Though quite expensive, a sprinkler system is imperative if you are to maintain the health and beauty of your lawn. Having a professional set it up in your home may be the best option but if you are tight on budget, you can get the job done on your own. A sprinkler system is a little bit complicated that’s why it’ essential that you have a little knowledge and experience in working with lawn or garden hardware. Nevertheless, it is not impossible to install one on your own if you follow these steps very carefully:


Step 1. Know your lawn or garden’s need. There are two types of sprinklers you can choose from; one with the sprinkler head extending permanently above the ground and one with pop up heads that are hidden in the ground and only pop up when turned on.

Step 2. Make the preparations needed for the project. The first thing you would want to accomplish is to get permits from authorities to allow you to set up a sprinkler system. This is important so as to prevent unwanted incidents especially if you are not sure of the location of electrical wires, telephone wires, and most especially gas lines that are buried underground.

Step 3. Begin installation by creating a group of control valves, also called a manifold. The manifold is where water from the source will collect first before it is distributed to the different circuit paths in the system. You can either have the manifold mounted above the ground or have it buried.

Step 4. Dig V-shaped trenches that are at least 8 inches deep and make sure they are level with the ground. Tap into your water supply by setting up a tee on a line right after the water meter. You can also install the tee behind a hose bib or connect it a main supply line past the meter. Install an emergency shut-off valve as well.

Step 5. Arrange the pipes inside the trenches and begin setting up the system. Once the pipes are connected and cured, set up the risers next and attach the sprinkler heads. Bury the sprinkler heads just deep enough or a few inches from the ground so that they don’t stick out. You can also put filter screens on the sprinkler heads to avoid impurities from clogging them. You might also want to test the functionality of the sprinkler heads to find out whether the water pressure is too high or too low. Installing pressure regulators will help you correct water pressure problems you may face.

Step 6. Install the controller and connect it to the control valves using electric wires. After connecting the valves, set the controls and test the system to check that each of the circuits are working properly. Walk through the whole system to check for leaks before backfilling the trenches. Finally, refill the trenches by adding soil and water them to make sure they are compact.