Sprinkler over-spray

Sprinkler over-spray; photo by jellaluna via Creative Commons license

Ever walk by a sprinkler system where everything but the plants are getting irrigated? The sprinkler unintentionally sprays water all over the sidewalk, pavement or building, rather than directing the water to the base of the plants. That’s over-spray, and there are many ways to fix it if you have a sprinkler system.

The first thing to do is to make sure the sprinkler nozzles are clean, properly aligned, and pointed in the right direction. Sprinklers can become misaligned over time as parts vibrate during operation, or get bumped by mowers and foot traffic.

Sometimes, over-spray is just a result of an improperly designed system. Sprinkler heads may be positioned in poor locations or incorrect sprinkler nozzles may be installed.  Variable arc nozzles are available for those spaces with unusual angles of sprinkler coverage, but care must be taken to match the precipitation rates with other sprinklers on the zone to ensure proper distribution uniformity.  Some sprinklers may need to be relocated, or, in some cases, simply removed and capped.

Converting shrub and planting beds to drip irrigation will eliminate over-spray in those areas because it delivers water directly to a plant’s root zone.  Drip irrigation is efficient and will help you save water, and ultimately lower your water bills. In fact, it’s so efficient that many cities that put restrictions on home watering use during droughts often exempt drip irrigation. You’re able to water the plant’s roots, rather than spraying its leaves, foliage and branches, and you’re also able to water the plants more deeply because the drip system releases water more slowly than a sprinkler or spray.

If you have an existing sprinkler system that needs a tune up or you want to convert sprinkler zones to drip, contact us at Ecoyards.