- My name's Aaron Massey from mrfixitdiy.com
and welcome back to another episode of Home School'd.
For today's project, I'm gonna show you
how to install a basic sprinkler system for your yard.
(rock music)
I'm currently tackling a backyard overhaul project
and as part of it, I need to install
a few new irrigation zones.
I installed this small succulent garden a few years ago,
and while it doesn't require a ton of water,
with the heat of the summer,
I still have to water it occasionally,
and I'm sick of pulling out the hose every time.
So today I'm gonna show you how I plan
to install a sprinkler system for it and some nearby plants.
I rank these projects by how many F-bombs
you're likely to drop while tackling the project.
This one is not too (bleep)-ing difficult,
but it can take a while depending on the size
of the area that you're installing.
Step one is to locate a nearby water supply
and lay out the irrigation line.
In this case I have an unused spigot behind my old shed,
and I plan to tap into it to use it
as the source for this line.
To determine how many sprinklers I can have on this line,
I have to do some basic calculations
on flow rate and water pressure for the house.
The easiest way to test the water pressure,
is to use a water pressure testing gauge like this one
and attach it to a spigot.
In this case the water pressure is just shy of 60 PSI.
Next, to determine the flow rate,
I use a five gallon bucket and turn the water on fully
to see how long it takes to fill the bucket.
Multiply the size of the bucket in gallons
which is five, times 60 seconds,
then divide that number by the number
of seconds it took to fill.
In this case, it's the around 20 seconds.
So the flow rate is about 15 gallons per minute.
Once you have that number,
it can help you determine how many sprinkler heads
you can have on a zone, or how many zones that you need.
In this case I'll be installing
these pop-up Rain Bird 1800 Series sprinklers,
and a couple dedicated drip lines.
You can check the flow rate of your chosen sprinkler types
and what their coverage is on the manufacturer's website.
I only need about six sprinklers total for this zone,
and each head has a flow rate
of less than one gallon per minute.
So I have plenty of pressure and flow rate
for the needed coverage.
Depending on your layout,
you'll likely need to buy a combination
of different pieces, fittings, and unions.
I recommend that you buy more than you need
and return the unused stuff.
Once all your stupid math is outta the way,
it's time for some good old manual labor.
You'll have to dig a trench to bury the sprinkler line.
Depending on the size of the area that you're working in,
and the type of soil that you have,
that can either be easy or a huge pain in the ass.
In most cases for irrigation lines,
anywhere from eight to 12 inches deep
is sufficient to bury your pipes.
However, if you live in an area that freezes,
make sure you plan to drain your lines
at the end of the season
so they don't freeze and rupture during the winter.
Once you have the digging out of the way,
you can start laying out your piping and sprinkler heads.
Now there are a lot of different products out there
that you can use,
but I typically just use schedule 40 PVC pipe
because I find it easy to work with.
In this case I'm using 3/4 inch diameter schedule 40.
I just work my way around laying out the pipe.
Whenever I reach an area where I want a sprinkler head,
I use one of these 3/4 inch T joints
with a half inch threaded outlet
where I will screw in a threaded riser
for the sprinkler head.
At each joint, I use purple PVC primer and cement,
making sure to prime each piece
and then apply plenty of cement
to hold each joint together so they're water-tight.
Once I've laid out and installed all the sprinkler heads,
it's time to connect the line to the water supply.
You have a bunch of different options
for different types of zone valves here,
but they all basically do the same thing.
They allow the water to kick on either manually
when you activate the valve,
or on a timer if you have it connected
to an irrigation system.
Some like the one I installed here
run off solar power and operate on their own.
These are called anti-siphon zone valves,
and they allow the water to flow out to the sprinkler lines,
but not backflow and contaminate your drinking water.
To install them, you'd install your sprinkler line
to the outlet side of the valve
and connect the inlet side to your water supply line.
You can add as many zones as needed
based on your flow rate and water pressure.
You could even add an isolation valve like this one
which allows you to shut off the water
to the irrigation lines without shutting off
the main water supply to the house.
Once everything is connected
and you've let the PVC cement cure
for at least 30 minutes,
you can turn on the water and check the pipes for leaks.
Once you've made sure the pipes don't leak,
turn on your zone valve and sit back
and watch your plants get watered.
(rock music)
Then you can just backfill in your trench,
and that is it, you are done with this project.
Well that's it for this episode of Home School'd.
I hope you guys enjoyed it,
and I hope you learned something.
Installing an irrigation line
is a project that can take a little bit of time,
but once you get the hang of it,
it's a relatively simple project
that you can knock out by yourself
and hopefully save yourself some money.
If you did like this video,
please hit that like button and consider subscribing
to the channel if you're not already,
and if you'd like to check out more
of my DIY home improvement-related content,
you can always visit my website at mrfixitdiy.com.
Thank you guys so much for watching,
I'll see ya next time.
(rock music)
(guitar music)