We offer complete lawn sprinkler system design & technical help

We can design your lawn sprinkler system for you with the following help from you, e-mail a certificate of survey of your property, which is available from the city if you don't have one, Otherwise you will need to measure your yard following the simple steps below.

Measuring Your Yard

The first step to designing your sprinkler system is to measure your property.

• Step 1. Measure the distance around the outer edge of your lawn otherwise known as the property line. Draw the measurements on graph paper as you measure.
• Step 2. Measure the distance around the house and any landscaping you might have around the house, and add the measurements on the graph paper.
• Step 3. You will need to figure out where the house sits on the lot, and that can be done by the following, Measure from the front right corner of the house to right side property line and mark that on the paper, Then measure from the front right corner of the house to the street and mark that on the graph paper.

Water Pressure & Water Flow

Once you have the yard measured, you will have to figure out your water pressure and your gallons per minute, To figure out your G.P.M or gallons per minute, you will need a 5 gallon pail and a watch, for the PSI, you will need a pressure gauge.

Go to the faucet closest to where your main water line will be feeding your sprinkler system, Be sure you have a watch with a second hand, Closely time how long it takes to fill a five gallon pail. 30 seconds = 10 gallons per minute. 20 seconds = 15 gallons per minute, 15 seconds = 20 gallons per minute. Accuracy is very important.

Our Design fee is $149.99, We will credit this fee to your sprinkler system purchase.

This will include detailed sprinkler head and valve location so you will know exactly what you will need before you begin your project.

Installing Your Sprinkler System

The first step is deciding what type of backflow device you will be using. Double Check and Reduced Pressure backflows can be installed in the house. Pressure vacuum breakers are normally installed outdoors.

First, making sure the waterline is off, have a licensed plumber cut your mainline as close to the water meter as possible. You will install a tee at this location. Coming from the tee will be a shut off Ball valve. After the ball valve install the Double Check or RPZ back flow device, then a boiler drain for winterizing. Run your new sprinkler line outdoors.(we recommend 3/4 or 1" copper) For a PVB, this is where most are installed. Keep in mind, the PVB needs to be installed 12" or higher than the highest sprinkler head. Attach the pipe to the inlet side of the vacuum breaker and come out of the vacuum breaker with copper into the ground and go down at least 6", From there you can change it over to poly or PVC pipe or attached directly to the manifold.

Pipe

The next step is to run the main water line to valves. You will also want to run your control wires with the main water line. Once the main water line is in, it is time to install all of the lateral lines. Pull the lateral lines from the valve box to the sprinkler heads. When you have installed all of the sprinkler pipe it is time to put in the valves.

Valves

The first step to installing the valves is to build a manifold, you will need to decide Whether or not you want to use ready made manifolds or you want to make them yourself, Ready made manifolds are much easier to install and replace if a valve has to be changed out some point in time. It is also easiest to install the valve manifold and valves above ground and only have to make connections in the valve box hole. Once everything is assembled, It is now time to connect the valves to the main and lateral lines. When connecting to the pipe be sure all of the clamps are fastened down tight. Radiator clamps will work but are not recommended, Otiker Clamps (gear clamps) will work much better and will last 10 times as long. When connecting the wires to the valves, Use the white wire as the common ground wire, When you wire the controller in, It will be much easier to figure out what wire is what.

Connections

After that you will want to make all of your connections through out the yard, Put in any elbows, tees or couplers. Tip: if the fittings are hard to push in the pipe, use a rubber mallet to tap them in. Again be sure that all of your clamps are tight and you didn't forget any.

Sprinkler Heads

When you are putting your heads in you will want to make sure that there are no kinks at the end of the line and that the pipe lays flat in the ground. Once you attach the saddle you will then put the threaded by barb fitting in the saddle and also the head. You can use a torch to heat up the pipe, It will make it much easier to push over the barbs, Only heat it up until it is shiny.

This "Do - it - Yourself" section is courtesy of TORO™

An automatic sprinkler system gives you the landscape you've always wanted.

A thicker, greener lawn. Beautiful gardens. It adds beauty and value to your home while saving time and water. How many times have you forgotten to water your lawn, then over watered -- only to end up with brown spots and muddy puddles? Like many homeowners, you could be using up to 50% more water than your landscape needs, which isn't good for your lawn or your pocketbook. The solution isn't to use more water, but to water more precisely. An automatic sprinkler system can give you a healthy, green lawn -- and more free time to enjoy the beautiful results.

