Garden Sprinkler Pressure

Normal Water Pressure

• Most homes have water pressure set at about 60 psi, or pressure per square inch. This is considered normal for most residential applications, including garden sprinklers. Most garden sprinklers are designed at the factory to operate at peak efficiency based on normal water pressure. Having too much water pressure causes water to mist out of garden sprinklers, or possibly break fittings on the sprinkler. Having too little water pressure results in pooled water and poor performance at the sprinkler head.

Causes of Low Water Pressure

• New construction is one of the most common reasons for lost water pressure. New construction requires the use of large volumes of water to control dust, which can drain the amount of water pressure that's available to entire neighborhoods. Running appliances, such as a dishwasher, can also decrease the amount of pressure that's available to your garden sprinklers. Running too many water-using devices at once will likely decrease their performance.

Adjusting Water Pressure

• Most homes contain a device known as a water pressure regulator. These devices regulate the amount of pressure that water is allowed to enter your home with. Pressure regulators are often installed along main water lines in a basement or crawl space. It's possible to adjust a pressure regulator if you believe your water pressure is too high or too low. Adjusting the regulator requires you to loosen a locking nut around the base of the device, and then turn a screw on top of the regulator using a screwdriver. Follow the markings on the top of the regulator to set the new pressure rate before tightening the locking nut again.

Calculating Water Pressure

• If you are concerned about the amount of pressure that's available to your garden sprinkler, measure the pressure to find out if there really is a problem. Unscrew the garden hose from the outdoor faucet and screw a water pressure gauge onto the tap. Turn on the water all the way and read the gauge to see how much water pressure is available. If the gauge reads anything less than 60 psi, the pressure may not be sufficient to operate your garden sprinklers.