Do it yourself In-ground sprinkler questions...

[ts_hunter]

I am thinking about installing a small in-ground sprinkler system in part of my yard next year. Menards has everything from pipe, to timers, and all the nozzles you could ever want. I have done alot of research, but I am stuck on how to trench in the plastic pipe. I really don't want to do it with a spade, so is there some sore of walk behind trencher you can rent for this job?

I am planning on running all of the lines back to the general area near the water spigots on the house, and then just hooking them up to the spigot with a timer controlled valve.

[Buckcountry]

YOu can rent a ditch witch, that's what everyone uses. I am not sure if hooking the lines up to your spigots would work, depending on you number of zones and head there most likley would not be enough pressure. You need a seperate line with a pump on it. Sounds like you need to do a little more research.

[ts_hunter]

I am not going to run the entire system off on spigot. I will just hook up the zone I need to water to the hose and then just water that area.

[MuleShack]

Renting a pipe plow is going to be pretty expensive. You mentioned you only had a small area that you wanted to irrigate. Would suggest renting a edging trencher. They will trench in a V channel up to 8" deep depending on the cutter that the shop has put on it. Maybe $60-70 bucks for the day but it takes no time to trench the lines. You cut the channel in your yard and then lay the pipe and then cover back up and spread some seed over the top. The trencher is smaller to maneuver if you have a small back yard.

If you really want to do the Tim Allen thing...Ug, Ug, Ug, then you could merge all of your lines together by the spigot and put a plastic ball valve on each line so you only have to hook up to the spigot and then turn on each valve manually as you want to water each zone.

Not sure how this would apply to any city ordinances as far as water that might push back into the house system with no back flow preventer installed. Normally you have to get a permit to have one installed.

[ts_hunter]

My house was build in 1999, so I think it was code back then to have the back flow preventer on the outside spigots. I have a black circle 'thing' about 1" around on my spigots between the handle and the house. I am quite certain that is what it is.