As a Rainbird Select Contractor™ & Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC), we will design and install quality irrigation systems with genuine Rain Bird products. We are trained and experienced professional irrigation contractors with a history of customer satisfaction.
We will protect your drinking water supply by installing the appropriate backflow preventer, according to local codes. We will select the right Rain Bird products for the unique needs of your landscape, program your controller to operate at maximum efficiency, and instruct you on how to adjust your system’s watering schedule to meet seasonal requirements.
Residential System Components Overview
A complete irrigation system is comprised of several different components, each serving a particular function and all working together in combination with the other. Rainbird provides an overview of each of these components-controllers, sprinklers, valves and sensors-to assist homeowners and others in understanding basic irrigation terms, equipment applications, features and benefits. The information provided here will help to answer important questions that arise when evaluating sprinkler system proposals:
What type of system do I want?
What sprinkler is most appropriate for my application?
What special features are desirable?
What are the potential pitfalls of specific types of equipment?
What items must be included on my system?
Controllers
The device that turns an irrigation system on and off at a desirable time and operates the system for a preset period of time.
Rainbird electronic controllers offer exceptional reliability. The controller is easily set by turning dials or pushing buttons, giving the user the ability to select functions such as; the time watering will start, how long each zone will water and the days watering will occur.
Rainbird electronic controllers have the capability to meet the needs of today’s sophisticated, water conscious landscape designs. In addition, they can be programmed to apply water in short cycles, preventing run-off in the most steeply sloped areas.
Sprinklers
Today’s modern sprinkler systems include sprinkler heads of two types: spray heads and rotary heads. The types of heads utilized on a specific project will be determined by the area being covered, the water pressure available for operation, and a variety of other factors.
Spray Sprinklers
Spray Sprinklers are what are most commonly envisioned when a homeowner thinks about a sprinkler system. The heads are dispersed around the lawn and in planting beds. The spacing between sprinklers varies depending upon the specific nozzle installed in the head, but they rarely are spaced further than 15 feet apart. Spray sprinklers installed in turf areas are designed to pop-up during watering and retract to below the turf line to allow mowing and normal use of the lawn after watering.
Spray sprinkler bodies are commonly available in various sizes, the difference being the height that the spray apparatus or nozzle is lifted above the body of the head. The high-pop-up models are used for flower and shrubbery bed areas where risers might be unsightly or subject to damage from passersby.
Rotary Sprinklers
These sprinklers are larger devices that are used in open, uninterrupted spaces that allow water to be dispersed 25 to 30 feet or more. The heads typically pop-up during use and retract after operation in lawns or other areas with foot traffic. They are also available in fixed (non-pop-up) versions for use on risers in large planting areas.
Hunter rotary sprinklers operate on a gear-drive technology. Water turns a small turbine in the base of the unit which drives a series of gears, causing the head to rotate. The gear drive mechanism is sealed from dirt and debris, and operates without the irritating clatter of traditional impact sprinklers.
Gear driven rotors are easy to adjust and factory sealed to keep contaminants out. Although the individual rotor unit is several times more costly than a spray head, its wider spacing capabilities means fewer heads are needed to cover a given area.
Sprinkler Nozzles
The nozzle is the device that water passes through as it leaves the head to be dispersed onto the landscape. Irrigators rely on different nozzles to vary the quantity of water dispersed during the watering cycle, as well as the distance that water is to be thrown by each head. The amount of water distributed over a given area per minute can be doubled or tripled by choosing the correct nozzle.
Valves
Zone valves are the mechanical devices that turn the water on and off to the individual sections of the system. Water meters and water service lines cannot provide enough water to water an entire yard at once, so the system is typically broken up into several individual zones or stations.
The concept of “zones” also allows the professional irrigator to group areas (e.g., flower beds, turf) based on watering need (e.g., full sun, part shade). Valves are typically installed near the area they water. Sometimes valves can be installed above the ground and grouped in a “manifold” near a water source. There are two basic types of valves being used today:
Manual Valves
Seldom installed today, manual valves require a person to turn them on and off (with a wrench or valve key). Existing manual valve systems can be easily upgraded to automatic control by a professional contractor.
Automatic Valves
No need to keep a mental note when to turn these valves on or off, as they are operated by the electric controller. Wires run in the ground along with the main line pipe to the valve and are connected to the controller. When the controller sends the current to the valve, it opens. When the current is shut off the valve closes.
Sensors
Sensors work quite simply. They interrupt the electrical flow from the controller that would otherwise activate the valve. The sensor does not interfere with the controller’s program.
Rain Sensors
These units are mounted in a location exposed to normal rainfall, but outside the watering spray of the sprinkler system. Rain will trigger the device, causing the system to remain off during or after an event if sufficient precipitation is measured. The rainfall settings can be adjusted so that a light shower will not affect system operation, to avoid eliminating a scheduled watering when rainfall is not sufficient to make up for a normal application.
Flow Sensors
This type of sensor helps to identify a break in the system before any damage can occur. A rupture pipe or a broken sprinkler left undetected can flood the ground, erode slopes, even undercut driveways and sidewalks. A flow sensor is set to activate at a specified level of flow; once that level is exceeded, the circuit is broken and the valves are shut off.