Two factors determine the efficiency of your irrigation system. The first factor is the system’s uniformity. The uniformity of a system is determined by the spacing of the heads, pressure at the heads, and matched precipitation. Getting all three of these right will produce a landscape you will be proud to show off.

The second factor for sprinkler efficiency is maintenance, which I refer to as the Human Factor. Maintenance will make or break the system. The person making repairs, replacing heads and programming the timer is the most important factor of all. I call it the Human Factor because all too often I come across systems where spray heads are mixed with rotary heads, timers have insanely long run-times programmed resulting in run-off, 10 ft radius heads are watering 4 ft wide strips, or diaphragms are cut out of master valves.

So what do we do about it? Training. Whenever possible, go to irrigation classes to better understand the design and hydraulic principles that govern great systems. The maintenance side is the hardest part of the irrigation business. Invest the time and dollars it takes to become proficient at proper maintenance. You don’t want your mechanic to guess his way through overhauling the engine on your truck do you? The same rules apply here!