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Installation guide for underground lawn or garden sprinkler system in USA

The underground lawn sprinkler irrigation system is a very efficient, time-saving, automatic, and precise water-using system. One can use it to irrigate particular or whole lawns of common shapes. 

Underground lawn sprinkler irrigation system

Well, you can install it on your own if you have plumbing knowledge. Even if you never touched plumbing tools, you can install them with an expert plumber easily.

Underground lawn irrigation system in USA

Considering you already have some knowledge of plumbing, here, we've discussed the entire underground lawn irrigation sprinkler system. 

What is an underground lawn irrigation system?

It is different from the on-ground irrigation system. In this irrigation system, we set sprinklers at the fixed corners that rest underground. When we allow water for irrigation, these sprinklers pop up over the ground and irrigate the lawn according to the range set in the sprinklers. Subsurface drip irrigation is another example of an underground lawn irrigation system.

Overall, it looks like an invisible irrigation system as it keeps hidden its main pipeline and sprinklers at rest. 

Before starting digging

In many local areas, you can't dig directly even on your lawn. Without clarifying the purpose of digging, it is illegal to dig. So if you are not aware of it, ask for permission from government officials or offices. 

Our suggestion is to not take digging lightly and ask for permission. It is not a big deal to get approval if you have a legit reason. 

Now, let's understand the installation of an underground irrigation system.

Requirements to install an underground irrigation system

Keep in mind that we have to filter water before irrigation, make multiple controls in it, with a direct source supply, fix the sprinklers at the corners, and keep it underground. 

The following are the requirements to install an underground irrigation system- 

  • Main control valve

The main control valve controls the source water flow in the entire pipeline and water system. One end of the main control valve is fixed with the source line and another end connects to the water filter. 

  • PVC pipes

Generally, we take 2 inches diameter PVC pipes for lawn sprinklers. These pipes cover the entire lawn perimeter. If the lawn is very large, then you can add more pipes according to the size of the lawn. 

  • Sprinklers 

Ideally, it is always comfortable to fix the sprinklers in the range of 90 to 180 degrees. More than that, we start to lose the efficiency of sprinklers. These sprinklers are connected vertically in the ground at the same height as the sprinklers to hide them when they are off.  

In small lawns(15x15 sqm), we only use four sprinklers. In bigger lawns, we can add more sprinkler points according to the average range of the sprinklers. For this, you have to add more PVC pipes to add more sprinklers.

  • Water filter

It is important to filter water before spraying or irrigating the lawn. Water filters exclude all the larger dust particles, visible impurities, and mud. It is very important to install a water filter in your lawn irrigation system. 

How to install it?

After granted permission of digging, mark the boundaries for the pipeline in your lawn first. Let's understand the steps to install underground lawn sprinklers- 

  • Source connection

During the entire connection, you should keep the source water supply off. Now, make holes in the source according to the main control valve. Fix it there airtight with the help of PVC glue and tapping. 

Add a water filter at another end of the control valve(either with the main pipe or with the control valve). 

  • Digging in lawn

First of all, if your lawn already has turf, gently remove it so you can use it again after the irrigation system installation. 

Now, dig 1/2 to 1 foot for the main pipe. Either use a digging machine or dig with the help of tools. 

If your lawn is small, then you can dig only at the boundaries, but if you have a bigger lawn, then it is better to dig vertically across the boundaries to divide the area. 

If bigger lawns, digging machines are more efficient. 

  • Fixing PVC pipeline

Now, according to the dimensions, use PVC pipes. If they are short, then bind them with sockets. At the corners, use PVC elbows to bind them at 90 degrees. 

Check again that they are airtight or leakage free. 

  • Installing sprinklers

Now, make holes and add flexible sprinkler hooks to the PVC pipes. According to mapping and requirements, install the sprinklers to these flexible hooks.

These flexible sprinklers are now free to pop up when you allow water to flow in the entire lawn. 

  • Secondary valves

Most of the time, sprinklers have an on-and-off option so that you can cover a fixed area in it. If your sprinklers don't have this option, you should install secondary valves in the main pipeline, so that you can target certain sections of the lawn.  

Winterization of underground lawn irrigation

Every irrigation system needs winterization before the start of the winter season. Without winterization, the winter season can burst the valve, pipes, and even the sprinklers of the irrigation system.

Regular on and off of irrigation systems left some water in pipes, valves, and sprinklers. In winter, this water gets frozen and expands the volume. In this case, most of the sprinklers and valves get burst. 

So, winterization is simply to save the entire irrigation system either in lawn, agriculture, or garden. To avoid any damage in winter, drain all the water from pipes, sprinklers, and valves. 

It is not hard or intense work to winterize the irrigation system and hardly takes an hour. But without winterization, it can cost your entire irrigation system. 

you can also troubleshoot some common problems in your irrigation system yourself.

Is an underground irrigation system worth it?

In lawns, yes it is very useful. In wide agricultural fields, it is expensive. Also, maintenance cost is very high for such irrigation systems. 

In small or medium lawns, you can have such an irrigation system. 

To make irrigation precise and focus on particular sections for moisture, an underground sprinkler irrigation system is very useful. If you want to replace sprinklers with drip irrigation systems, then it also has the same effect with some drawbacks of it. 

Pop-up sprinkler systems can focus on almost every shape of regular or irregular lawns. 

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