HOW OFTEN SHOULD I WATER
MY LAWN AND FOR HOW LONG?
Because each lawn is unique, the answer
to this question can vary greatly. The best watering times
and length of watering depends on your climate, the type of
grass and soil conditions. It is generally preferable to water
infrequently for a longer period of time than frequently for
short periods. Watering infrequently provides deep water sources
that roots search for. Frequent watering promotes surface
root growth. For specific information, we suggest you contact
your nearest nursery, garden center, or the local horticultural
extension office and consult with them about a watering schedule
best suited to your area.
Rain Bird recommends watering early in the morning, followed
by evening watering. Water in the middle of the day only if
it is cool or if you have a new lawn requiring constant moisture.
You only should water more than once per day if evaporation
is extreme or if your soil won’t hold water because
of the clay content or the slope of a hill causes too much
runoff.
WHAT MAINTENANCE DO I
NEED TO DO ON MY IRRIGATION SYSTEM?
Monthly you should: Adjust timer settings. 1. Check and adjust
sprinkler sprays. 2. Clean mainline filter (if installed).
3. Once per season you should: Clean filters in all sprinkler
heads. 1. Manually operate each valve. 2. Check wire and wirenuts
for any damage. 3. As needed you should: Unclog sprinkler
heads. 1. Adjust installation levels of heads to ground level.
WHY DO I HAVE DIRTY WATER,
AND IF I HAVE DIRTY WATER, WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Some parts of the United States have secondary water systems,
pump systems or backyard wells to supply water to sprinkler
systems. Invariably, these water sources have a lot of debris,
sand, moss, seashells and other contaminants in the water
which are not trapped by the inlet screen. These particles
act as miniature drills and damage valves, fittings and heads
during sprinkler operation. To eliminate most of these problems,
Rain Bird recommends installing a filter on the mainline.
There are a variety of types, but we recommend a "wye"
or "tee" filter that can be easily accessed and
cleaned. Look for a stainless steel filter if your water is
particularly grimy. Be sure to search for a filter that will
handle enough water flow.
CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT
TRENCHING FOR IRRIGATION PIPES?
A trencher is a machine used to dig a trench in your lawn
for irrigation pipes that is usually 6" wide and up to
18" deep. Of course, you only have to go about 8-12"
deep to bury irrigation pipes. Always remove any existing
sod with a sod cutter before using the trencher, or it will
destroy your lawn. Here's another option. If you are using
poly-type rolled tubing, you can use a pipe puller. This tool
is similar to a trencher, but it pulls the pipe underground
and leaves only a small slit in the lawn.
Sprinkler pipe should be installed 8 to 12 inches below the
final surface grade to protect pipes from the elements and
possible damage. You can use a pipe puller or trencher to
bury your pipes. Pipes buried this deep will still need to
be winterized to protect them from freezing conditions. For
more information on winterizing call your local contractor
or see the Winterization
Guide (PDF: 91 KB).
DOES RAIN BIRD OFFER ANY
TRAINING OR IRRIGATION DESIGN SEMINARS FOR PROFESSIONALS AND/OR
HOMEOWNERS?
Rain Bird offers a wide variety of seminars and educational
programs - ranging from basic to advanced design -- through
many of our distributors and retailers. For the most accurate
information on seminars near you, contact your local distributor
or retailer.
WHAT ARE GPM AND PSI AND
HOW DO I FIGURE THEM OUT?
GPM stands for Gallons Per Minute. This refers to the amount
of water your irrigation system receives through the pipes.
PSI stands for Pounds per Square Inch and refers to the pressure
of water being supplied to your system. Both need to be figured
out before you can design an effective irrigation system or
submit for our design service. Many home centers, rental agencies
or hardware and plumbing stores let you rent a pressure gauge
to test your system pressure (or PSI). Your water company
can also tell you the pressure of water being supplied to
your residence. Of course, it is always best to take the water
and pressure reading yourself in order to provide accurate
design specifics. This is especially important in many areas
where the water pressure delivered to a residence can be extreme
and a pressure regulator must be installed to protect the
equipment and ensure good irrigation coverage. To calculate
the GPM, you simply need a bucket of any size (as long as
you know exactly what size it is), a watch with a second hand,
and some simple math. Go to the hose bib closest to the water
feed coming into your home or building. Make sure there is
no water running anywhere inside or outside while you do this
test. Turn the hose bib on full blast and place the bucket
under the bib. Time exactly how long it takes to fill the
bucket. Then, take the size of the bucket and divide it by
the time it took to fill it up. Multiply by 60 and round your
answer to the nearest whole number. This is the GPM rate coming
into your system.