Warning
Personal injury may result from trenching over buried power lines or gas lines. Before digging or trenching, check with your local utility companies to identify any buried cables, pipe or gas lines.

When designing your system, we suggest you use the following planning tools:

• Pencil
• Scratch paper
• Drawing compass
• 50' tape measure straight edge or rulerline marking paint for marking trenches
• Flags for marking sprinkler locations
• Flow & Pressure Gauge. If you do not own a flow & pressure gauge, ask your local Home Center if they have one in their rental center. Gather Required Information.

Each small square on the graph should represent one square foot of actual property or use the scales provided.
Using your tape measure, outline and measure your property accurately according to scale, laying out the locations of your home, sidewalks, grass, etc.

CONSIDER THESE WHEN DRAWING YOUR PROPERTY:

• Outline your house, garage and other structures.
• Show walks, drives, slabs, patios and surfaces.
• Locate and identify trees and major obstacles.
• From the outside of your house, measure outward to define your perimeters.
• Identify any slopes on your property.
• Locate ground cover, grass, flower beds and landscaping.
• Identify the size and location of the water meter (or pump) and main line.
• Re-check your measurements at several different points.
• Make sure your drawing accurately indicates the true dimensions.

MEASURE YOUR HOME'S WATER CAPACITY AND WORKING PRESSURE

Water pressure can vary from home to home, even on the same street. So it's important that you take a measurement at your own home. If you push your system beyond its capacity, the danger is that it can create water hammer and costly damage to your piping system. Also, if you exceed the pressure or water flow (GPM) you have available, your system will not function or work efficiently. The following are two reliable ways of determining your home's water capacity. We recommend using the flow and pressure gauge method because it's fast and easy.

DETERMINE THE DIAMETER OF THE WATER SUPPLY LINE

Call your local water company or measure your supply line (the pipe leading from the water meter to your house).

1. Locate the outside faucet that is closest to your water supply line (we'll call this Faucet 1).
2. Locate another faucet on your house and attach a pressure gauge (we'll call this Faucet 2). Open Faucet 2 all the way and record the static water pressure below.
3. With Faucet 1 open all the way, check the pressure reading on the gauge at Faucet 2. If it is less than 40 PSI, turn down the water flow from Faucet 1 until the reading reaches 40 PSI. If it is greater than 40 PSI, record the dynamic pressure reading below and go to step 4.
4. Place a five-gallon bucket under Faucet 1 and time how long it takes to fill it. Use the chart below to convert to gallons per minute (GPM). This test tells you what your home's water capacity is measured in GPM at 40 PSI.
5. Repeat this procedure at 45 PSI and 50 PSI. Record these three results on the chart below.

60 ÷ Seconds x Gallons

For example: A two-gallon bucket that fills in 15 seconds means the available flow is 8 gallons per minute.

60 ÷ 15 x 2 = 8 GPM (gallons per minute)

Sprinkler Placement Planning

Place sprinklers within each area on your plan, one area at a time, using sprinklers with a greater radius for larger areas.

Stay within the allowable spacing range (radius) of sprinkler selected, and remember to space them head-to-head. Spacing sprinklers too far apart will produce dry spots. Always place sprinklers in a way to avoid spraying the side of your house, walls, fences, etc. Also, minimize spraying onto sidewalks, driveways and streets.

Place half-circle sprinklers on sides and borders; quarter-circle sprinklers in corners; and full-circle sprinklers in the middle.

HEAD-TO-HEAD SPACING

For proper coverage, place sprinklers so that the spray from one sprinkler reaches the next. For windy areas (winds regularly stronger than 8 mph), place sprinklers closer -- at 90% of spray radius or more depending on local wind direction and speed

RULE OF THUMB

Determine spacing by sprinkler radius. For example, if you are using Toro 570(tm) Series sprinklers with a radius of 15', place your sprinklers no more than 15' apart; or closer together if you are in a windy area

To make sure you have proper head-to-head spacing, use a compass to draw circles, semi-circles and quarter-circles representing sprinkler coverage.

Square Spacing

This layout is best suited for well-defined, geometric spaces such as small, square or rectangle-shaped yards, or sites divided by sidewalks and other paved areas.

