How Lawn Sprinklers Work

Maintaining and caring for a garden and lawn is not as simple as picking dandelions. Hours of work are put in weekly by many green-thumbs that want lush and thriving landscapes. If you have ever tried to maintain such an area, you know that without water, all the hard work and planning in the world won’t allow anything to grow. While physically watering an area is always an option, most people prefer the reliability and benefits of having a proper sprinkler system installed. After all, it only takes a couple days of sun without water before plants start wilting.

There are a few different types of lawn sprinklers. Firstly there are traditional types that are above ground and not permanently installed. By connecting a typical garden hose to a bib and attaching a water displacing head, you have the basis of an irrigation system. When one pictures a typical garden sprinkler, many of us picture a typical sprayer that sways back and forth with about 10 independent streams. This is a good option for covering a larger area, but you will have to physically move the sprinkler head around to cover all areas and then shut the water supply off when finished.

Oscillating sprinkler heads operate in the same way, however they are enhanced with additional twists. As the water makes its way through the sprinkler, some of it undergoes diversion to the side of the sprinkler, at which point it is forcefully made to power a small turbine. The turbine operates more like an engine and uses the pressure of the water to turn the sprinkler head and start the watering process. Every oscillating sprinkler is enhanced with a turbine that makes the sprinkler rotate, thereby dispersing water. This type is better for watering a smaller and more specific area, yet even this approach requires physical attention to shut the components off and put them away. Coiling up a long garden hose is perhaps the most tedious part of using traditional sprinklers.

Contrary to these old-fashioned types of sprinklers, there are in-ground sprinklers that are equipped with a central controller and enhanced with adjustable timers. The central controller is the part that controls the operations of the sprinkler, and when the adjustable timer is switched on, the controller ensures that all the valves are left open. The sprinklers are forced out of their (in-ground) holes by the pressure of water when the system is automatically switched on, as every sprinkler has it’s own control valve. To prevent the sprinklers from automatically turning on when it rains, the sprinklers can be fitted with rain meters.

Automatic sprinklers work differently from the above variety since they use electricity in watering the lawn or garden. These sprinklers are actually enhanced with an electric controller and clock system for programming. The owner of an automatic sprinkler can enter information in the sprinkler using the clock such that the sprinkler is able to automatically begin watering the garden at a given time. This ensures your landscape gets the required amount of water whether or not you are home. With some effort and the help of an automated sprinkler system, you can ensure that your garden will bloom.