WaterWise Irrigation Solutions Sprinkler System Tune-Up Recommendations
At least every fall and spring you should give your sprinkler system a "tune-up" in Southwest Florida. The “tune up” should take place around the same time as day light savings clock settings are taking place.
Spray-type sprinklers (often simply called "spray heads" or "sprays") are the sprinklers that create a fixed fan-shaped spray pattern, somewhat like a shower nozzle spray.
Spray-Type Sprinkler Heads
Rotor-type sprinklers (called "rotors") are the sprinklers that have one or more streams of water that rotate over the landscape. Some have a single stream that goes back and forth, or just goes in a complete circle. Another type rotar is called "stream rotors, MP Rotators or rotary nozzles", these have several fingers of water that rotate around the sprinkler in the same direction and look like spider legs. The bottom line is that if the sprinkler has a stream of water that rotates, it is a rotor-type sprinkler.
Rotor-Type Sprinkler Heads with Single Stream.
Low Volume/Direct-to-root irrigation (also called drip/micro/maxi-jet irrigation). Low volume is very efficient for non-turf applications. The technology applies precise amounts of water slowly and evenly at the root. Low volume irrigation helps reduce weeds and plant disease, and helps eliminate runoff. This technology also helps plants thrive with correct installation and maintenance. In recent years WaterWise Irrigation Solutions has been using Netafim. Netafim USA products offer a wide variety of advantages to the homeowner, including saving from 30% - 70% of the water they would use with overhead sprays, oscillating sprinklers or rotors, as well as growing much healthier plants. In fact, plants that are drip irrigated often grow to maturity as much as 50% - 70% faster, do so with less disease, and even reducing weeds in the garden.
Low Volume/Direct-to-root irrigation
A valve circuit or valve zone is a group of sprinklers that are all turned on and off by the same valve. Sometimes the term hydrozone is also used. Most zones sprinkler systems have several valve zones, each controlled by a different valve. The valves might be manually operated, or they may be automatic valves that are turned on and off by a controller (sometimes called a timer or irrigation clock). On the controller the valve zones may be called valve stations.
Typical Valve
First:
Check for problems. Turn on each valve, one at a time, and carefully inspect your irrigation system. Look for wet spots that indicate there might be a leaking irrigation pipe. Repair any leaks.
Replace controller battery. Most irrigation controllers have a back-up battery that maintains the time and program during power failures. Typically it is a standard rectangular shaped 9-volt alkaline battery. Check the battery in the irrigation controller.
Check that the irrigation controller actual time is set correctly (day light savings!!!). The am/pm and that the irrigation Odd/even watering days is set correctly.
Rain sensor should be properly installed and in working condition.
Straighten any sprinkler heads that are leaning to the side. In most situations sprinkler heads need to be installed so that they are perpendicular to the ground to work correctly. On a level area this means they would be positioned straight up and down so that they do not lean towards any side. If they lean to one side they may create dry spots and also waste lots of water.
Replace any broken or malfunctioning sprinklers. Be sure to replace broken sprinklers with the same brand and model as the other sprinklers on the same valve zone. If some of the sprinklers are already mis-matched WaterWise Irrigation Solutions recommends replacing them so that all the sprinklers controlled by any single valve are matched. Mixing different brands and types of sprinklers together on the same valve zone is a common mistake made by “do-it-yourselfers”. Most brands and models of sprinklers are not compatible with any other brands or models. While there are exceptions, most manufacturers use different flow rates in their sprinkler heads than their competitors. (It makes sense doesn't it? They want you to use their sprinklers for replacements, not the other guys! You can't use Chevy parts in a Ford either.) Mixing different brands and models of sprinklers together on the same valve zone can result in huge amounts of water wasted. Mixing them is like putting a heavy kid and a light kid on a teeter-totter.
WaterWise Irrigation Solutions recommends that one should never mix spray-type heads and rotor-type sprinklers on the same valve zone. Mixing rotors and sprays together on the same valve is even worse than mixing brands and models! Spray-type heads put out twice as much water as rotors given the same size area! If you mix them together the grass near the spray-type sprinklers will be drowning, while the grass around the rotors has just barely enough water to keep it alive!