Special-Pattern Spacing

You can use Toro 570(tm) Series special-pattern sprinklers for end-strip and center-strip watering, as shown in the diagram below. Center-strip sprinklers spray in two directions, end-strip sprinklers spray in one direction only. Both are designed for precise watering of small, rectangular areas.

NOTE: When special pattern nozzles are unavailable, use the Toro Adjustable Pattern Nozzle.

Odd-Shaped Areas

After placing your sprinklers in large, rectangular areas, you can now place sprinklers in small, non-rectangular areas. Although each site is different, following are some handy guidelines.

• Choose the area on the perimeter with the smallest radius.
• Place a sprinkler with a small radius at that point.
• Place sprinklers along the border starting from that area.
• Adjust the radius of each sprinkler according to the size and shape of the area.
• If coverage is incomplete, adjust sprinkler location.
• When you have defined and placed all of your sprinklers, use a compass to double check your layout
  

1. SPRINKLERS

No matter how simple or complex the landscape, Toro has the sprinkler family to cover every angle. Select sprinklers with a greater spray radius for large areas so you can use fewer sprinklers and valves, which means you also use less pipe with less trenching and fewer timer zones.

570 Series Fixed-Spray Sprinklers

Radius: 5'-15'

Toro 570(tm) Series fixed-spray sprinklers produce a tight, constant fan of water that's ideal for small lawn, shrub and ground cover areas. Pop-up models pop up above grasses and disappear when not in use. Shrub sprays are mounted above foliage to water ground cover and shrubs. True matched precipitation rates and color coding by radius are just a few of the exciting features of 570(tm) matched precipitation rate spray nozzles. Toro has more than 35 different interchangeable nozzles to choose from to give you maximum flexibility.

FLOOD BUBBLER

Radius: 0'-2'

Use the Toro Flood Bubbler for slow, deep watering around trees, shrubs, vegetable and flower gardens. Fully adjustable from off to 5 GPM.

MULTISTREAM SPRINKLER

Radius: 18'-27'

Toro's unique gear-driven, MultiStream sprinklers are recognized by their graceful "fingers of water" that slowly rotate to effectively penetrate medium-sized lawns, shrubs and ground cover -- especially on slopes

SINGLESTREAM SPRINKLER

Radius: 34'-48'

The Toro SingleStream Sprinkler is perfect for medium-to-large lawn areas. Its gear-driven design provides years of smooth, quiet operation.

SIMPLESET(tm) LAWN SPRINKLER

Radius: 27'-47'

The Toro SimpleSet Lawn Sprinkler offers full and part-circle operation in a single unit. This closed-case rotary sprinkler is ideal for large lawn areas and it's simple to set

UNIVERSAL IMPACT SPRINKLERS

Radius: 25'-45'

Toro Universal Impact Sprinklers are perfect for medium-to-large lawn areas. These impacts are adjustable from 20°-340° for part circle operation or 360° for full circle operation. Toro Impact Sprinklers are heavy-duty and will offer years of reliable operation.

2.VALVES

There are two types of valves: anti-siphon and in-line. Please check your local codes to determine which is appropriate in your area.

3.DRIP PRODUCTS

Save time, save money and save water with Toro Blue Stripe irrigation products.

4. TIMERS

When selecting a timer, there are two things to consider--number of zones (valves) and number of programs. It's important to choose a timer that can adapt to your growing needs. The additional programs allow you to water the different areas of your landscape (lawn, shrubs, flower beds) separately.

5.FUNNY PIPE

Funny Pipe is a high-strength poly tubing that solves tough sprinkler installation & replacement problems. Put simply, Funny Pipe acts as a flexible extension cord between sprinkler line and sprinkler head, allowing you to easily position sprinklers where you need them, even in hard-to-reach areas
One of the most useful and time-saving sprinkler installation aids is Toro Funny Pipe.
Whether you are installing a new system or replacing an old sprinkler head, Toro Funny Pipe can make your job quicker and easier.

COUNT YOUR ZONES

Determine the number of valves that you will need, based on the number of zones you have designed.

Locate Your Valves On The Plan

We recommend grouping the valves. For example, one valve location is needed to operate front yard zones, and one to operate the backyard and/or side-yard zones.

Locate the first set of valves in a convenient spot near the main water connection. A good location is where the service line enters your house. Also, place valves next to walks or in planters for easier access.

The number of zones used on your automatic timer should match or exceed the number of zones in your system (plan for potential expansion).

