The Types of Sprinkler Systems

Landscape Spray Systems

• For residential yards or areas where water needs to be delivered to a specific area, pop-up spray sprinkler irrigation systems are the best choice. They spread the water in an arc or circle, depending on the type of head, and are designed to wet the immediate area with a finer type of spray. The radius of the water delivery is approximately 10 to 15 feet per sprinkler head for this system, and the water pressure is relatively low in the delivery. These systems serve smaller lawn areas such as home landscaping or limited commercial sites well.

Rotor Head Irrigation

• Traveling the golf course too late in the evening or very early in the morning may find you encountering a rotor irrigation system. With pop-up heads that shoot water in an arc from 30 to 90 feet, this type of irrigation system also serves sports fields that are turf, and any area where large expanses of permanent vegetation need to be watered.

Crop Irrigation

• Certain types of crops require irrigation. Temporary roll-in systems with connectible pipes and sprayers on wheels that spray water from overhead are commonly used for items such as sod farms or on other crops when weather conditions such as a seasonal lack of rain make irrigation necessary. They can be placed in the field, connected, the water distributed and then removed when no longer needed. Permanent systems in places such as orchards employ permanent spray irrigation systems of different types, depending on the water requirements.

Fire Suppression Systems

• Spray or deluge systems incorporate a permanently installed fire sprinkler system activated by heat, smoke or both. Common in hotels, large buildings and industrial settings, these systems inhibit fire from spreading and allow anyone in the vicinity time to escape. Spray systems direct a heavy spray of water in a particular area. Deluge systems use a type of sprinkler head that is always open and dumps a large amount of water on an area when activated. The pipe attached to the system fills with water when a fire is detected. These are common in areas where hazardous materials are used.