Guide for How to Install Lawn Sprinklers
Lawn sprinklers work to keep your grass looking healthy throughout the growing season. Some lawn irrigation systems operate manually so you turn the sprinklers on as needed. Other systems operate on electronic controls. You set up times, watering amounts and specific sections of the lawn to water on specific days of the week. Both systems are similar to install. The key to a successful sprinkler installation is planning where to place the sprinklers heads so they do the most good. Draw out a plan for your lawn sprinklers before you purchase the components of the system. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel
- Pipe puller
- Irrigation pipe
- Zone valves
- Crimp rings
- Crimp ring pliers
- Wire nuts
- L-shaped fittings
- Sprinkler heads
- Rubber mallet
Instructions
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1
Select the location where you plan to attach the lawn sprinklers to the water supply. Attach the water line to an existing sillcock if you desire, or tap into the house's water line. If you choose the latter, install a backflow preventer to keep water from flowing from the lawn irrigation lines into the house's drinking water supply.
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2
Hang the electronic control box in a protected area near the water supply line. Unless the box operates on batteries, you need a ground-fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, outlet nearby to plug it into.
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3
Dig the lines for the irrigation system. Use a shovel to dig trenches 10 inches deep. If you have a lot of pipe to set, consider renting a pipe puller from the local rental agency. Wrap the low-voltage wire around the pipe and then attach both lines to the pipe puller. As the pipe puller moves, it buries both lines at the same time. Also dig a furrow to bury the water supply line from the house to where you plan to set the zone valves. Dig another furrow containing the electrical wire that connects to the control panel and ends at the zone valve location.
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4
Put the zone valves together following manufacturer's directions. Dig a shallow hole for the zone valves. Connect the water line from the house to one side of the zone valve using crimp rings tightened by crimp ring pliers. Connect the irrigation pipes to the other side of the valves with crimp rings. The number of pipes and valves depends on your layout. Use wire nuts to connect each white wire from the irrigation side of the valve to the white wire from the control box. Use additional wire nuts to connect a colored wire to the leads that remain.
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5
Attach an L-shaped fitting with a female opening into the end of the pipe where you plan to insert sprinkler heads. Use a crimp ring to hold the fitting to the pipe. Connect a sprinkler head into the female threads. Repeat for the remaining sprinkler heads.
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6
Set the sprinkler heads in the ground so they are at grade level. Fill dirt around them with a shovel. Tamp the dirt tightly with a rubber mallet. Cover any open trenches with sod.
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7
Wire the control box to the zone valves following the manufacturer's directions. Plug in the control box, and turn on the water to check the lawn sprinklers.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't have plumbing expertise, call a plumber to tie the irrigation system into the water line. Call an electrician to do the electrical work if you aren't comfortable working with electricity. Some municipalities require that licensed professionals perform these tasks to keep the project within building code guidelines.
Set the sprinkler heads to spray water in patterns that provide the most benefit to your lawn.
Some sprinklers spray water, while others drip water onto the ground to soak it.
Know where buried utility lines are before you dig.
