How To Make A Cheap Simple Lawn Sprinkler System
You don’t have to spend thousands just to water your lawn. Here’s how to build an irrigation system on the cheap.
Owning a suburban home has its perks. Having to water your lawn constantly isn’t one of them. You must dedicate multiple hours every week standing behind a garden hose or running a sprinkler. If you don’t, your grass will suffer and weeds will surely invade. Sure, one way to avoid this chore is to drop thousands on an underground irrigation system, but there is another way.
Here’s my quick-and-dirty DIY method that’s actually quite effective, yet costs less than $100. All you’ll need for this lawn-watering setup are an outdoor faucet, a garden hose, a few off-the-shelf parts, and one remarkable sprinkler gadget.
Lay Down The Pvc Pipeline
This part is fairly simple. Youll be laying down the pipeline down piece by piece. If you to use a pipe cutter or saw, exercise caution! Wear gloves and safety goggles in case there is any flying debris. Start at the main trench with the valve manifold, using tee connectors to allow branching off from the main line in different directions. When you reach the post, flag, or other marker that you had installed earlier, attach risers with 90° connectors.
Thispart is fairly simple. Youll be laying down the pipeline down piece by piece. Ifyou to use a pipe cutter or saw, exercise caution! Wear gloves and safetygoggles in case there is any flying debris. Start at the main trench with thevalve manifold, using tee connectors to allow branching off from the main linein different directions. When you reach the post, flag, or other marker thatyou had installed earlier, attach risers with 90° connectors.
How To Set Up An Inexpensive Irrigation System For Small Gardens
If youre working with a much smaller space than a lot of those that youve seen so far, then you might need to approach things slightly differently than someone with a sprawling yard and lots of ground to cover. Wed suggest checking out something like this specially designed small garden irrigation system outlined on Man Made! They show you how to do it with thinner, malleable piping rather than materials like the thicker PVC pipes you might have seen in some of the projects above.
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I Guarantee Youll Be Able To Get The Job Done Right And Super Fast After You Watch These Step
The sprinkler repair videos are worth the money even if all you want to do is know how to program your controller! And the cost of the videos can pay for themselves with just 1 call to the sprinkler repairman!But you get much more. We wont give you bits and pieces like the other free diy sprinkler repair videos they dont covering everything. We have left nothing out, its all there in the videos. Anybody can do their own sprinkler repair. Its quite easy when you know a few tips and tricks the pro sprinkler repairers use. Anybody can do this, male, female or any age group. This is a great opportunity to save money.
With these DIY Sprinkler Videos you get the Expert knowledge you need with:
Detailed sprinkler repair instructions from start to finish
SAVING MONEY ON REDUCED SPRINKLER SERVICE CALLS
How to by the right sprinkler heads for your zones for optimum coverage
HOW TO CALCULATE EXACT GALLONS PER MINUTE TO MATCHPROPER SPRINKLER HEAD SIZE
Preventing hard to fix problems WITH IMPROPER INSTALLATION
Tips to prevent sprinkler head breakage
EASY AND QUICK CONNECTIONS MAKE FOR SIMPLE REPAIRS
Best brands of sprinkler parts to buy and why and where to get them
HOW TO PROGRAM A COMPLEX CONTROLLER WITH HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE SETTINGS
ELIMINATE SERVICE CALLS TO WINTERIZE OR UNWINTERIZE
Confidence your sprinkler repair parts are installed the right way and forHUNDREDS OF DOLLARS LESS THAN YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAYA CUSTOM SPRINKLER REPAIR CONTRACTOR!
Essential Sprinkler System Components
Listed below are the essential parts youll require for installing your lawn sprinkler system:
This essential parts list doesnt include basic tools like shovels, PVC glue, hacksaw or other pipe cutter, landscape flags or stakes, string and a pipe-puller, which you can rent for around $200 at your local machine rental store.
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The Ultimate Diy Irrigation System For Lawn Experts
If youre the kind of person who has actually installed sprinkler and irrigation systems before and is simply looking to upgrade or customize a new house, then you might just be the perfect person to give this more advanced system a try! These plants from DIY Lawn Expert show you how to install DIY irrigation solutions in your full property, including in uniquely laid out or high maintenance yards. They even show you how to account for your back, front, and side yards in the systems impactful reach.
How Do Automatic Lawn Sprinkler Systems Work
First, heres a quick overview of how automatic lawn sprinkler systems work:
In most neighborhoods, water is delivered to homes through a city water main.A smaller-capacity supply line connects to your home from the water main.A water meter records the number of gallons of H20 flowing through the supply line.An additional connection is made between the meter and your home, supplying water to your lawn sprinkler system.Next, a system shutoff valve is installed. The shutoff valve allows you to turn off the water to the system, without shutting off the water to the house.Water back-flow is prevented with a device that stops water from draining back into the main supply line.The water is held under pressure behind the sprinkler system valve.When the valve receives a signal from the electronic irrigation controller, the valve opens.Water flows to the sprinkler heads and the heads pop up and spray.
