Types Of Sprinklers For Use In Sprinkler Installation

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all sprinkler head for putting sprinklers around your home. Instead, you need to choose heads based on the size of the area that you have to cover and the amount of water that each head will use. The following descriptions are meant to give the reader an idea of the basic type of heads that you can use and their strengths and weaknesses.

Impact Heads

An impact head will have an arm that crosses in front of the stream of water. As the water hits this arm, it will cause the arm to swing outward, and this action will also cause the arm to turn a set of gears that allow the head to pivot. Impact heads have a lot of moving parts that can cause the head to fail over time. Also, these heads have a lot of exposed mechanisms that can get gummed up with dirt and other organic debris. Impact heads are also designed to cover large areas. Thus, you should not use them in narrow yards. 

Rotor Heads

A rotor head will have a narrow neck with no exposed mechanisms like you will have with an impact head. Instead, all the mechanisms will be sheltered from the elements inside the head. You still have gears that are turned by the water flowing through the head, but all of this takes place inside. Rotor heads are smaller and more long-lasting than impact heads and are more popular these days for use in covering large areas. 

Constant Flow Heads

Constant-flow heads do not pivot from side to side like the two types of heads described above. Instead, they emit a constant flow of water, which exists the head making a fan-shaped sheet of water that can cover an area with a radius of up to fifteen feet. Thus, these heads are popular for use in small yards, flower, beds, and gardens. 

The nozzle used on the heads described above will determine how much each head uses. You have to make sure that the heads you use on any one zone do not use more water than you have available to make sure that you get proper coverage. A well-designed sprinkler system should eliminate the need to manually water your lawn. If you have doubts about your ability to design your own system, then you should call a sprinkler company (like Steeplechase) to do the design for you.