Installing a Sprinkler System in Memphis? Answering All Your Questions
As local irrigation experts, we’re commonly asked questions. These come from clients installing sprinklers and those curious about these systems. With this guide, you’ll have your questions answered so you can consider whether the boost of a sprinkler system is right for you!
How Do Sprinkler Systems Work?
This ties into the question of how many sprinkler heads you’ll need to install on your lawn. The answer is dependent on your lawn, but the way your system works will always have the same basic setup.
All sprinkler systems have a controller, valves, piping, and heads. The controller is what manages when and how often your lawn is watered. Once installed, you can program it to water your lawn at certain times. It does this by sending a message to the installed valve boxes below ground. These and piping connect to either an irrigation meter or your home’s water line. When the valve boxes receive the message, the valves switch open to let water through the pipes. The pipes lead to the sprinkler heads, which shoot the water out onto the grass.
Image Source: University of Florida
Before this is installed, your lawn will be broken up into a number of zones. This is based on the size of your lawn and how much shade or sun the area receives. Each zone will receive its own valve to spread water through the zone’s heads. Each zone, by having its own valve and heads, increases the system’s efficiency. It does this by allowing different areas to be watered more frequently or at different times.
There are also additional features that can be installed. Some of these are mandatory by law in certain areas. For example, in the Memphis area, it is required for your main water line or irrigation meter to have a backflow preventer. This keeps water from flowing back into the water supply. You can also install rain sensors, which automatically halt your irrigation system when rain is already present. For even more customization, you could install a smart control panel on your controller.
What Different Types of Sprinkler Systems Are There?
Image Source: University of Tennessee
There’s a wide variety of both sprinkler system types and sprinkler head types. Generally, you could install either a head-based system or a hose-based system. Tubed units, like drip irrigation systems or a soaker hose, can be great for gardens or landscaping shrubs. Drip irrigation is more expensive, but it delivers water directly to the root zone of your plant to save water over time. It involves installing a tubing system through your soil. A soaker hose lies above ground and slowly feeds your soil water. Its simplicity makes it convenient and affordable, but not manageable for entire lawns.
Head-based systems are generally the best equipped for covering your lawn. There are two main types of heads – spray heads and rotor heads. Spray systems create a cone of water that you think of when you think of the water from a sprinkler system. This provides uniform watering across the entire coverage area. However, if timed improperly, you could wind up wasting water. A rotary system will spray a single jet of water in a circular motion. This takes longer than a spray system, but ends up covering the same amount of area while using less water overall.
Both Images Source: University of Florida
Once you choose your type of system, there are different practical applications that you can consider. For a spray, rotor, or drip irrigation system, you could install a smart control panel. This means that instead of having to activate the system, you can set up commands to water based on certain conditions. This is an investment on top of the cost of your sprinkler system, but it can save money and water over time by limiting human error. You can also choose whether your rotor or spray heads are installed below or above ground. A below-ground system will pop up only when watering, which means that the rest of the time, your lawn can look flat and clear.
Image Source: University of Florida
How Much Do Sprinkler Systems Cost?
The quickest way to give you an exact answer is to have a company review and quote your property. Every lawn is too varied to give an exact estimate. However, we can walk you through what companies will look for so that you know the range that you should expect.
No matter what type of sprinkler system you utilize, the cost of installation also depends on your property. Your zones take into account the different watering needs for that zone, like having plants other than grass or more sun exposure. It shows a benefit of a sprinkler system over manual watering – knowing that areas that need more water will always receive it.
How many sprinkler heads your zone needs depends on these factors, but it’s reported that, on average, a zone needs five to ten sprinkler heads. Let’s say your lawn has four zones, and that two of those zones are in more direct sunlight. If two zones have seven sprinkler heads and two zones have five, the cost of the system includes twenty-four sprinkler heads. The final total also accounts for control panel installation, backflow preventers, city permits, and labor. Backflow preventers and city permits are required by law in Memphis and Shelby County, so there’s no skimping out on them.
To calculate this out, look into the cost of the type of sprinkler heads and control system that you’re eyeing. Consider how many zones your lawn will be and multiply by how many heads you’ll need. Add at least a couple hundred dollars to factor in these checks, and you have a general estimate for how much your system should cost. This can help you assess what type of system you want and know if a company gives you an outrageous quote.
