Definitions and terms of a lawn sprinkler system

Rotary head - Sprinkler head which moves; used in large open areas. Water is more forceful than mist type. Pop-up type generally employed.

Spray Head - A pop up sprinkler head used in small lawn areas or shrub beds; a soft mist type spray pattern of water. These units come in brass or plastic or combination.

Shrub Riser - A fixture generally used in shrub beds when height is required to get proper distribution of sprinkler patterns. Risers are either PVC (plastic) or copper tubing.

Copper head fitting - Support fittings under each sprinkler head. Allows people and/or machinery to ride over units and not break underground fittings where connected to pipes.

Solenoid Zone Valve - Control valve for each zone. Allows independent control of an area. One is needed for each zone (i.e. a four zone system requires four solenoid valves). The solenoid valve is considered the HEART of an automatic system. Solenoid valves come in plastic (generally used in warm climates) and brass (long lasting and more durable in colder climates).

Manifold - Connection point between sprinkler main and electric solenoid valves. Distribution center to which 24 volt electric solenoid zone valves are connected. Manifolds can be either plastic or copper.

Valve Box - Container that designates location of solenoid valves.

Controller - A timer which tells the system when to initiate watering and on which days to water. Better timers are multiple program and have more than one start time. Controllers allow user to control each zone; more time for certain areas and less for others. Also, more frequently for some zones and less frequently for others. Controllers are usually located in garages, basements, or outdoors for certain situations. Certain watering needs require controllers that can provide odd and even watering according to the day of the week. These needs vary from town to town.

Rain Sensor - An independent device that shuts off sprinkler system automatically when adequate rainfall occurs.

Backflow Preventer - Required by State Board of Health; prevents house and public water supply from being contaminated. Backflow preventers are either plastic or cast brass.