Install Sprinklers for A Gorgeous Landscape

Why Install A Sprinkler System?

The benefits of Fort Collins sprinkler installation are myriad and vary somewhat from property to property, but essentially, a sprinkler system cuts down the need for manual watering completely or almost completely. A well-designed, thoroughly considered sprinkler installation can bring water automatically to every corner of your property. It can ensure that your lawn is properly watered, and it can water the plants and other landscape features as needed.

A properly-installed sprinkler system can:

• Pay for itself by lowering your water bills
• Save your time by doing the watering for you
• Provide overall watering management
• Ensure that your plants flourish and live longer
• Provide you with healthy, beautifully verdant green grass
• Assist in establishing best practices for watering by season and temperature
• Grow healthy turf with a root system that protects from erosion and runoff

How Is A Sprinkler System Installed?

From the beginning of digging the trenches for it to the final touches, sprinkler system installation is an intricate process involving multiple steps and components. It can become even more intricate if you are adding modern touches such as moisture sensors, water gauges and timers to ensure your lawn only gets watered when it needs it. A sprinkler system installation can technically be done as a DIY project, but due to the complexity of the project, it’s recommended to leave it to the pros.

At Advanced Landscaping and Sprinkler, we have helped hundreds of clients in Fort Collins with sprinkler installation over our years of being in business. We also work all over Northern Colorado. Our experience and expertise not only gets the job done, but gets you the customization your lawn and landscape require. From connecting or installing drip irrigation systems to your sprinkler system to the installation and setup of specialized gauges and sensors, we can do it all. We’ll outline here the process of installing an in-ground sprinkler system so that you have an idea of what we’ll be doing when you work with us.

Make the plan.

First, we begin by making the plan. Advanced Landscaping and Sprinkler will make a detailed plan of your sprinkler system after evaluating the needs of your lawn and landscape. This plan will detail everything about the system, including the placement of valve boxes, attachment to the water main at the house, the placement of pipes and spacing of sprinkler heads, the addition of auxiliary systems such as drip irrigation systems, and more. This plan is crucial to the successful installation of the sprinkler system at your home or business.

Digging the trenches.

We will use specially-designed equipment to dig trenches the correct size for your specific sprinkler system. There are many different machines on the market for digging trenches for sprinkler systems; we use tried-and-true machinery that does the job and holds up over time to ensure we can dig trenches as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Making the water connection by tapping into the main water line.

We have to turn off the water to your home for a short while as we complete this step. We also ensure that no water from your sprinkler system can mix in with your home’s water supply, making sure to keep them separate from each other so that you don’t end up with any debris or chemicals from your lawn in your home’s water supply.

Installing the zone valves in your new system.

This installation may occur during a different step based on the plan for your specific lawn and landscape. It also involves the setting of timers, as well as potentially other gauges and sensors, to ensure proper automation for your lawn’s water needs. While some timers are simple and used for generally automating your sprinkler system’s watering process, some are more complex and require a more detailed setup.

Laying the pipe.

The time has now come to place the pipes in the trenches. This is crucial to the layout of the sprinkler system as the pipes direct where the water flows. In the case of areas that require the water flow to curve around objects, fitting several pieces of pipe together with PVC cement works well. If a drip irrigation system is being attached to a pipe, a special fitting and pressure reducer are required to ensure the safe and level flow of water to that system.

Connect the pipes to the valve box appropriately.

Now it’s time to connect the pipes to the valve box. This is accomplished by using 90-degree elbows as needed to connect the PVC pipes to the corresponding zones in the valve box itself. We must turn on the water at this point to flush any debris that may exist out of the system. Then, we have to turn it off again to install the sprinkler heads.

Installation of the sprinkler heads.

You guessed it, next we install the sprinkler heads. We have used the plan to this point and will continue to in order to determine the exact placement of each sprinkler head. This is essential to the overall function of the system, to ensure that sections will not be over or underwatered. 90-degree elbows may be used to ensure exact placement.

Drip irrigation installation.

Now, it is time for the placement of the drip irrigation system for the plants in your landscaping. This system will ensure that your plants also receive adequate, automatic watering without being damaged by the force of the water directly from the sprinkler head. We keep the irrigation tubing as close to the base of the plants as possible to ensure even watering; this also helps to hide it somewhat in your landscaping.

Stake the drip system.

Staking the drip irrigation tubing is the next part of this process. Staking the tubing ensures that it stays on the ground and doesn’t come up under water pressure, or for any other reason. Staking the irrigation tubing is essential for the proper use of the drip irrigation system. While staking, we place stakes about 18-24 inches apart. You may notice that in some areas we place two stakes very close together, and on opposite sides of the tubing, in order to hold it down and in place. To hide the tubing more fully and prevent water from evaporating from the system, we cover the drip irrigation system with bark mulch.

Mount the wall unit, test, and adjust the system.

Finally, we mount the programmable timer on the house wall. We connect all necessary wires and ensure the timer is receiving power. Then we test each zone to make sure the sprinklers are spraying exactly where we want them to and the drip irrigation system is receiving water flow. We’ll adjust any sprinkler heads that are spraying off course and voila! We are all finished, and you have a gorgeous new sprinkler system that will help you save money, time, and labor, not to mention green up your lawn and make it a more thriving ecosystem.

At Advanced Landscaping & Sprinkler, we have been serving the greater Northern Colorado area for years. We are grateful that we have had hundreds of satisfied customers, and we stand behind the work we do. Our Fort Collins sprinkler installation is the best in the business. We would love to install a beautiful new sprinkler system at your Northern Colorado home or business. Sprinkler systems save time and money over manual watering, and they create ecosystems that flourish and nurture life and longevity. We hope to hear from you soon.