it) and featuring support for either 6 or 12 zones, depending on the model. home irrigation system.


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If you need onboard controls, the B-hyve is fully loaded, so you can tweak your programs or run manual watering sessions without using the app—though there’s quite a learning curve to master said controls. Best of all: Orbit’s B-hyve is incredibly affordable, with the six-zone model available for just $99.


Installing a real sprinkler system can be a big task that requires professional help—particularly if you have a large yard or garden—but upgrading to a smart controller from a “dumb” one isn’t difficult. Consult with a landscaping expert first if you are installing a sprinkler system from scratch, in order to plan out your zones in advance. lawn watering system.


This can be handy if you have multiple people using the system or, especially, want to give a gardener access to the controller without having to set him or her up on the app. Systems without on-device controls generally lack any kind of display whatsoever except for a status light indicating whether it’s working, so remember you’ll need the app on your smartphone or tablet to do anything with it.


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Some vendors sell separate indoor and outdoor versions of their controllers. Others sell an outdoor enclosure as a separate add-on. Christopher Null The Blossom 7 can control up to seven sprinkler zones independently. In irrigation parlance, a zone is an area controlled by a valve and its connected irrigation tubing.


Your controller needs to have enough capacity to support all the zones in your system. Eight zones is common, but units supporting as few as six zones and as many as 16 zones are currently on the market. How often do you want to water? Every day? Every other day? On specific days of the week? Not every controller can handle complex schedules, so look closely at your options before buying.


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It’s helpful to be notified when your watering system is running, but different products deal with the mechanics differently. Push notifications are common, but many only notify you when the watering has completed, not when it starts (which is arguably more useful). Other forms of notification (email, text) aren’t common, so consider a unit that supports IFTTT if you want to get fancy with notifications.


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We’ve found that these don’t work all that well (they have a tendency to over-water), though options that skip watering when it rains can be a bonus feature. Otherwise, there’s not too much of a need to put weight on so-called “smart” scheduling features. Want to tie your sprinkler system into your smart-home hub? Sounds great, but the reality is that most smart sprinklers exist as islands today: Only a few connect to anything at all, though Amazon’s Alexa has a modicum of support.


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Sprinkler heads are becoming more efficient and water smarter than ever before. Products like Hunter's MP Rotator heads and K-Rain Rotary Nozzles save a lot of water when compared to the old style spray heads. Studies have shown that when watering lawns, the efficiency of the MP Rotators is on par with drip irrigation.


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More combinations of widths will likely be introduced in coming years. Is the area you want to water greater than 30′ x 30′ in dimensions? If so, rotors may be the best solution. Is the edge of the area to be watered curved? If the edge has sharp curves (less than 20′ radius) then rotors with longer radii will have difficulty watering the edges without over-spraying them.


If the area beyond the edge should not get water on it you might want to consider a smaller rotary nozzle or spray-type sprinkler. Rotors and rotary nozzles are spaced farther apart than sprays. Therefore installation of them requires less pipe and trenching, but they also cost more per sprinkler.


Surprisingly, regardless of the type of sprinkler you use, the cost per square foot of area irrigated comes out about the same, assuming correct design of course. When using rotors or rotary nozzles there is less pipe and trenches, but the rotors themselves cost more. Spray heads are less expensive to buy, but they require more pipe, trenches and valves to install.


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Note: If your static water pressure (“design pressure” on your Design Data Form) is less than 40 PSI rotors will not work properly, DO NOT USE THEM. See the previous pages of the Sprinkler System Design Tutorial if you don’t know what static water pressure or design pressure means. If you have a well and pump you must have your pump-on setting adjusted to no less than 40 PSI if you plan to use rotors.


Contact your pump company for assistance. If you are unsure, try using rotors in your design. If they don’t work out well, then erase them from your plan and try rotary nozzles. In many situations the best option maybe to use rotors in large areas, and spray heads or rotary nozzles in smaller or more narrow spaces.


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This is OK, but there are some things you need to be careful of when mixing different types of sprinklers. The first is that each type must be separated and connected to a separate control valve. You can’t mix the types together on a single valve circuit or valve zone.


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The second is determining how to space the heads where the different types meet each other. For example, if you have a 30′ radius rotor next to a 15′ radius spray head, how far apart should they be from each other? There are many different schools of thought on this, but my general recommendation is to split the difference (hunter irrigation system).


Yes, the rotor would overspray the spray head by a considerable distance. But if you put them 30′ apart you will get a distinct dry spot between them. Pop-up style sprinklers are installed below ground. A piston that contains the nozzle lifts up from the sprinkler body when the sprinkler is operating and then retracts back below ground when not in use.


Pop-up sprinklers often don’t cost any more than shrub sprinklers when you include the cost of the riser (the upright pipe the sprinkler is mounted on). Two major advantages of pop-up sprinklers are safety and appearance. Pop-up style sprinklers are available in a variety of heights, generally 2″, 3″ , 4″ 6″ and 12″ are the common heights.


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The extra height avoids problems. I wouldn’t use anything less than 4″ on fescue, rye, St. Augustine, or bluegrass lawns. For close mowed Bermuda grass 3″ will work. My experience is that the spray from 2″ pop-up heads is often blocked by even recently mowed grass! For that reason I do not recommend any model of 2″ pop-up, you will get dry spots in the lawn.


Home Irrigation SystemSprinkler Installation Cost

Here’s a tip for watering a groundcover area next to a lawn. Place the sprinklers for the groundcover about 12″ away from the groundcover, in the lawn area, and aim them back at the groundcover. That way the groundcover does not block the spray as easily. Shrub style sprinklers were a type of sprinkler head designed to be installed above ground on top of a pipe.

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