LAY OUT YOUR PIPE

Draw these connecting pipes on your grid layout and follow these rules:

• Use as many straight runs as possible.
• Try to avoid turns, which result in loss of pressure.
• Avoid runs under sidewalks and driveways whenever possible.
• Make connections perpendicular to each other.
• NOTE: You can include more than one pipe in a trench. Depending on local codes and zone GPM , consider using 1" Schedule 40 PVC pipe upstream of control valves and at least 3/4" Class 200 PVC pipe or 3/4" poly pipe downstream.

DETERMINE WHERE TO INSTALL YOUR TIMER

Install the timer inside your garage, or on an outside wall near a 120 VAC outlet. If you install the timer outside, be sure to mount it in a weather-resistant timer cabinet such as the one available from Toro. Toro also offers an expandable outdoor timer, specially designed to be installed outdoors. Check local electrical codes for connection to outside plugs.

Place zone or valve wires in the same trenches as the pipe. Remember that valves will be wired to the timer, so place valve wires where they are easily accessible.

Toro recommends 18-gauge solid, multi-strand, direct-burial wire to connect valves to sprinkler timers. You will need one wire per zone, plus the common wire. This eight-zone system requires nine wires. Be sure to waterproof all of your connections using grease caps

Check Local Codes And Permits

Call your water company or the proper municipal authority to find out about any building codes or permits required for the installation of underground sprinkler systems. They can tell you about local codes for backflow prevention to protect your household water supply from contamination. They can also advise you on where in the system it should be located. In addition, check with your local utility companies before digging to identify any buried cables or natural gas lines.
Mark Your Sprinklers, Valves and Trenches

Use Toro flags to indicate sprinkler locations according to your design. Use line-marking spray paint to mark the lines along the area where you'll trench and install pipe. Check your worksheet to make sure you mark the lines accurately. You will be digging your trenches along these lines.

MAIN AND LATERAL LINE TRENCHING

The main line is the line that runs from your service line to your valve manifolds. Lateral lines run from the valve manifolds to the sprinkler heads.

TRENCHING BY HAND

To soften the soil, water the ground approximately two days before you dig. Dig trenches 8" to 12" deep or per local codes below the frost line in freezing climates. Put sod on one side of the trench and soil on the other.

TRENCHING WITH A TRENCHER

Trenching machines are an easier, faster alternative to digging with a shovel. They can be rented by the hour, day or week, usually from a lawn supply store or rental equipment dealer. The person you rent from can show you how to operate the machine properly and safely. Trenchers should not be used to dig through ground cover, flower beds, on steep slopes or near buildings. Be sure to verify all underground utilities before trenching.

GOING UNDER OBSTACLES

To tunnel under brick and concrete walks, attach a piece of Schedule 40 PVC pipe to a hose with a hose-to-pipe adapter. Cap the end with a PVC cap and drill a 1/8" hole in the end of the cap. Point the end of the pipe to where you want to tunnel. Turn on the water and push the pipe under the concrete. The force of water will blast away the soil in front of it to form a tunnel. Tunneling requires care to avoid damage to walks and driveways.

INSTALL THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM MAIN LINE

Attach your sprinkler system main line to the service line. Run it along the bottom of the trench from the house to the first set of valves and if required, to the second set. Place your valve wire under the pipe whenever possible.

TIPS ON WORKING WITH DIFFERENT PIPES

PVC Pipe

Cut pipe with a PVC pipe cutter.
Brush on a primer to clean the pipe surface and the inside of the fitting.
Brush glue on the outside end of the pipe and lightly inside the fitting.
Slip the pipe into the fitting and give it a quarter turn.
Hold in place for about 15 seconds so the glue can set.
Wipe off excess glue with a rag.
NOTE: Wait at least one hour before running water through the system.
(Check manufacturer's recommendation).

POLY PIPE

Cut pipe with a PVC pipe cutter.
Slip a stainless-steel clamp over the end of the pipe.
Insert the barbed fitting into the end of the poly pipe, past the barbs.
Slide the clamp over the barbs of the fitting.
Tighten the clamp.
Save time with no sawing, drilling or gluing - use the Toro Self-Tapping Saddle for poly pipe (80-100 PSI). Available at your local home center.
NOTE: To relax poly pipe, expose it to sunlight. Never expose poly pipe to open flame.