Sprinkler systems are a great way to keep your lawn watered and healthy. However, if you live in a drought-stricken area, it may not be the best option for your lawn and garden. Learn how to drought-proof your garden here.
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Diy Drip Irrigation System
Did we really catch your attention when we started talking about above ground irrigation systems that would help you cover a lot of ground with your watering, but some parts of your garden actually dont require quite as much water as others? Then you might benefit from something like this homemade drip irrigation system from Two Feet First thats able to provide a slower, smaller flow of moisture to the parts of your yard that only feature hose length and not sprinkler heads.
The Lawn Soaker Diy Lawn Sprinkler Kit
Are you lamenting the thought of spending thousands of dollars to hire a sprinkler subcontractor to install your new underground sprinkler system? Are you worried about time it will take them and what your lawn will look like after they dig it up? What happens if it doesnt work the way you want?
These are all valid concerns and the genius behind the development of our NEW Do-it-yourself Lawn Soaker Sprinkler Kit! The Lawn Soaker is less than 1/10th the cost of a traditional underground sprinkler system and YOU can design and install it yourself on a Saturday afternoon!
The Lawn Soaker doesnt require any heavy dredging or trenching equipment in fact you only need a flat shovel, box cutter, and 5/16 box wrench which you probably have in your shed and toolbox already.
Installing a PVC underground sprinkler system is a huge undertaking as you need to rent a noisy trenching machine, figure out complex piping, back flow issues, and sprinkler valves and electronics. By comparison, the Lawn Soaker DIY Sprinkler Kits are engineered to install easily, just 1.5 under the surface of your lawn. Simply cut a line with your flat shovel and step the Lawn Soaker tubing into place!Low cost and easy to install, seems too good to be true? For peace of mind the Lawn Soaker is backed by our 5-year warranty good luck getting that from your sprinkler subcontractor!
Please Contact Our Representatives for more information at 877-224-4899
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Install The Ground Stakes
- Once all the irrigation tubing is laid out, secure it with plastic ground stakes. Hook each stake over the tubing and press it into the dirt .
- Space the stakes about 18 to 24 inches apart.
- Note that it’s often necessary to place two stakes very close together and on opposite sides of the tubing to hold it down.
- To prevent the water coming out of the drip-irrigation tubing from evaporating too quicklyand to help hide the tubingcover the area with bark mulch. Spread it at least 4 inches deep and it will also deter weeds from sprouting.
Diy Sprinkler Repair Main Lines And Lateral Lines And Winterization Parts 4 & 5
- Programming the Controller Clock Final systems check that everything is working properly
Total is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes of videos! With these DIY Sprinkler Videos you get the knowledge you need with:
Detailed instructions from start to finish for all types of sprinkler repairs
Warnings, safety precautions and tips and tricks to save money and effort
Preventing hard to fix problems with inaccurate information
Confidence your sprinkler system is repaired the right way
Proper head to head replacement parts to ensure even watering and savemoney on water bills due to over watering
DIY Sprinkler System Repairs that will last for years you can easily do
Ability to repair all sprinkler parts the right way the first time!
If a repair needs to be made repairs will be lower cost and easier to do
No more waiting for a Sprinkler Repairman!
No more paying big sprinkler repair bills either!
No more dead grass and shrubs and brown spots in your lawn!
Not when you are smart and can repair it yourself!
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Install The Zone Valves
- Dig a trench from the main water line to the valve box location, as indicated on your plan. At the end, dig a hole about 18 inches deep and 2 to 3 feet long.
- Line the hole with 2 inches of gravel, then set the valve box into it. The box lid should be flush with the grass.
- Next, following the manufacturer’s directions, glue together the manifold and attach the zone valves. Set the manifold in the valve box.
- Run 1-inch schedule 40 PVC pipe from the main water line to a backflow-prevention device and then connect it to the manifold.
- Dig a shallow trench from the valve box to the location for the timer, according to your plan.
- Lay the 24-volt underground wire in the trench and connect it to the wires leading from each valve.
The Problem With Lawns
Actually there’s not one but many. The biggest obstacle to good lawn health is a lack of regular watering. I noticed this issue with my own lawn during the long, dog days of summer when the weather here in Louisville, Kentucky, is at its hottest, with high humidity, but not enough rain.
It was within these stretches when small sections of my green lawn began to turn brown. While not a sign of true grass death, it did indicate my lawn was under stress and reacting by going dormant. This paves the way for aggressive invaders such as weeds, insects and other parasites.
Since I’m not lucky enough to own a house with a fancy irrigation system, I combated the problem by watering with a cheap oscillating sprinkler. Unfortunately, the limited range forced me to reposition the sprinkler at least twice, sometimes three times a week, in order to effectively cover my entire yard.