Next:
WaterWise Irrigation Solutions recommends cleaning spray-type sprinklers. Start by removing the nozzle from each head and cleaning the screen. The screen will be under the nozzle. Reinstall the filter and put the nozzle back on. Next, turn on the sprinklers and look for partially blocked nozzles. The fan-shaped spray of water out of each nozzle should be even and uniform across the entire width. Uneven gaps in the fan indicate a grain of sand is stuck in the nozzle, remove the nozzle and carefully clean it or replace it.
Next:
WaterWise Irrigation Solutions recommends adjusting spray-type sprinklers. On top of each spray-type nozzle is a small radius adjustment screw. Turn the adjustment screw to adjust each of your spray-type sprinklers so that they don't spray onto sidewalks or walls. If spray-type heads are creating a lot of mist try partially closing the adjustment screws on them (turn the screw clockwise to reduce the misting). After adjusting, make sure that the spray from the nozzle still goes all the way to the next sprinkler. When sprinklers are properly spaced and adjusted the water from each sprinkler should spray all the way to the next sprinkler in each direction. This is how sprinklers are designed to be spaced. In the industry we call this "head-to-head spacing".
Adjustment Screw on a Spray-Type Sprinkler
Next:
WaterWise Irrigation Solutions recommends only cleaning pop-up gear-driven rotors filters, if there are significant problems with the rotar. Gear driven rotors are identified by the very quiet operation and the water stream that moves smoothly as it rotates. The water stream on a gear-driven rotor always rotates at the same speed. However getting to the filter is difficult, you must unscrew and remove the cap on the top of the rotor. When you remove the cap the nozzle and drive assembly will be attached to it and come out with it. Look for the screen on the bottom of the drive assembly you just pulled out. The problem is that when putting the drive assembly back into the body, you often will get more dirt into the body than you just removed from the screen! Thus the final condition is worse than when you started.
Next:
WaterWise Irrigation Solutions recommends adjusting the rotor-type sprinklers. For rotors the most common adjustment error is to try to create even coverage by breaking up the water stream using the radius adjustment screw. On a typical rotor the radius adjustment screw is located on top of the sprinkler, just in front of the nozzle. When turned the screw drops down into the water stream causing the stream to deform. This deflects the water stream and reduces the distance it shoots from the sprinkler. Most newer rotors give the best, most uniform, coverage when the screw is not touching the water stream at all.
Turn the adjustment screw clockwise until it is touching the water stream (you will notice the stream change shape when the screw contacts it.) Now turn the screw counter-clockwise just enough that it is not touching the stream. This is the proper default position, unless the sprinkler is spraying too far you should leave it in this default position.
Typical Gear-Drive Rotor Radius Adjustment Screw Locations:
A - Silver screw near edge, above nozzle.
B - Silver screw near edge, above nozzle.
C - Screw under a rubber flap, near edge, above nozzle.
D - Stream rotor nozzle, screw is in center of sprinkler.
On rubber top rotors the adjustment screws are under rubber flaps. Push the screwdriver through the slits on the rubber cap to reach the screw under the flap.
To check matched precipitation coverage within a certain valve zone, place identical-size cups, more or less evenly spaced, throughout the area watered. The cups should be between 5 and 10 feet from each other. Keep the cups at least 3 feet from any sprinkler heads, if they are closer than that to a sprinkler you will get inaccurate results, also keep the cups at least 12" from the edge of sidewalks, curbs, patios, or other paved surfaces. Run the sprinklers for a few minutes so that the cups are at least 1/4 full, if you have rotors the slowest moving one should make at least 5 passes over the cups. Now compare how much water is in the cups. When the sprinklers are properly adjusted each cup should have about the same amount of water in it.
High Efficiency
Low Efficiency
It should be noted that the highest cost of an irrigation system is typically the water used by the system over its lifetime.
