The grass can be greener on your side of the fence if you choose the right sprinkler heads
Having a lush, green yard can be time-consuming and frustrating, but with the help of a lawn sprinkler system, your lawn can quickly become the best on the block. Working with the right sprinkler head and sprinkler installation professional will optimize your water use, giving you the perfect place for touch football, games of tag, or just lounging.
Before you begin your decision-making process, note the size of your yard and the types of plants growing so you can assess what sprinkler head and spray pattern is the best fit.
| Sprinkler Head Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Pop-up | $3–$15 each |
| Spray | $3–$20 each |
| Rotary | $3–$20 each |
| Impact | $20–$35 each |
| Gear-driven | $10–$40 each |
| Bubbler | $2.50–$25 each |
| Drip-irrigation | $0.50–$3 (sq. ft.) |
| Soaker | $22 (100 linear ft.) |
Many home systems use pop-up sprinkler heads. These sprinkler systems rise from the ground when the water pressure activates the sprinkler, and go underground when the system shuts off. They provide even water distribution and spray at a low angle.
Best For: Any size yard, side yard, or garden
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Versatile | Harder to DIY |
| All lawn sizes | Easy to clog |
| Easy to hide | Shorter lifespan |
A fixed spray sprinkler head produces a solid, continuous stream of water that can reach up to 15 feet. Basically, the sprinkler puts out a lot of water really fast. If you live in a windy place, this is not the sprinkler head for you.
Best For: Small or medium-sized lawns, shrubs, and ground covers
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Consistent stream | Not for windy areas |
| Versatile uses | Less even coverage |
| Lower cost | Frequent maintenance |
A rotary nozzle sprays one continuous stream of water while it rotates around. This head spreads the water more slowly than spray sprinkler heads. They work best for slow-draining lawns and slopes, where flooding is common.
Because these sprinkler heads stream water out, this sprinkler has less runoff and wasted water. The wind does not blow the water away easily.
Best For: Slow-draining or sloped medium or large lawns and side yards
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Water-efficient | Can’t reach corners |
| Good for sloped yard | Easily clogged |
| Easily adjustable | Higher cost |
Known for their ticking sound, impact sprinklers cover a lot of ground as they rotate and spray up to a 150-foot radius. Most impact sprinkler heads can be adjusted with a nozzle to water a smaller radius. Because these heads have an uninterrupted flow, they are less vulnerable to clogging, making them ideal for systems supplied by mineral-heavy well water.
Best For: Large yards watered by well water
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Less clogging | Noisy |
| Good for hard water | Less uniform spray |
| Large yard coverage | Lower water pressure |
Gear-driven sprinkler heads rotate at a uniform speed and offer a lot of flexibility. These sprinkler heads are smooth and quiet and allow for uniform watering of your yard. Gear-driven sprinkler systems come with nozzles to enable you to match your sprinkler head with your lawn needs.
This type of sprinkler head is also easy to maintain, so you can spend less time figuring out how to clean a sprinkler head and more time admiring your healthy lawn.
Best For: Medium or large yards and side yards
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Uniform speed | Need larger area |
| Quiet operation | Lower water pressure |
| Adjustable nozzles | Harder to repair |
The big, beautiful elm tree in your front yard may not thrive when sprinklers spray water out all over its trunk, but a bubbler irrigation head is a better alternative for keeping your plants properly watered.
This sprinkler head type waters near the base of plants, like trees or shrubs, with low water pressure to avoid overwatering. It works by allowing water to fill up around the top of the sprinkler head, then trickle, or bubble, out over the side and to the plant.
If you have certain plants that are getting too much water from another sprinkler head type, you can replace the sprinkler head with a compatible bubbler for improved watering.
Best For: Watering trees and shrubs
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Target plant roots | Not ideal for lawns |
| Great for trees | Need flat surface |
| Water soaks deeper | Best for arid soil |
If watering your veggie garden or a garden bed of perennial flowers is your mission rather than a lawn, you may want to consider a drip irrigation system instead of sprinkler heads. This system involves tubing that sits on top of the ground. Along the tubes are small notches, where water will trickle out onto the ground near plants.
This system wastes less water than many other irrigation systems, but because the tubing is exposed and could be damaged during mowing, drip irrigation isn’t great for lawns.
Best For: Gardens
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Water-efficient | Exposed tubes |
| Better for crops | Not ideal for lawns |
| Easy to DIY | Shorter lifespan |
Instead of watering across a lawn like sprinklers, soaker hoses are better for watering smaller, more specific areas. Similar to drip irrigation, soaker hoses feature tubes that release water slowly. But soaker hoses are made from a super flexible, porous material that lets water seep out slowly throughout the hose. They can be buried slightly under mulch for more protection.
Because soaker hoses are porous, they aren’t as durable as other irrigation systems. They have a shorter lifespan, around 2 to 4 years, whereas sprinklers last about 10 to 20 years.
Best For: Gardens
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Water-efficient | Shorter life span |
| Flexible design | Less durable |
| Water specific areas | Water small areas |
You can mix and match sprinkler heads depending on the plants in your landscape arrangement. If you go this route, pay attention to how much water flows from each head, as you do not want to overwater your plants.
“Ideally, a dripline is recommended rather than sprinkler heads for landscape plants, as overhead watering can cause leaf spot and disease issues on a lot of ornamental plants,” says Tara Dudley, Angi Expert Review Board member and owner of Plant Life Designs. “Sprinkler heads are mostly recommended for turf grass areas.”
When installing sprinkler heads in your lawn, especially if you plan to mix and match, make sure you determine how many sprinkler heads per zone you’ll need to avoid under- or over-irrigating.
“There are other things you can do in the landscape if you want to invest some of your time to save some money. Irrigation’s one of the last things I’d suggest,” says Jim Brandon of Landmark DBM in Indianapolis.
Whether you are looking to install a new system or upgrade an old one, doing thorough research on price, sprinkler heads, and the system as a whole can save you time and money. And, remember, troubleshooting your sprinkler system problems can save you quite a bit compared to replacing it.
Jess Lynk contributed to this article.
Choosing the right sprinkler heads depends on many factors. You’ll need to consider your sprinkler system’s water pressure (measured in PSI, or pounds per square inch), water flow rate (measured in gallons per minute), and your watering needs.
Some sprinkler heads, like rotary nozzle and impact sprinkler heads, are best for covering larger lawns, while other irrigation options, like bubblers or drip irrigation, are better for watering prized plants and trees.
Once you’ve determined the optimal sprinkler head setup, it’s time to call in the pros. Sprinkler head installation is labor-intensive and complicated. Not to mention, you run the risk of hitting utilities when you dig.
For new construction installations, install the sprinkler heads after the landscape beds have been built and before any turf grass has been installed.
The nozzle is a small piece on top of a sprinkler head that offers some control over the spray pattern and spray height or distance. Typically, homeowners can make small adjustments to the spray by twisting the nozzle on top of the sprinkler head. Be sure to check your sprinkler head’s manual instructions before making adjustments.
