A User’s Guide to Sprinkler Parts

Our team at Sprinkler King has been working in the sprinkler and irrigation business for over 20 years, and we offer a wide range of services to help you keep your system in great condition. You can turn to us for all your sprinkler repair and maintenance needs, but you might not know how to recognize problems or know when to call us.

In this article, we’ll go over the basic anatomy of a sprinkler to help you get a better understanding of how your sprinklers work—that way, you’ll be better able to recognize problems when they develop and act sooner to get them addressed.

• Pipe or Tubing – Every sprinkler is connected to the water line with pipes or flexible tubing. This is what carries the water from your water line to the sprinkler heads.
• Valves – Valves are another example of key sprinkler parts. The valve is what controls the flow of water from the tubing through the head—when the valve is closed, water can’t flow. Our sprinklers have high-quality valves which can be used to control the flow of water precisely.
• Sprinkler Head – The sprinkler parts you are probably most familiar with are sprinkler heads, which are what sprinkle the water onto your lawn or landscaping. Some sprinkler heads spray water in a circle all around them, while others create a more directional flow to make sure the water only goes where it needs to, instead of flowing out onto the street.
• Timer or Controller – One of the essential sprinkler parts is the timer or controller, which tells the sprinkler when to turn on and off. The controller sends signals to the rest of the sprinkler to tell it to open and close the valves. Sprinkler controllers come in many levels of sophistication—some use only simple timers, while others use complex moisture sensors as well.
• Backflow Preventer – As the name suggests, a backflow preventer is designed to stop water from flowing back through the tubing it came from.