How Long to Run the Sprinklers

Part of the Video Series How to Do Basic Home Repairs

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Learn how long to run your automatic sprinkler system from a home repair professional in this free online DIY home improvement video.

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How Long to Run the Sprinklers
If you have an irrigation system, it’s important for you to have it set properly so that you water grass just as much as it needs and not more. A good lawn needs about an inch of water a week to stay healthy but a lot of people don’t know what that translates to in terms of time on their timer. So what I recommend is to just set out anything, a rain gauge, a plastic bucket out on the lawn, and turn on your sprinkler system and run it for exactly fifteen minutes. And then measure how much water accumulates in this and divide it by four and that’s how much output your sprinkler heads give per hour.

I would recommend not giving it a full inch of water in one watering but to divide that amount into three different days during the week, and preferably in the early morning so that it has time to in the soil before the soil gets too hot. Also, when you go to the flower beds, they don’t need as much water usually, so keep in mind that you’ll want to put different times in different stations to keep your lawn healthy, and that will really conserve your resources.

About the Expert

Expert: Greg Lim is a professional handyman and residential property manager. In the seven years he’s been a contractor, he has fully renovated two houses. Read More