Sprinkler Head Types: What’s the Difference?

The type of sprinkler head – also called an irrigation head – you choose for your yard depends on a variety of factors, including the amount of area being covered. Also consider how it is going to be used. First, you will need to determine a type of sprinkler head then you will have to choose between a pop-up or fixed head.

Sprinkler Head Types: Spray Heads – Spray heads move in a circular pattern and should be placed no more than fifteen feet apart. Spray heads are best for smaller, hard-to-reach areas and they don’t require much water pressure. (I remember running through ours on hot summer days when I was a kid!)

Sprinkler Head Types: Rotor – A rotor, also called a large turf rotor, is similar to a spray head, but it covers a much larger area. It requires much more water pressure, but a rotor head can cover up to 100 feet. There are two different types of rotors: impact and gear driven rotors.

Sprinkler Head Types: Impact Rotors – The impact rotor is typically cheaper than the gear driven one and is often used along sidewalks and streets. It covers very evenly, but there is a lot of maintenance involved in these sprinkler heads.

Sprinkler Head Types: Gear Driven Rotors – In these sprinkler heads, water turns a small turbine in the base of the unit, driving a series of gears which cause the head to rotate. With gear driven rotors, fewer heads are required to cover an amount of space, but it can be more costly than a spray head.

Once you have decided on a sprinkler head type, you will need to choose a design. You have a choice between a pop-up head and a fixed design.

Pop-Up Sprinkler Heads: These are the most commonly used sprinkler heads because they do not corrupt the beauty of the landscape. Installed beneath the ground, this type of head will keep out of sight when not being used.

Fixed Sprinkler Heads: Fixed heads are installed above the ground on a riser. They can be cheaper than pop-ups, but they are more difficult to hide within the landscape. Fixed sprinkler heads are typically used for watering taller trees and plants.

Sprinkler heads, also called irrigation heads, are a large part of both commercial and residential irrigation systems to distribute water to a landscape. They come in various shapes, sizes, and styles, but these are the basic types of sprinkler heads that are available. Once you have chosen a type of sprinkler head, you will then need to decide between a pop-up and a fixed head.

References

Sprinkler Heads

Choosing a Sprinkler Head