Do not use poly pipe as the connecting pipe between the service line and the control valves. Surge pressure may rupture the poly pipe. Be sure to check local codes for correct type of pipe to use.

BUILD VALVE MANIFOLDS

A group of valves is called a manifold. We recommend grouping the control valves -- for example, one control valve location to operate front yard zones, and one to operate backyard and/or side yard zones. Use flags to mark the location of the valves, as indicated on your worksheet.
ANTI-SIPHON VALVE INSTALLATION

Anti-siphon valves are always installed above ground. With an anti-siphon valve, dig out an area large enough to accommodate your inlet and outlet pipes.
IN-LINE VALVE INSTALLATION

In-line valves are installed below ground. Protect valves below ground by sheltering them in a valve box. Dig out the area where below-ground valves are to be installed. Install the valve box at or near grade level. When you buy a valve box, be sure to find out how many valves fit in each box so you can buy the correct amount. In some cases, you will need more than one valve box per manifold

INSTALL LATERAL DOWNSTREAM PIPE

Start from the valves and move outward, laying the connecting pipe along the bottom of the trench. At each flag, install an appropriate fitting for sprinkler attachment. We recommend that you use Toro Funny Pipe(R) for all your sprinkler head installations.

FLUSH THE SYSTEM TO CLEAR DEBRIS

After the pipe has been connected and the glue has dried (PVC pipe only), turn on the water, open valves one zone at a time and flush until the water runs clear.

NOTE: Don't backfill your trenches until your final system operation check is complete.

NOTE: PVC pipe is shown in these illustrations. However, in areas where freezing occurs, poly pipe may be used downstream of valves instead of PVC. Always check local codes for proper pipe recommendations and before installing backflow prevention devices.

INSTALL YOUR SPRINKLERS ZONE-BY-ZONE

Install one sprinkler zone at a time, using Toro Funny Pipe(R). Remember to refer to your planning worksheet.

1.Placing a sprinkler in a trench as a guide, measure from the connecting pipe fitting to the bottom of the sprinkler and cut a length of Funny Pipe to fit. Place sprinklers at least 3" from sidewalks, curbs and 6" from fences and buildings.

2.Install the appropriate Funny Pipe elbow into the sprinkler and into the PVC or poly pipe fitting.

3.Connect one end of Funny Pipe to the sprinkler and the other end to the connecting pipe fitting.

NOTE: Do not use more than 4' of Toro Funny Pipe with each sprinkler head.

4.Position the sprinkler in the trench so that the top of the sprinkler is flush with ground level. Stabilize the sprinkler with soil without filling the entire trench.

5.Verify that the sprinkler is straight for optimum performance

INSTALL YOUR TIMER

1. Install the timer in your garage or another convenient place. If an outdoor location is desired, plan to use an outdoor cabinet to protect the timer against the effects of weather. Make sure an adequate power supply is available. Toro timers require only a standard outlet (see instructions included with the timer for details).

2. Run wires along the trench, underneath the pipe and from the valves to the system timer.

3. Connect the valves to the timer.

Take one wire from each valve and connect them to a common wire (for ease of identification, use the white wire as the common).
At the timer, connect the common wire to the common terminal on the timer.
Take the other wire from each valve and connect them to the timer terminals in sequence.
4. Plug in the timer.

NOTE: All outdoor connections and splices must be waterproofed.

CONNECTING A PUMP START RELAY FOR A WELL, TANK OR POND

CAUTION: When installing with an electric timer:

1. The Automatic Pump Starter should be mounted at least 5 feet away from the timer.

2. The timer should be at least 12 feet away from the pump.

3. The pump should be on a separate power source than that of the timer (the pump is a high-power user).

IF THESE STEPS ARE NOT TAKEN, TIMER MALFUNCTIONS MAY OCCUR!

CHECK YOUR SYSTEM OPERATION, ZONE-BY-ZONE

1. Slowly turn on the water and manually open the control valve.

2. Adjust the sprinklers to ensure proper coverage (see sprinkler installation instructions for details).

3. If your coverage is incomplete, follow the steps below:

• Make sure the control valve and shut-off valve are fully open.
• Turn off any water being used in the house (washers, showers, faucets, etc.).
• Fine-tune sprinkler spray patterns to match your coverage area.
• If coverage is still not complete, go back and check your system layout against the plans.
• When you see that the coverage is satisfactory, fill in the trench.