# SCGrassMan's Irrigation Journal 2018



## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

So last year I did Zeon Zoysia sod, and watered with a combo of sprinklers and whatnot. I have about 3k sq ft front and back combined. My wife is getting me an irrigation system for my 40th birthday next month!  At Ware's suggestion, I decided to make a journal of my irrigation installation and setup.

For the controller, I chose a Rachio 2nd Gen 8 zone. My irrigation installer was pushing me towards the Hunter Hydrawise, because he's familiar with their products, but after some extensive reading I have done the Rachio has what I want. The main thing being good app functionality for remote tinkering, and water savings.

I also have some sod repair that needs to be done in the back yard, from getting a tree removed earlier in the year and them dropping logs on it, so I am using that opportunity to get a French drain put in.

All of the heads and valves etc. are Hunter, and the backflow preventer is a Zurn Wilkins 975XL 3/4" model. There is a shutoff valve just before the backflow preventer in case it ever breaks. I like that the installer chose to do so, because it tells me he's interested in preventing problems as opposed to putting things in cheaply and quickly.

All of the valves are in one spot, rather than scattered around the yard, which I also like.

If anybody has any feedback, questions, etc. feel free - here's some pictures!


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Here is where the valve boxes went



The backflow preventer went in next to the gas meter


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

This is where they tied into the main water supply (not shown here)





I had them run an extra line here for a hose bib, with a quarter turn shutoff. At some point I'd like to add a water feature in this back corner, and it would also be nice to not have to drag a hose into the back yard when i want to water. They even fastened it with concrete anchors.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

X


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

One head in the center of the back yard







This is the other part of the sidewalk area thats on the same zone as the other bit to help with dog urine as well as of course watering the grass. We also discovered a tree root is what had been pushing up a slab of sidewalk - I previously had thought that the other slab was too low.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

All of the pipes run from the front left of the house, down the side, underneath this little fence, and back around to the other side, so they wouldn't have to dig under the driveway.





They went under the sidewalk on either side of the driveway, however, so that the area along the sidewalk has its own zone. We get a lot of "traffic" from neighborhood dogs, and I'm trying to reduce the damage its doing.



Here is the French drain, emptying out in to the drainage ditch out back.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

After being backfilled



Valve boxes all installed and closed up



Front yard after backfilling


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

This area is currently all sand, but underneath is drainage fabric, and then drainage rock. I am ultimately going to move the fence up near the edge of the grass, and put down pavers and a shade garden in here.



Backyard all backfilled and cleaned up


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Another angle of the back yard



Backflow preventer, installed and covered up with an insulation bag


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

:thumbup: Looks like they did a fine job! I'm looking forward to getting a system installed soonTM.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> :thumbup: Looks like they did a fine job! I'm looking forward to getting a system installed soonTM.


They absolutely did! But of course with any project... the second day he came back to tune all the heads and whatnot, there was a busted water main up the street somewhere so we had low water pressure and he couldn't do it. He is (hopefully) coming back today to mount the controller and tune the heads and all that.


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