First timer installing a residential irrigation system

12 years ago

Hey all,
New here. Thanks in advance for any and all help.
I will be installing a sprinkler system in my front and back yards in Colorado.
This is my first time, so all my planning so far is based off of what I've read online and what I've seen in stores. Please feel free to offer advice.

Tapping in to house mainline: Due to the way my basement is finished, I am planning to tap into the main line (which is 7/8" copper) in the unfinished portion of my basement, near where the rear spigot exits the house. I don't think my GPM demand for any of the individual zones will be more than 6-8. Is it OK to tie in inside the house, or should I tie into the main line before it gets to the house (as far as I can tell, this would involve digging down 6-8 feet in the front yard to get to the line).

Still not sure which tubing I will be using. Any thoughts? I was tempted to use the flexible PVC with push lock fittings that Home Depot has.

I want to design it to blow it out each year, and was just going to put a sillcock (to attach an air fitting) just below the vacuum breaker and a valve inside the house to drain the last little bit of water. Is that an OK way to do that?

I was planning to run 3 zones (with 2 additional pipe runs, one front yard and one back yard just in case I ever decide to irrigate a garden bed or something). One zone for the front yard (25' by 24' rectangle) with 4 Rain Bird 3504 heads (thoughts on head choice?).
The backyard is kind of odd shaped and I am not yet sure how to lay out the heads. Overall dimensions of back yard are 42' X 25.5'. The image below has 5 heads labeled 1-5, with an additional 3 heads labeled A, B, C to attempt to provide more complete coverage, but trying to avoid over-watering spots. The numbers inside the arcs show how many heads hit that area.

Again, I am new to all of this, so am not sure what the best layout will be. Any better ideas on how to place heads in the pictured yard? I was inclined to use rotor heads for ease since it would require fewer heads and fewer pipe runs.

Any advice/suggestions are quite welcome.
Thanks!
Josh

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Comments (4)

jean001a
11 years ago
Basic guidelines at Univ Calif -- http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/TOOLS/TURF/SITEPREP/irrdes.html

More details from Arizona- at link below

[If you need still more info, do a search with "how to design home spinkler system site:edu" but without the quotes

Here is a link that might be useful: sprinkler stuff from AZ State
cameronhubbard91
11 years ago
I could help you do the complete layout including valve placement, mainline location, lateral locations, amount of heads per zone, head to head coverage with accurate head placement, head selection and nozzle type. Also I didn't read anywhere that you were installing a back flow or blowout valve. I don't know your city's code but usually if you tie directly into the city's mainline a back flow is required to prevent contaminants from draining back into the citys water. Blowout valve to make sure no water stays in the lines or heads causing them to crack. If you could add the location where your tie in is and give me proper measurements I would be more than happy to do a layout for you. My experience is I am an irrigation technician in Washington state.
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cameronhubbard91
11 years ago
Tie into the house if possible. Schedule 40, 1" PVC. Weld-on 721 glue, you will at least need some 90ÃÂ°elbows as well. Pre built swing joint Assembly's (one per head) or create your own with half inch marlex, 90ÃÂ° street elbows aka barbs. 1" slip to 1/2 inch thread reducing T's with threads being in the 1/2 inch part only. A few endos 1" slip to 1/2" thread. 2 valves. Most likely you will want 2 round valve boxes. I always prefer to build a manifold and both valves in 1 box. If you install a backflow which is probably required you will need to get it tested and it will have to pass to run your system. Some people avoid this by tying into their hose bib which I don't suggest. I will answer all questions you may have.
cameronhubbard91
11 years ago
Tie into the house if possible. Schedule 40, 1" PVC. Weld-on 721 glue, you will at least need some 90ÃÂ°elbows as well. Pre built swing joint Assembly's (one per head) or create your own with half inch marlex, 90ÃÂ° street elbows aka barbs, and a roll of funny pipe .1" slip to 1/2 inch thread reducing T's with threads being in the 1/2 inch part only. A few endos 1" slip to 1/2" thread. 2 valves. Most likely you will want 2 round valve boxes. I always prefer to build a manifold and both valves in 1 box. If you install a backflow which is probably required you will need to get it tested and it will have to pass to run your system. Some people avoid this by tying into their hose bib which I don't suggest. I will answer all questions you may have.