Manage Your Own Sprinkler Systems



When you work with Charleston Homes, you have the option to get an in-ground sprinkler system installed by Turfbuilders. Turfbuilders offers each homeowner a free walkthrough, and they’ll also go over the control box and let you know how to adjust the sprinkler heads. This system is very easy to use. 

Each sprinkler system is controlled by the Rain Bird control box. When your sod is still new, it needs to be watered three times a day. All you have to do is go to “Start water times,” and the control box gives you the option to select different times. You can water up to six times a day or you can water once a day. 

When you are on a normal watering schedule, you should set the sprinklers to go off early in the morning. I recommend watering your lawn around 5 or 6am. You can even set watering station run times. Station one is in your front yard, and stations three and four typically cover the back yard. Your front and back yards should be watered for about 30 minutes. The second station is for your parkway, and the fifth station usually covers the side yard. You can water the parking and side yard for 20 minutes because they are smaller areas. 

You can also select which days of the week to water your yard. Again, new sod needs to be watered three times a day during the first week. During the second week, water twice a day. During the third week, go back to the three times a day schedule. After that, your sod should be established and you can switch to watering only three or four times a week.



Water 3 times a day to 

establish your new sod.



The Rain Bird control box makes scheduling easy. Simply hit the plus or minus button to turn the water on or off. A water droplet on the home screen will indicate whether or not the sprinklers are on. Once the program is set up the way you want it, you can test each station for a couple minutes to ensure that the sprinklers are working. If they are, go ahead and set the program to auto run. 

If you know the weather's getting colder or it’s going to rain, flip the switch to the off position so the sprinklers don’t run. 

Adjusting your sprinkler heads is simple as well. Turfbuilders provides a tool for you to use, but if you can find it, a thin flathead screwdriver will work just as well. You can make the sprinkler cover a wider area and also adjust the amount of water that comes out. Ideally, the stream coming out of the sprinklers should be a bit of a spray.

This is a great, easy-to-use sprinkler system. If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you.

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