OT-Ever had a sprinkler system installed?

[bostonsmama]

DH is scheduled to deploy for half a year in April of 2007, and if what we hope happens happens (that we conceive off this IVF cycle in July), then my due date would be sometime in April. :( That said, we're trying to get our ducks in a row and make things easier for me to maintain our house while he's gone. Hence, we'd like to have a an automatic in-ground sprinkler system installed so I'm not trying to juggle caring for a newborn (or two!) and watering our lawn at 5 in the morning during our brutally hot summers.

Interested in any thoughts....whether you did PVC or flex-tubing. How much does it cost? Did you do city or well water? Do you maintain it yourself or have a company come winterize and do spring start up? We have 3 estimates scheduled so far...and it's all pretty overwhelming. DH and I are pretty handy, but with me already on medication leading up this procedure, I've got to take it easy...so no doing it ourselves.

Anyways, TIA.

Larissa

My-oh-my, we're doing it in July!

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my brother and SIL on 3/06
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32719.jpg

[cbm]

Hi Larissa,

we did ours almost 9 years ago so things may have changed regarding the products now available. We haven't had any problems at all, and we have had some pipe freezing winters. We have PVC pipes. The cost was high, but 1) we have a fairly big yard, 2) it was worth it. We use city water. What kind of water you use may make a difference on whether you should winterize or start up yourself. To do either doesn't particularly require a genius, but there may be ordinances in your town regarding starting and winterizing if using city water. Check with the water department, not with the people who are selling you the system. Considering your future situation, you may want to have the company winterizing and starting up at least until your husband returns or you have enough time to do it. Or hire them to do winterizing and start up the first year, then see how they do it.
I hope it helped. You can email me through the board if you need other info.

Claudia
DS 12/18/04

[bnme]

We just had a system installed for around 2k. We're on a 1/3 acre and it's a 7 zone Hunter system with rain sensor and a 2yr full warranty. We have poly-something piping, which I believe is the flex. It's totally worth it to me - I hate having to move around the regular sprinkler and try and get every spot (plus manage to remember to do it, not forget it's on, do it without having the kids run through it, etc). This is our 2nd summer in this house and last year our lawn was horrible (without the sprinkler system).

We have city water. Our last house had a system and DH has done start-up & winterize himself or paid about $50 to winterize. I think you need some sort of pressure thing to do it (blow water out), which my DH's friend has.

HTH bit.

[cbm]

>We have city water. Our last house had a system and DH has
>done start-up & winterize himself or paid about $50 to
>winterize. I think you need some sort of pressure thing to do
>it (blow water out), which my DH's friend has.

An air compressor will do it. That is what we use.

Claudia
DS 12/18/04

[bostonsmama]

Thank you Claudia and Donna. I appreciate any and all input. I was assuming this was going to be something that would cost between $5,000 and $7,000, so hearing $2K range is giving me a sigh of relief.

We just talked with a neighbor last night who happened to tell us about the clearing the pipes to winterize, so thanks for mentioning the compressor thing. Now we just have to decide whether we're going to do well or city water. I just don't know whether it's worth the $1,500 to put one in past the iron level and then not have a water bill.....OR only pay $500 for a second irrigation-only meter from the city (pub utilities-so we don't pay wastewater treatment), but have to have expensive back-flow preventer valve checks every year (~$70/yr).

One more question: at what interval did you set your timer to water? Weekly? Daily? Our neighbor's system goes off every other day at 5am for 10 minutes per zone, but I was under the impression that weekly or twice weekly deeper (like 20-30min per zone) watering encouraged grass to grow deeper roots...blah, blah, blah. Suggestions?

Hmm...lots to think of. But thanks for the responses.

Larissa

My-oh-my, we're doing it in July!

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my brother and SIL on 3/06
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32719.jpg

[sidmand]

We had one installed as well and I think it was also around $2,000. I don't remember how many zones, etc., but it also is a Hunter system. We pay for the company that installed it to come and do twice yearly maintenance in the spring and fall. They clear the pipes and check to make sure it all works fine.

We water a little area in the front that is landscaped every day for about 10 minutes at 10:30 p.m., but have been under a water ban ever since it's been installed, so the rest of the yard we only water once a week for about 30 minutes(? I think) per zone starting at about 3:00 a.m. We're only allowed to water on trash day, and that's what we've done. It's seemed to work out fine so far (two years now).

Debbie

Mom to Sawyer!
http://lilypie.com/baby1/060607/0/3/1/-5/.png[/img] ([img)

[cbm]

>One more question: at what interval did you set your timer to
>water? Weekly? Daily? Our neighbor's system goes off every
>other day at 5am for 10 minutes per zone, but I was under the
>impression that weekly or twice weekly deeper (like 20-30min
>per zone) watering encouraged grass to grow deeper
>roots...blah, blah, blah. Suggestions?

The interval depends on weather, the type of plants you have, and if your city has water restrictions. If it is really hot where you live, your neighbour's schedule is fine. What time you start watering depends on how big your yard is. Ideally, you may want to stop watering before it gets too hot and the water starts evaporating (you want to make sure the plants get the water.) One thing I think works great is a rain sensor. I don't know if it offered with the systems proposed to you, but it really helps cutting down on water usage if it rains often in your area.

Claudia
DS 12/18/04