Types of Water Sprinklers

Fountain Sprinkler

• This type of sprinkler connects to a garden hose. It delivers water by rotating and spreading the water in a circular pattern. As with all of the sprinklers that hook to a garden hose, you can only have one sprinkler per hose, so you have to move the hose and sprinkler on a regular basis to get even coverage of your lawn. You can have multiple hoses with sprinklers attached running to various areas of the lawn so that you do not have to move them as often.

Pulsating Sprinkler

• This sprinkler shoots short burst of water in a preset arc. Each time the sprinkler gets to the end of its arc it returns to the start position, rapidly shooting water on the return cycle. You can aim this type of sprinkler at a certain area, and it is a great system for watering small areas.

Oscillating Fan Sprinkler

• This type of sprinkler uses a fan-shaped spread of water that oscillates from side to side. This sprinkler is good for watering large areas of lawn quickly. Some models of oscillating sprinklers allow you to choose how fast you want the sprinkler to oscillate, while others oscillate depending on the water pressure.

Hose Sprinkler

• The hose sprinkler is basically a garden hose with holes all along the length of the hose. These are great sprinklers for flower and vegetable gardens. You need to carefully monitor this type of sprinkler since the water is not moving like the other sprinklers; it just comes out of the holes in the hose. The more water pressure there is, the more the hose sprays. This type of sprinkler also has the advantage of being easily hidden so that you can get water where it needs to be without being unsightly.

In-Ground Sprinkler System

• This is the ultimate in water delivery systems. It is connected to the water supply of your home, which leaves your garden hose free for other uses. This type of system is usually professionally installed under your lawn and cannot be seen. When it is time for water to be dispersed, the sprinklers pop out of the ground, put out the required amount of water and then disappear below the lawn. These systems come in various types and cost. The ultimate system monitors the moisture level of your lawn and automatically adds water only when needed. Others are on a timer and disperse water at the times you set it for. This kind of system is the most water-efficient available. While most sprinklers are very inexpensive, the cost of an in-ground system can run from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.