Sprinkler Heads with Check Valves

We have all seen the water that continues to run across the sidewalk for a few moments after the sprinkler system has shut down. The reason for this is that all of the water in the pipes for all of that zone will run out of the lowest head until the pipes are drained. Not only is a water waster but can be a safety hazard for pedestrian slipping especially if it is cold and becomes ice. To solve this problem, replace the lower heads in each zone with new heads with check valves. The cost of these heads are only $1.00 more than a conventional head.

How much water can I save? Most lawns zones have 6-8 pop-up sprinkler heads spaced at 15' intervals with 3/4" pipe in the ground. 15' of 3/4" pipe holds approximately a 1/2 gallon of water. For a 8 head system depending on layout that could mean you waste as much as 4 gallons per cycle. If you are watering appropriately, you will water your turf 2 times a week and break each day up into 2 cycles. That would make it 8 gallons a day, 16 gallons a week and 832 gallons a year for this 1 zone. If you are running a rotor zone with 30' spacing the numbers would be higher. Each yard is different. Some will have more or less water loss due to low head drainage. Please ask the Irrigation Pros technicians to evaluate your system for low head drainage.

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