We all know that sprinkler systems free up our time...but did you know that it can free up your money as well? You may think that by hand-watering your lawn, you are conserving water...but if your sprinkler systems is correctly designed, it will reduce your water bill, improve the appearance of your home and - depending on the size of your lawn - free up a lot of your precious time.

One of the few home improvement projects you can do that actually makes your life easier is installing a sprinkler system in your yard. No one likes hand watering gardens, flower beds, or lawns or moving a lawn sprinkler attached to a hose every 20 minutes. Installing a sprinkler system will automate the entire process and lets you forget about whether your yard is getting the water it needs. Of course, it is easiest to install an automatic sprinkler system when first building your home or designing your landscaping, but it is also easy for a landscape designer to add irrigation to your yard after the fact.

The efficiency of automatic sprinkler systems depends on three primary components: 1) design, 2) installation and maintenance, and 3) management. A properly-designed and maintained system can be highly inefficient if mismanaged, but proper management is difficult if a system is not designed properly...it can be a vicious circle.

Recently in Orlando (and the rest of our country), the need for water conservation and more-efficient irrigation has pushed for the development of better sprinkler systems. All of these systems have one thing in common: they move water to where it is wanted and then disperse it as needed. Over time, the sprinklers systems have become very sophisticated and high-tech in their system controls. Their operation can now be computer-controlled to respond to the time of day, volume of water present and the temperature outside. The systems can be stationary or moveable

Basically, sprinkler systems consist of a network of buried pipes interspersed with sprinkler heads that spray water aboveground over lawns, plants, trees, and shrubs. There are a number of different sprinkler heads that enable you to spray water over the desired area. Some examples are impact, surface, pop-up head, bubbler head, and many more that can be selected, depending on the needs of your lawn and the climate in your area.

You (or your landscape contractor) should create a drawing of your property indicating the location of your water meter and main line and identifying slopes, trees, shrub, sidewalks, driveways, your home, or any other objects in the yard. Try to include information such as sun exposure and ground cover material, including grass and shrubs. Next, measure your water pressure, using a water pressure gauge. It's important to have an accurate reading to prevent costly damage to your sprinkler system.

You're now ready to consult a landscape professional to determine where your sprinkler heads should be placed. With a proper plan in place, you can be sure that your sprinkler system will work efficiently for many years to come...while saving you precious time and money.