Do Sprinklers Cost More in Memphis?
Sprinkler systems are popular, but you might be wondering if it is going to run up your water bill during the warm, Memphis summers. Though you will need to utilize your sprinkler system in the summer, other factors will even out the cost of usage. Generally, the amount of water that your sprinkler system uses is consistent. A half-acre lawn will add fifteen to twenty-two dollars a month to your water bill. However, Memphis falls tend to have consistent rain. This means that you can use your sprinkler system less in the fall, if at all. Factoring in that you won’t use it in the winter, and a lot of your months will not have the additional cost of water usage.
If you’re ready to invest in installing the system, the cost of water won’t be considerably taxing in the Memphis area. Doing independent research can help you gauge how much your system should cost. It’s important to factor in not just the number of heads and zones you need, but also the condition of your lawn as well. Many Memphis-area lawns have clay-heavy soils, which adds to the cost of sprinkler parts and labor. Knowing your lawn well can help you know if you are being quoted appropriately.
How Much Maintenance is Required? How Much Does Sprinkler System Maintenance Cost?
The only recurring cost that you have to worry about after sprinkler system installation is maintenance. This is important to make sure that your lawn is always getting water in the way it was intended for installation.
Your sprinkler system in Memphis will always need a spring start-up and a winterization blowout for the winter. This is the process of clearing out all water from your sprinkler pipes before shutting them off to make sure water doesn’t freeze. Since water expands, water left behind will crack and damage your pipes. The spring start-up involves turning your system back on to be ready for watering. You will also need to have your backflow system checked once a year to be up to code.
Throughout the spring and summer, many companies offer maintenance checks to make sure there are no leaks or breaks. Adjustments throughout the season are much cheaper than having to repair your whole system. Depending on how often you get inspections, this results in an average of five maintenance checks per year. You can get a quote to see how much this would end up being. You could do these inspections yourself, but it is very difficult to do if you are not a trained professional. Any mistake could result in system damage, which is more costly to repair.
What Are The Benefits of Installing a Sprinkler System?
It’s probably clear from the costs that we’ve discussed, but installing a sprinkler system is an investment that helps your property over time. It makes your lawn care simpler while also letting your property reap benefits. Along with the increased property value, having a consistently watered landscape has a lot of hidden benefits. The healthier lawn that you’ll receive is more resistant to pests and disease, saving on lawn care expenses. It obtains this health while decreasing the time and energy you need to spend watering your lawn. It also helps with water efficiency! Instead of manually watering your lawn and skipping days or using too much water, a sprinkler system helps you consistently use a small amount of water. The benefits it holds for your property mean that once you take the leap, you can see your lawn thrive and save money over time.
When Is the Best Time to Install a Sprinkler System in Memphis?
Obviously, you don’t want to install a sprinkler system in the winter. Did you know you should also avoid the summer? It’s usually when people think about installing a system, but that means that a lot of contractors are already booked for the season. It also means any available contractors can price higher and write it off on the heat. Also, for practical reasons, the heat stresses the soil that is dug up to install your sprinkler system, which will make it less stable over time.
The best time to install your Memphis sprinkler system is spring. After the winter, the soil will be soft and workable. Your lawn is also primed to recover its grass quickly. The cooler conditions for installation make it easier on the installation crew. Your lawn will also be prepared for the summer heat. Overall, spring is the ideal season for installation. However, fall is a close second that also might be less booked than spring. While they won’t reach their peak season until almost a year later, an autumn installation is still cool for the crew and easy on the soil. The fall rains will also help to settle the soil, which gets grass or sod ready to fill bare spots. While we recommend spring over fall overall, generally, fall has less demand while still being very viable.
If you work with a company like us that also does landscaping, you can also work on sod installation at the same time to repatch the ground. If you want to factor this into your lawn’s ideal time, warm grass types need to be installed before September to ensure that their roots establish. This makes spring or early fall your best installation times.
Who Should Install Your Sprinkler System?
If you’re looking to install a sprinkler system after learning all the facts, why not work with us? At Victory Landscape Services, we have installed a variety of sprinkler systems across East Memphis. Our team also has a lot of experience with repairs and maintenance, so we can answer any lingering questions you have along the way. We answer these questions and more on our Irrigation Services page. If you’re interested in our company giving you a quote, contact us today!