Fine Tune Spray Heads & Save

By Gene Smith, Hunter Industries

 

Get close to each spray head to inspect for uniformity of flow?EUR??,,????'??+note how this head is sending out a even sheet of spray. Impurities and sand that naturally occur in water lines will eventually result in clogging and uneven output.

Statistics show that as much as 50 percent or more of residential water use goes to landscape irrigation. With many cases of over-irrigation, excessive run-off and poor irrigation adjustment, a lot can be done to improve the efficiency of your system. That ultimately saves you money while conserving a vital resource. But where should you start? These are some of the largest dollar-saving areas so you can fine-tune an irrigation system quickly and easily:

Pop Up Spray Head and Rotor Adjustment

Most pop-up sprinklers provide some means of adjustment. Typically, spray style pop-up sprinklers allow you to adjust where the arc pattern is pointing. In some cases, the sprinkler may be misaligned with the intended irrigation area. The result: water spraying onto concrete hardscape areas such as driveways and sidewalks. To avoid this type of water waste, simply take the time to inspect each zone of irrigation to make sure all sprinklers are adjusted so the water is spraying in the intended irrigation areas only. This alone could easily add up to a 5-10 percent water savings.

The nozzle spray pattern can be a source of inefficient irrigation. Nozzles can become clogged by debris and result in poor spray distribution. Poor spray distribution results in over-irrigation of some areas and under-irrigation of others. To improve nozzle performance, simply remove and clean the nozzle and filter of the sprinkler. If the nozzle continues to perform poorly it may need to be replaced. Your local irrigation parts supplier will stock most models of nozzles. Many of them are now color-coded for easy identification.

Individual spray heads can be set to fit limited turf and bed areas. This one is set to a 90-degree pie-shaped wedge. Regular realignment of spray heads can improve performance by 10 percent.

Check for Valve Leaks

Valves will age over time and may begin to leak, especially under harsh service conditions. If leaking becomes severe, significant water waste will result. Check all valve boxes for leaking at the valve. Also, check for leaking at the sprinklers when the system is turned off. If water continues to leak out of the head after the zone is shut off, one of two things could be occurring. First, the valve could be ?EUR??,,????'??weeping?EUR??,,????'?? due to damage in the valve. Second, the sprinklers that are leaking may be at a low spot in the system and may require a check valve to prevent the water in the zone piping from leaking out after the system is turned off. In either case, a licensed irrigation contractor is equipped to provide service if you have valves that need attention.

Is Your Rain Sensor Working Properly?

A lot of systems nowadays have devices that turn off the system and keep it off during a rainy day. This clearly goes a long way in terms of saving water by not watering when Mother Nature is doing the job for you.

Just following these few simple steps will result in your water savings drastically increasing, while keep your customer happy with a lower monthly watering bill!

Irrigation Insights

1.5 to 1.7: Inches per hour, the average output of spray heads in irrigation systems.Source: Utah.gov

20-30 psi: The pressure range of spray heads. By comparison, rotors have a psi range of 50-60, and drip systems have a psi range of 10-25. Source: Town of Castle Rock, Colorado