Thinking of investing in an irrigation system for your commercial landscape? There are many different types of commercial irrigation systems available for you to choose from, but some systems are more popular than others.
Drip and sprinkler irrigation systems are two of the most widely used irrigation methods on commercial landscapes today. Each of these irrigation systems has its pros and cons. If you're contemplating installing either of these irrigation systems on your commercial landscape, you should know what those benefits and drawbacks are.
Here's what you need to know about drip and sprinkler irrigation systems.
Drip Irrigation System
This irrigation system uses a network of valves and drip lines to deliver water directly to the part of the soil in which the roots of your plants grow. Plants get water supply at low but sufficient rates. This helps to save more water than sprinkler systems because water loss resulting from runoff or evaporation is significantly reduced. As water is delivered to the plants at a controlled rate, drip irrigation helps to keep the soil wet for plants to thrive. Plus, fertilizer loss resulting from runoff is greatly reduced.
While drip irrigation systems help conserve water, they can be expensive to use over vast areas. Properly irrigating a large area may mean laying exceedingly long sections of drip lines. Plus, a powerful water pump may be needed to ensure water runs and drips through the entire systems.
Sprinkler Irrigation System
This irrigation system is also known as spray irrigation system because water is distributed via overhead nozzles, which release the water at a regulated pressure. Like natural rainfall, this irrigation system ensures uniform distribution of water on the entire landscape. This is essential for applications such as lawn watering, where the entire area needs to be kept wet.
Sprinkler irrigation is a great way for irrigation areas that receive light or minimal rainfall across the year, but it involves heavy water usage. For the water to be uniformly distributed over an entire area, it has to be released at high pressure, meaning water consumption can get quite high depending on the frequency of irrigation and how long each irrigation spell lasts. Plus, water loss from run-off and evaporation during irrigation can be significant.
Uniform distribution of water through sprinkler irrigation can also be hazardous to your landscape. This is because weeds and fungi may also feed off the water you're spraying.
Now that you've learned about drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, you should be able to make an informed decision on which type to choose for your commercial application. If you're still on the fence regarding which is the best one for your project, don't hesitate to consult the experts at irrigation system supply companies.