You probably don’t think about your sprinkler system much until it rains. When the first drops of rainfall, you may notice some yellowing leaves, a withering plant, or a soggy lawn. If your watering system is not operating optimally, there are several steps you can take to troubleshoot and improve it. You may need to adjust the sprinkler heads or add a filter to address specific problems in your yard. Fortunately, adjusting Rain Bird sprinkler heads is an easy task that can be completed in just a few minutes per head. Read on to learn more about the components of your sprinkler system and how to adjust Rain Bird sprinkler heads for optimal performance.
How To Adjust Rain Bird Sprinkler Heads?
Check Your Timing
The first thing you should do when adjusting your sprinkler heads is checked your timing. This timing refers to the length of time your sprinklers are running for each watering cycle. If your timer is set too short, you’re wasting water by watering for too long. If your timer is set too long, you’re not getting enough water at the right time. Adjusting your sprinkler timing is the easiest way to reduce water usage in your garden. So how do you check your timing? Start by locating your sprinkler timer. It’s likely located near your water source, so look near your spigot or irrigation system box. The timer is usually a small device that has several dials. The dials allow you to set different watering cycles for different days of the week. You can also adjust the length of each cycle to create a custom schedule for your garden. Once you find your timer, check the settings to make sure the timing is correct. If not, simply turn the dials or push the buttons to change the settings. You might want to write down the new settings so you can remember them next time.
Adjust The Nozzle Orientation
Next, you’ll want to adjust the orientation of your nozzle(s). The orientation of a nozzle refers to its direction. The nozzle is turned on and off with a small lever on the side of the housing. The lever allows you to control the water flow and the direction of the water pressure. If your Rain Bird sprinklers are misaligned, you’re wasting water. Luckily, misaligned sprinkler heads are easy to fix. First, you’ll want to make sure you’re looking at the front of your sprinkler heads. If you’re not sure what side is the front, check your sprinkler’s label. The label should contain important information, including the type of sprinkler and recommended settings. Next, you’ll want to adjust the orientation of your sprinkler heads. Start by turning off the water to your sprinkler system. Once the water has stopped flowing, you can go ahead and adjust your sprinkler heads. To do so, first, remove the sprinkler head by twisting the base of the sprinkler until it breaks off. Next, turn the nozzle until it’s facing the direction you want. Once you’ve adjusted the orientation, go ahead and reattach the sprinkler head.
Change The Nozzle Angle
The nozzle angle is another factor to consider when adjusting your sprinkler heads. The spray angle is the direction the water flows from the sprinkler head. A nozzle with a wide spray angle covers a wider area than a sprinkler with a narrow spray angle. If your Rain Bird sprinkler heads are misaligned, you have the ability to change the nozzle angle. You can adjust the nozzle angle on some models or you can replace an existing nozzle with a nozzle that has a wider or narrower spray angle. To change the orientation of the nozzle, you’ll want to start by turning off the water to your sprinkler system. Next, remove the sprinkler head by twisting the base of the sprinkler until it breaks off. Once the sprinkler head is removed, you can go ahead and adjust the nozzle angle. To do so, turn the nozzle until it’s pointing in the direction you want. Once you’ve adjusted the nozzle angle, go ahead and reattach the sprinkler head.
Rotate Your nozzles
Another way to reduce water usage while adjusting your sprinkler heads is to rotate your nozzles. Rotating your nozzles can help spread out the water and ensure all areas of your yard are getting enough water. To rotate your nozzles, simply twist the nozzle until it points in a different direction. You can rotate one or two nozzles at a time to create a more balanced watering pattern. If you want to rotate a sprinkler head from a certain direction, you simply need to locate the sprinkler head and twist the nozzle until it’s in the position you want. You can rotate one or two nozzles at a time to create a more balanced watering pattern.
Increase Or Decrease Sprinkler Drying Time
Another way to adjust your sprinkler heads is to increase or decrease your sprinkler drying time. The drying time is the amount of time between cycles. If your sprinklers run every 45 minutes, the drying time is 15 minutes. If you have a more powerful irrigation system, you’ll likely have a shorter drying time. If you have a smaller system, you’ll have a longer drying time. If your Rain Bird sprinklers are misaligned, you can adjust the drying time to give them more time to get in alignment. This will help ensure they get in the right position before they run again. If your sprinklers are misaligned, you can increase the drying time by a few minutes to make sure they get into the correct position before the next cycle begins.
Why Adjust Rain Bird Sprinkler Heads?
Your Lawn is Drying Out
Depending on where you live, during certain times of the year, your lawn can become very dry. This is especially true if you have lots of trees on your property. Some areas of the country are prone to droughts, and other areas are prone to periods of heavy rainfall that lead to flooding and standing water that can damage your lawn. All of these things can lead to your lawn drying up and dying. If you notice that your lawn is becoming very brittle and is likely to die if you don’t do something about it, your sprinklers may be too far away from your lawn. If you have a large lawn, your sprinklers may be set to a distance that allows them to water the entire lawn but may not be close enough to water the grass on the edge of the lawn. Adjusting the sprinklers so that they are closer to the edge of your lawn can help it stay healthy and green.
You Have Incorrect Shapes and Sizes of Grass
If you look at the lawn surrounding your sprinkler heads and notice that different areas of grass are growing in different directions, it’s possible that your sprinkler heads are not rotating correctly. If one or two sprinkler heads are not rotating correctly, it could be due to a mechanical issue, but if several of your sprinkler heads have this problem it could be because they are not rotating correctly because of the shape of the grass in your lawn is incorrect. If your yard was landscaped with the grass being mown in a specific direction, your sprinkler heads may be rotating in the wrong direction because the grass changed shape as it grew. If your sprinkler heads are not rotating correctly, it could be watering the part of the lawn that should be growing in the direction of the sprinkler heads and causing the other part of the lawn to slow down.
Your Sprinkler Heads Are Hurting Plants
If you have a garden, trees, or other plants growing in your yard, you may be finding that your sprinkler heads are causing those plants to wilt or have scorch marks on them. Some sprinkler heads can be too powerful, and they can spray water at such a high velocity that it causes minor damage to nearby plants. In these situations, you might not need to adjust your sprinkler heads—instead, you may just need to replace them with sprinkler heads that have a lower pressure rating. If you have tall trees or any plants that are growing close to your sprinkler heads, they may be suffering from minor damage caused by the high-velocity water. Trees that are growing close to the sprinkler heads may have wilted leaves or scorch marks on the bark near the sprinkler head. Sprinkler heads that spray water in a high arc may also be causing damage to plants that are growing near the sprinkler heads.
How To Install A New Rain Bird Sprinkler Head?
- If you discover that your lawn is not receiving enough water, you can install a second sprinkler head and increase your water coverage.
- To install an additional sprinkler head, shut off the water and unscrew the existing sprinkler head.
- To determine where to install the second head, use a sprinkler head radius chart to determine the distance from the first head to the edges of your lawn.
- To install the second head, follow the same steps as for the first head: shut off the water, unscrew the existing sprinkler head, and then screw on the new head.
Conclusion
Sprinkler systems are a great way to water your garden and lawn. They are more efficient than hand watering and can be programmed to start and stop at certain times. However, if your sprinklers start to malfunction, it can lead to water being wasted and your garden or lawn losing out. Luckily, adjusting Rain Bird sprinkler heads is a straightforward process that can help you to keep your sprinkler system operating as it should.