I WANT TO IRRIGATE USING
WATER FROM A LAKE/STREAM. WHAT DO I NEED FOR THIS?
Many sites today are successfully using untreated water from
lakes or streams to irrigate. Of course, this does require
special equipment. You will need a pump to move the water
and to provide water pressure for your system. You will also
need a dirty water filter to make sure that debris (even from
the cleanest lake or stream water) does not clog your sprinklers.
Rain Bird does not manufacture these filters, but your local
distributor should be able to provide you with some choices.
While Rain Bird does not manufacture pumps, our equipment
is compatible with most pump choices.
WHERE CAN I PURCHASE FERTILIZER
AND/OR FERTILIZER PRODUCTS FOR USE IN RAIN BIRD SYSTEMS?
Rain Bird does not manufacture fertigation systems for use
on residential irrigation systems in the USA at this time.
However, our equipment does work with the leading fertilizer
injector systems. Your local distributor can give your more
information on fertilization systems best for your needs.
WHAT INFORMATION WILL
I NEED TO PROVIDE RAIN BIRD FOR FAST AND ACCURATE TECHNICAL
SERVICE?
The more specifics you have prior to calling the Rain Bird
Technical Help Line (800) 724-6247, the more quickly we'll
be able to help you. Gather whatever product information you
can. Sprinklers, valves, controllers and other Rain Bird products
usually have a model designation or number visible on their
brass or plastic surfaces. If a product was sold attached
to cardboard or if you have an instruction manual, that's
usually the easiest place to find the product model number.
We do keep track of your phone number and name for our records
so we can provide even faster service the next time you call.
Our goal is to provide customer service that is constantly
improving.
HOW MANY UNITS DO I HAVE
TO PURCHASE AT A TIME IN ORDER TO GET A QUANTITY DISCOUNT?
Rather than offering discounts for quantity purchases, Rain
Bird tries to deliver good value - strong products at a fair
price - to all customers all of the time.
The date code indicates when a product was manufactured.
It's another way we can track quality. A date code includes
abbreviations of the day, month and year a product was made.
It looks something like this: 17SE00. On sprinklers, you can
usually find the date code on the sprinkler's top edge, though
it may be difficult to see. If you are unable to see a date
code on the sprinkler in question, take a piece of chalk and
rub it around the edge. The code should then be highlighted.
On controllers, the date code label may be in one of several
areas. Check the back of the unit, inside the door, under
the outside of the controller where the wires come into the
timer, or on the front panel of the timer near the fuse.
I AM A LANDSCAPING/PLUMBING
PROFESSIONAL AND I AM INTERESTED IN INSTALLING RAIN BIRD SYSTEMS
AND/OR RECEIVING TRAINING. WHERE CAN I GO?
For complete information on training in your area or for
information on becoming a Rain Bird Select Contractor, please
contact your local Rain Bird distributor. We have many instructional
videos and manuals available to order that will provide a
background and basic understanding of how irrigation systems
work and are designed.
WHERE CAN I GET A PRICE
LIST FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS?
Rain Bird does not publish a general price list for homeowner
products because prices vary too much around the country
among the various retailers. We can handle special orders
by phone, but we do not undersell our retail distributors.
For individual list prices or for the phone number of a
distributor in your area, call (800) 724-6247.
WHERE CAN I GET A COMPLETE
CATALOG OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS?
For your convenience, the most recent Do-It-Yourself
Rain Bird catalog (PDF: 5,744 KB) is available on our
website. The catalog is regularly updated to reflect the latest
developments and product releases.
DO THE CONTRACTORS WHO
PUT IN MY SPRINKLER SYSTEM WORK FOR RAIN BIRD?
No, the contractors who install systems are independent contractors.
They may use Rain Bird products but DO NOT work for Rain Bird.
Rain Bird does not have control of what any independent contractor
does or what products they use. The only contractors to whom
Rain Bird refers are Rain Bird Select Contractors. These independent
contractors (do not work for Rain Bird) must meet several
Rain Bird requirements before being recognized as a select
contractor. Some of these include: being licensed and insured
in accordance with state and local requirements, active in
irrigation contracting business for at least three years,
and have membership in at least one or more professional irrigation
associations. They must respond to job leads within 24 hours
and be prompt for all sale calls and site inspections. They
will provide the customer with quality system design and installation
while using professional grade products and give the customer
a walk-through of a completed system.
