When you have a really long parcel of land and you want to put an in-ground sprinkler system in, you will need the help of a plumbing contractor. A lot of pipe has to be laid in the ground a few feet down, and all of it has to be connected to your home's water supply. If you only have well water and you are irrigating a large field, then the pipes are connected to a holding tank where well water is collected and sits after it is pumped up out of the earth. Either way, your plumber will have to do all of the following to install your sprinkler system.

Multiple Lines, Multiple Excavations

The first thing your plumbing contractor will do is establish an underground grid. This is how he or she will lay the pipes for your sprinklers and avoid power and gas lines too. Then your contractor will bring in an excavation crew who will dig a couple of feet down, usually in the same grid or trench pattern he or she designed. Expect your yard to look like a mess for a while because the excavated dirt cannot go back where it came from until the system is in.

Assembling and Installing the Pipes and Sprinkler Heads

Your plumbing contractor and his or her crew will spend several hours installing pipe that connects to either your well's holding tank or your home's cold water lines. These new pipes will then connect to all of the pipes laid in the recently excavated ground outside. Finally, all of the sprinkler heads are attached to the outside pipelines and the whole system is tested before the excavated dirt is pushed back over the sprinkler system's pipes. If you plan on connecting the system to a timer so that your sprinkler automatically goes off every day, this has to be tested as well before the whole system is covered back up with dirt. (The sprinkler heads are left exposed so that they do not get jammed up trying to surface from the ground.)

Flattening the Earth

In order for your new in-ground sprinkler system to function and effectively water your entire yard, the yard has to be made level. Your plumbing contractor will take a mini-asphalt roller over the fresh dirt and carefully avoid the sprinkler heads as the ground is flattened. Now you can plant grass seed and let the sprinkler system do the rest.

For professional plumbing services, contact a company such as Rakeman Plumbing.