FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How can I be sure I will get a good quality system?
A “good” irrigation system is one flexible enough for your specific watering needs. It will put the right amount of water in each area, and it will keep operating year after year with minimal maintenance. Your satisfaction with the system will ultimately depend upon three things: (1) the quality of the components; (2) the design of the system; (3) the craftsmanship of the installation. Petty’s utilizes the highest-quality components, engineered to give you years of trouble-free service, and maintains the highest level of training to ensure your irrigation system design and installation is impeccable.
2. Does my installation contractor have to be licensed?
Yes, irrigation systems are directly connected to your city water supply. The system must meet local codes for attachment to the potable water system. Irrigation in Texas is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality(TCEQ) and Petty’s maintains all of the appropriate licenses.
3. How do you determine what water pressure to use in the design of my system?
Piping hydraulics must be considered to ensure the proper operation of your sprinkler system and must be based on a correct measurement of the available water pressure and volume. Your installer will take into account your planned watering schedule and projected changes in water pressure in your neighborhood. On larger properties, the installer may recommend increasing the size of the water meter. Savings on extra valves and piping may offset the cost of installing such a larger meter, but if the governing utility in your area will not permit you to install a larger meter, your system can be designed with the existing meter.
4. How deep should the pipe be installed? What kind of pipe will be used? Will it be laid in trenches or “pulled” into the ground?
Lateral piping should be as deep as the height of an assembled sprinkler head and Headsaver® swing joint. This is usually a minimum of 6 to 8 inches. Main-line pipes should be 8 to 10 inches deep. Excessive depth makes repairs difficult, while extremely shallow installation may interfere with turf maintenance and result in damage to pipes or wiring. Two types of pipes are in common use: Polyvinylchloride (PVC) and Polyethylene (PE). Both are serviceable, but whichever is used, it should be clearly marked as approved by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Both trenching and “pulling” are acceptable methods of installation depending on soil type and conditions.
5. Will your design and equipment help me save water?
Your Petty’s irrigation system will use the most efficient type of sprinklers and nozzles available to put the right amount of water where it is needed. Your watering schedule will also be planned to minimize waste caused by runoff, wind drift and evaporation (we have forms which discuss PRS heads and smart controllers, if you are interested).
6. What do you do to avoid damaging existing landscaping?
Petty’s can design a system which will not require moving existing plants, though that may require some hand excavation. If your property is not yet landscaped, the installer will ensure proper functionality for future landscaping (if needed).
7. Is the controller easy to program? Is it flexible enough to handle my watering needs without being overly complicated?
Weathermatic® lawn sprinkler controllers are designed for easy operation, flexible watering schedules and long trouble-free operation. Your installer will provide you with training so you feel comfortable with and understand your new automatic controller.
8. Will I be able to set the controller to comply with water regulations/restrictions if necessary?
During water shortages you may be restricted to watering on certain days and during low-demand hours—usually at night. Your Weathermatic® controller can be set to conform to these restrictions, including watering while you sleep.
9. Which is better, a manual or an automatic system?
While older manual sprinkler systems are still in use, all new (or repaired) lawn sprinkler systems in Texas MUST be installed with an automatic controller per TCEQ guidelines. All irrigation controllers still allow for manual operation.
10. Where should I put the controller? Is it waterproof?
Your Weathermatic® controller can be located wherever installation and operating will be convenient. Normally that would be in your garage. However, Weathermatic® has models approved for outdoor installation if desired. Of course, the installation will always be in accordance with local electrical codes.
11. What kind of wire will be used for the remote control valves? How are the connections made?
Since the valves operate on a safe low voltage, local electrical codes normally do not apply to their wiring. The size of the overall installation will determine wire type and size, so your installer will determine the best wire to use for your system (single-strand, multi-strand or 2-wire). All valve wiring connections must be waterproofed. Ask your contractor to show you samples of wiring and the waterproof connectors they will use.
12. Can my system have an automatic override that keeps it from watering unnecessarily when there is enough rain?
Yes, ALL Petty’s irrigation systems have devices which sense rainfall and override the system programming in the event of sufficient rainfall. The program you set in the controller is not lost, and your system will begin watering again, on schedule, whenever additional water is required.
13. Are the remote-control valves reliable?
The remote-control valves are the “heart” of your automatic system. Responding to commands from the controller, each valve will open and close more than 100 times during an average watering season. Rain-Bird® valves feature the finest plastics and corrosion-resistant metal components to insure that they work for you day after day, week after week, year after year.
14. Are all pop-up spray sprinklers alike?
All pop-up spray sprinklers are definitely not alike! Petty’s utilizes Rain-Bird® 1800® series PRS pop-ups w/Flow OptimizerTM technology to ensure no wasted water and to create the most uniform spray pattern. A wide variety of spray nozzles are available to ensure 100% coverage with as little wasted water as is possible.
15. What kind of risers will be used for shrub or ground cover areas?
In open areas with high foot traffic or auto traffic (such as along driveways, sidewalks, etc., or in the middle of beds) where fixed risers would be unsightly, Petty’s will use high-quality Rain-Bird® 1800® series PRS pop-ups of various heights to maintain uniform coverage without drawing much attention to the irrigation system. In areas where traffic or aesthetics are not a problem, shrub heads may be mounted on fixed copper risers.
16. Will all of the components of my system come from a single manufacturer?
No. Rather than rely on a single manufacturer, your Petty’s irrigation system will be expertly designed and utilize the best irrigation components available from the most reliable and well-known manufacturers. Petty’s currently uses various products from Weathermatic®, Rain-Bird®, and Hunter® depending on the application. In addition, your irrigation system will have a backflow prevention device installed in accordance with state and local plumbing codes.
17. What about rotary sprinklers?
Sprinklers which turn while throwing out a stream of water are best suited to large open areas, or where pure economics or low-volume water supply makes pop-up fixed spray sprinklers impractical. Petty’s uses Rain-Bird® 5004 PRS rotors with Flow OptimizerTM technology and Rain CurtainTM MPR nozzles to achieve the ultimate efficiency in large lawn applications.
18. What about after-the-sale service?
Petty’s has trained service staff and access to an inventory of the parts necessary for prompt service. You will probably want to ask about the benefits of pre-scheduled maintenance.
19. Will my system be warrantied? Who backs up the warranty?
Yes. Petty’s will back up the warranty on all of the components in your sprinkler system regardless of the specific manufacturer. Please see the warranty form included in your sales folder for details.
20. Can I get the names of other customers who have had their systems for more than a year?
Petty’s will be proud to give you local references. The best are from customers who have used their systems for at least one season, because it may take several months of use before any problems due to inferior components, improper design, or faulty installation become evident.