Another pain was that unless I rose at the crack of dawn to water, I’d lose much of my efforts to evaporation under the hot daytime sun. Either that or I’d encourage the growth of unpleasant molds and fungus if I ran the sprinkler too close to nightfall.
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Lawn Sprinkler System Head Repair
Dirt can get inside sprinkler heads, causing clogs and lawn sprinkler problems. If one or more of your lawn sprinkler heads fail to work, try one of the simple fixes below.
But first, here are signs of a clogged sprinkler head.
You may have a clogged sprinkler head if:The sprinkler head pops up but fails to sprayThe head fails to lower after sprayingThe head sprays in an uneven pattern
To clean the sprinkler head:1. Turn off the water to the sprinkler system2. Dig the head from the ground unscrew the head from the riser. Disassemble the head by steadying the canister and turning the head counterclockwise lift the head out.3. Find the plastic screen basket located at the base of the head. Remove the basket with your pliers or a screwdriver.4. Remove dirt and debris by swishing the head and screen basket in a bucket of clean water.5. Place the cleaned basket back inside the canister place the clean head back on the riser.6. Test the sprinkler system. If the head still doesnt work, consider replacing the head.
Its Not Expensive Or Confusing
Installing your own system for your home doesnt have to be expensive or confusing and can perform the same job as a professionally installed sprinkler systemwater your grass on a timed schedule. I am pretty handy but not a high end handy man and I dont own a garage full of tools.
But with the help of my brother, during the course of one weekend, and without any instructions we installed a sprinkler system. Ill be honest I made a lot of trips picking up the right pieces and parts to get the job done because I didnt have a written plan! However, when I was finished, the self-installed sprinkler system worked and it worked well!
Youd think I would have learned from doing the first sprinkler system installation to write down a plan. Well I didnt. At my next home I installed another sprinkler system and once again had to make many repeat trips to get materials I needed! So just in case I moved again I decided to take the time and document the steps and materials associated with installing a sprinkler system to save myself a bunch of time next time. I call my instructions The Green Lawn Plan Sprinkler System and Ive made them available to the public for $2.99. $2.99 to save thousands of dollars, seems like a pretty easy decision.
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The Ultimate Diy Irrigation System
Like Noah building an arc, I built my irrigation system in one of the the wettest years in decades Nevertheless, there were a number of heat waves which allowed me to thoroughly test the system. It performed flawlessly and Im delighted to be able to share the design and what Ive learned.
I should caveat my title by saying that I consider this system to be ultimate by virtue of it being simple to build, cost effective , and low maintenance, while also being very effective. Certainly if money is no object there are more complex systems worth considering. Here is an overview of the system, which I will explain in greater detail. I apologize for the low quality Microsoft Paint illustration.
TIMERS
The heart of my system is the Orbit Watermaster yard watering system. In my extensive research, this unit is by far the best hose-end sprinkler controller for the money . It effectively turns your standard hose faucet into a 4-station sprinkler system with 4 independent controls and 3 start times. No digging is required. The setup and programming is super simple and intuitive much more so than the many competitors Ive researched and tested.
Traditional irrigation valves have some advantages as well, such as the ability to link to more sophisticated timers, however they do add significantly to the projects complexity.
Install The Box And Pre
- 3.1 – Dig a hole approximately 18″ deep and 2′ to 3′ long for the valve access box. The cover of the box should be ground level.
- 3.2 – Line the hole with 2″ of gravel and then set the valve box into the hole.
- 3.3 – Open the main shut off valve to flush debris out of the main line of the sprinkler system.
- 3.4 – Install a stop valve to cut the water supply to the irrigation system and the drain valve in order to drain the irrigation lines in the fall.
- 3.5 – Connect the main water supply line to the pre-assembled valve. The diameter of the PVC pipe must be one size larger than that of the main supply line.
- 3.6 – Connect a 1″ pipe to each valve and run to each designated zone.
- 3.7 – Dig a shallow trench from the valve box to the location for the timer. Lay out the 24-volt underground wire in the trench.
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Just Think Of The Money Time And Effort You Will Save Once You Know How To Start Up And Winterize Your Sprinkler System
No more waiting and worrying about your sprinkler freezing up waiting for the sprinkler contractor to come and winterize your system.
And in the spring youll be saving even more when you can turn it on yourself!SAVE that $60 to spend on something you want or need more!
AND THINK OF THE PLEASURE AND LESS STRESS YOULL EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU DONT HAVE TO CALL OR WAIT FOR A SPRINKLER CONTRACTOR BECAUSE YOU DID THE JOB YOURSELF AND YOU KNEW HOW TO DO YOUR SPRINKLER REPAIRS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!
ITS A FACT.
Join the other happy DIYers that have repaired their own sprinkler systems AND who know how to winterize their systems who followed my EASY TO WATCH, STEP BY STEP SPRINKLER REPAIR AND WINTERIZATION VIDEOS.Youll feel proud when you smile and tell the neighbors
I did it myself!
