Does A Sprinkler System Add Value To Your Home?

A key concern when making big investments with regard to your home is whether or not they’re worth it. You want to make sure the return on value or convenience makes up for the money you invested in the first place.

If you are wondering whether a sprinkler system can add value to your home, the answer is yes, absolutely! Adding a sprinkler system is an investment that can add upwards $3,000 of value to your home. It adds curb appeal, convenience, and water efficiency features to your home for the market.

Regardless of whether you already meticulously maintain your lawn, or if you want to turn your yard around, you’ll notice extreme benefits from an irrigation system. Sprinkler systems improve your home’s utility and it can be a convenience to a home buyer if installed prior to sale.

With a sprinkler system, your lawncare becomes more convenient and guarantees that you’ll always have great curb appeal.

When it comes to your sprinkler system adding value to your home, there is some important caveats that will determine whether or not you’ll see a return on your investment.

For starters, if your sprinkler system isn’t installed properly, then you’ll see your home value decrease instead. Additionally, a faulty system will likely leak into your yard or require regular and costly maintenance.

However, a fully functioning, professionally installed sprinkler system can enhance the value of your home in more ways than one.

Your home’s curb appeal refers to how attractive your home is from the street. It is a great marketing tactic when it comes time to sell your home, as buyers are more likely to want to have a look inside. The landscaping and grass that a home features has a significant influence on curb appeal.

A green lawn goes a long way towards making your home look and feel better when visitors or potential buyers see it for the first time. Plus, an already installed sprinkler system is a huge convenience for anyone looking to purchase your home. Without a well-kept yard, your entire property can appear old and neglected.

While you can certainly increase your curb appeal by watering your lawn by hand, without an automatic sprinkler system, it is much more difficult to insure your investment.

By providing just the right amount of water, consistently and evenly, a sprinkler system will lower your monthly bills while keeping your lawn green. Using a sprinkler system can potentially lower your bill to one-third compared to manually watering, all the while keeping your lawn greener.

Manually taking care of your lawn is incredibly time-consuming. It’s impossible to consistently and accurately water every part of your lawn. A sprinkler system gives even coverage, or coverage adjusted to your lawn’s unique needs. The amount of sunlight versus shade and the presence of slopes affects whether more water or less water is needed.

Lawns need about 1-inch of water per week. Modern irrigation systems come with sensors that track water levels in your lawn. They adjust their water levels to provide even coverage of water in all of your lawn. This takes all the guess work out of watering your lawn and you’ll never have to worry if your grass is getting enough.

You’ll also be able to program your sprinkler system so that certain areas of your lawn get more water than others. This ensures your lawn has enough water where it’s usually dry and not too much where it pools, lowering the risk of fungus growth.

It is a very common myth that having an automatic irrigation system will cause your water bill to skyrocket. On the contrary, a network of sprinklers can save both water and money. The more modern systems of today increase water efficiencies and also conserve water.

This is even more effective if your system has sensors that turn off automatically when it is raining, or the system is not needed. Unique controls can be implemented to administer just the appropriate amount of water your lawn needs.

If your current method for watering your lawn is the hose, you’ve likely done a sub-par job at one time or another. Using a manual sprinkler hose attachment and forgetting to shut it off is very inefficient. You can also miss spots when done manually, leading to brown or yellowing spots.

With an underground irrigation system, installed by experts, you won’t have to worry about wasting water or having uneven watering results.

A sprinkler system divides your lawn into “lawn zones.” These are determined by the radius of water from the spray jets installed in your lawn. To fully cover your lawn with water, your sprinkler system should be installed with overlapping zones.

The size and amount of lawn zones necessary for your lawn are determined by your water pressure in pounds per square inch, or PSI, your water meter and service line size, and your water flow rate in gallons per minute (GPM). You can get this information from your municipality and water provider for optimal information, though it’s possible to determine it on your own.

Your lawn will almost certainly have more than one lawn zone per your yard. It’s standard to have 20 lawn zones, and it’s not unusual to require more. Each lawn zone has one sprinkler jet in it, and there are unique control systems for each one. Different sprinkler jets fulfill different purposes. You’ll specify types of jet and number of zones in the planning phase.

Water is sprayed from the underground irrigation system through spray jets. Most systems now use pop up spray jets. These are discreet and won’t be at risk from lawn traffic or lawn mowing.

A standard section of lawn, with grass exclusively, will have a standard pop-up head that has a broad spray radius for optimal coverage. Landscaping zones, with shrubs and ground cover, require high-rise heads for optimal coverage.

Flower and vegetable zones can instead be equipped with bubblers and tiny spray heads. These water the plants more gently and are designed to not bruise edible plants or knock flower petals off.

The sprinkler system is controlled from the valve manifold. This is how you set how much water goes where and when. Best locations for the manifold are in a discreet spot in your lawn that’s near the water supply line.

When installed well, a sprinkler system can add immense value to your home. If it’s done poorly, then it will have the opposite effect. If undertaking this as a DIY project, you’ll want to plan out your irrigation system carefully and use sturdy irrigation pipes that are securely fastened.

Having your system professionally installed ensures that there are no loose or leaky parts in your irrigation system. Professional systems also incorporate more advanced technology to keep track of the water levels in your yard. You’ll have the option to schedule a consistent watering schedule, allowing you to even water your lawn while you’re away on business or vacation.

For best results, it is recommended to have your sprinkler system installed by a professional.

Related Questions

How do I choose the best company to install an irrigation system?

Go local where you can. Referrals from people you know are always a good place to start, and the internet is your next best bet. Make sure they know their stuff. Ask for testimonials and watch out if the company gives you a quote before seeing the property.

How much does it cost to install a sprinkler system?

Once you decide to get a sprinkler system, it’s important to understand the costs of installation. For a ¼-acre lot, you’re looking at a cost of $3,000 to $5,000. However, if you’re up to the task, installing a system yourself will cost about half as much. Do that at your own risk, though.

How do I winterize my irrigation system for cold months?

Drain your irrigation system before the weather gets cold. Having no water in your system minimizes the risk of freezing and damaging the piping system. Most commonly, you’ll need to blow out the system to remove any water that wasn’t cleared while draining it.

Are there downsides to installing a sprinkler system?

There’s a large upfront cost to installing a sprinkler system. However, depending on your circumstances, the benefits far outweigh the costs. Even with the cost of occasional repair or upkeep, irrigation systems avoid costs from weeding or re-seeding. 

Curb appeal, time and money saved, convenience, and conservation are just some of the many reasons why a sprinkler system can add value to your home. Though sprinkler system installation can be costly, when you factor in all of the benefits, the investment is well worth it.

When potential buyers are on the hunt for the home of their dreams, an installed sprinkler system is often on their list of “must-haves.” You can effectively make the sale much easier by giving what the buyer wants and what your yard needs: a professionally installed irrigation system.