Sprinkler System
 

I am in zone 10 in Miami, FL and my sprinkler heads often get knocked out or
damaged by lawn mowers.

I got a few landscape guys to take a look and they proposed two methods to
solve it.

One proposed trenching deeper and reseating the sprinkler pipe deeper, and
thus burying the sprinkler head and let it be flushed with the ground level.
This means they have to trench six inches deeper for over 400 feet of pipes.

Second one proposed leaving the pipes where they are, but instead of
connecting the sprinker head to the threaded end on top of the pipe, to use
an elbow and funny pipe to bury a new sprinkler head 6 inches deep some
distance from the line.

The second method is much cheaper because not much digging is involved, but
I wonder if the lawn mower will knock off the elbow instead of the sprinker
heads?

Any comments? I really would like to get rid of those ugly concrete donuts
around each sprinkler head.

MC

Sprinkler System
 

The second method would be my choice. About five years ago, when I had to
replace a sprinkler head for one reason or another, I used the funny pipe
(about a 15-18 inch section) and it makes it MUCH easier to relocate the
head up or down, OR to replace that same head in the future.

You don't need to use an elbow out of the supply pipe. Instead, I use
them at the bottom of the sprinkler head. Mowing is no problem, as there
is nothing for the mower to cut off, if the head is planted at the root
zone. Again, the elbow is at the bottom of the head.

I hope this helps !!

James

Sprinkler System
 

"James" no wrote in message
. ..
The second method would be my choice. About five years ago, when I had to
replace a sprinkler head for one reason or another, I used the funny pipe
(about a 15-18 inch section) and it makes it MUCH easier to relocate the
head up or down, OR to replace that same head in the future.

You don't need to use an elbow out of the supply pipe. Instead, I use
them at the bottom of the sprinkler head. Mowing is no problem, as there
is nothing for the mower to cut off, if the head is planted at the root
zone. Again, the elbow is at the bottom of the head.

I hope this helps !!

James


Thanks. What I mean is, right now the supply pipe has a threaded hole on
top where the sprinkler head is screwed on to. So if I use the funny pipe,
One end of it will be attached to the bottom of the relocated sprinkler
head - and that is no problem, the other end of the funny pipe will be
screwed into the threaded hole of the supply pipe and there is an elbow
there. So my concern is this elbow may be chewed up by the lawn mower.

MC

Sprinkler System
 

"MiamiCuse" wrote in message
...

"James" no wrote in message
. ..
The second method would be my choice. About five years ago, when I had to
replace a sprinkler head for one reason or another, I used the funny pipe
(about a 15-18 inch section) and it makes it MUCH easier to relocate the
head up or down, OR to replace that same head in the future.

You don't need to use an elbow out of the supply pipe. Instead, I use
them at the bottom of the sprinkler head. Mowing is no problem, as there
is nothing for the mower to cut off, if the head is planted at the root
zone. Again, the elbow is at the bottom of the head.

I hope this helps !!

James


Thanks. What I mean is, right now the supply pipe has a threaded hole on top
where the sprinkler head is screwed on to. So if I use the funny pipe, One
end of it will be attached to the bottom of the relocated sprinkler head - and
that is no problem, the other end of the funny pipe will be screwed into the
threaded hole of the supply pipe and there is an elbow there. So my concern
is this elbow may be chewed up by the lawn mower.

If the supply pipe is not burried deep enough to hide an elbow, you have a
definate problem. You could just dig under the pipe a few inches to lower it
enough to hide the elbow on the problem areas.

Normally, the "funny pipe" would have an elbow on each end, one up(female) and
one down(male) if the supply pipe has its holes on the top.

Bob

Sprinkler System
 

For accurate advice, I think you have to give a better description of
what you have, starting with how deep your main lines are buried.

From what you have posted, it sounds like your main lines have risers,
with the heads screwed on top of the risers. Heads are generally about
six inches in height. Are yours sticking six inches up above the ground?

I would guess not, and that your risers are simply too long. You could
solve this by shortening the risers, but the better practice would be to
remove the risers, and fasten a supply line to the main line using an
elbow (this assembly would be well underground and not in danger of
being mowed). Then, using an elbow on the other end of the short supply
line (I like a two or three foot line to allow flex) attach the head to
the end of the short supply line and bury it appropriately, so the top
of the head is even with the surface of the ground. I like the
relatively long supply line, as over years the surface of your lawn may
rise (or fall, I suppose), and it is then relatively easy to reset the
sprinkler heads at the appropriate depth. Of course, pvc is not
appropriate in this situation as it is not at all flexible.

MiamiCuse wrote:
I am in zone 10 in Miami, FL and my sprinkler heads often get knocked out or
damaged by lawn mowers.

I got a few landscape guys to take a look and they proposed two methods to
solve it.

One proposed trenching deeper and reseating the sprinkler pipe deeper, and
thus burying the sprinkler head and let it be flushed with the ground level.
This means they have to trench six inches deeper for over 400 feet of pipes.

Second one proposed leaving the pipes where they are, but instead of
connecting the sprinker head to the threaded end on top of the pipe, to use
an elbow and funny pipe to bury a new sprinkler head 6 inches deep some
distance from the line.

The second method is much cheaper because not much digging is involved, but
I wonder if the lawn mower will knock off the elbow instead of the sprinker
heads?

Any comments? I really would like to get rid of those ugly concrete donuts
around each sprinkler head.

MC