Maybe you know about irrigation systems already as a homeowner. Some individuals who buy houses don’t know this term, though. If they do, perhaps they don’t know some details about irrigation systems.
We’ll discuss irrigation systems for homes and businesses right now. A well-designed and maintained irrigation system can improve your property quite a bit, and perhaps you’ll buy one after reading this.
Table of Contents
What is an Irrigation System?
Irrigation systems are human-made creations that direct water to different places. You might see a sprinkler in a yard with water fueling it. The house’s main waterline fuels the sprinkler, and you can quickly turn it off and on with a few twists. That is a crude but effective irrigation system.
You sometimes also see much more elaborate irrigation systems. You can dig trenches and install pipe networks and water entire fields or very large lawns that way. The more complex an irrigation system, the more costly it becomes.
How Much Does an Irrigation System Cost?
With individual homes, an irrigation system usually means sprinklers. You can visit Home Depot or Lowes and see many different kinds. They cost various amounts. When you’re watering larger spaces, though, you’ll usually pay more.
You can set up some sprinkler systems right around the $500 price point or even a bit lower in some instances. However, if you want an underground system, that usually costs $1,500-$2,000 on the low end. You can pay much higher if you need a more complex or larger system.
Can an Irrigation System Fuel Just One House?
You can set up an irrigation system that waters just your yard. Perhaps you’ll have one watering the front lawn and one for the back as well.
You might move in and find the irrigation system set up already. You can ask the previous owner when they move out. You may also install one yourself if you have the money, and one does not exist there yet.
What Other Entities Have Irrigation Systems?
You can get an irrigation system for your home, but many other entities also need them. For instance, golf courses usually have irrigation systems. The irrigation system waters the fairways, and then the grounds crew uses lawnmowers to shape the grass and keep it short.
If you have a business entity, like an office park with different companies using the space, it probably has a lawn. Those almost always have irrigation systems. You will see the sprinklers come on at night and perhaps during the day as well.
The more arid the climate, the more you need an irrigation system. Any time that you see a lawn or greenspace, you’ll see an irrigation system, unless it’s somewhere out in nature that humans don’t cultivate or watch over in any way.
Must You Get an Irrigation System?
As a homeowner, you needn’t get an irrigation system. No law says you require one. However, if you want yard maintenance, this purchase probably makes sense.
If you don’t set up sprinklers for your yard or an underground irrigation system, which costs more, your lawn might wither and die if you get a harsh summer with blazing temperatures. If you live somewhere like Arizona, New Mexico, or Nevada, you must have an irrigation system for lawn maintenance.
In some Western and Southwestern states, though, you can’t legally set up irrigation systems. Some states must maintain their scant water supply in the summer.
If you have a lawn, you might have a very small one or a little flower patch. You can water it from a can by hand. You must check each state’s requirements when looking into irrigation system installation.
Do Irrigation Systems Have Any Drawbacks?
If you set up and use an irrigation system, uneven water distribution sometimes happens. That’s likely the main drawback. You must make sure you have even water pressure and no blockages. That way, you’ll get even distribution, and water will reach your entire lawn.
With these systems, you also have a high initial cost. You might feel like it’s worth it because you’ll get a better-looking lawn, but you must get through the financial outlay, and perhaps that’s prohibitive.
Remember that irrigation systems for lawns or flower gardens mean spending money on aesthetics. If you must pay rent and bills and have no disposable income, that’s not the best time. Only get irrigation system components when you have a little extra money. It’s something you want, but not a requirement.
