Jess Stryker's
IrrigationTutorials.com
The web's mother lode of free irrigation information!
Welcome!
Looking for information on irrigation systems?
You've just found the web's mother lode of free irrigation information! In fact, from filters to sprinklers to pumps, if it's irrigation related you'll find at least some information on it here. Start with the irrigation tutorials! They're all FREE! I don't even want to sell you any irrigation equipment!
This website is not affiliated with any irrigation, sprinkler, or drip equipment manufacturer or supplier.
Water Savings & Snake Oil
With water shortages throughout the United States, water conservation has once again become a hot topic. I have a brand new article you should look at if you are interested is saving water. Take a look at it here: How to Save Water with your Irrigation System. This article will also help you to avoid being ripped-off by the increasing number of snake-oil salespeople that are suddenly popping up like cockroaches offering to save you water. Just fork over some of your hard-earned money!
Free Irrigation Equipment!
Many water providers, particularly in drought areas in the USA, are offering discounts, coupons, and rebates on water-saving irrigation equipment. Some are even providing this equipment for free to local customers. Before you purchase any irrigation equipment, be sure to check with your local water provider to see if they are offering any freebies.
Irrigation Product Reviews
Product reviews are now here! I've been promising this feature for a long time, and now the first few reviews are ready to go. Click here to go to the review section!
Historic Hotels
Historic hotels and irrigation? No, they're not particularly related. But I do like old hotels and I have a new website featuring many of the best! Let's do something fun for a few minutes; all work and no play stinks. Take a (virtual) vacation with me: Click here!
IrrigationTutorials.com
Site Index / Site Map
The Free Irrigation Tutorials:
Sprinkler Irrigation Design Tutorial
(Lawn Sprinklers, Automatic Sprinklers, Yard Sprinklers, Underground Sprinkler Systems.)
How to design a sprinkler irrigation system for both do-it-yourselfers and landscape professionals. This in-depth tutorial shows you step-by-step how to design a professional quality sprinkler irrigation system. A complete course in sprinkler irrigation design that is used as the text for many college classes.
Click here for the Sprinkler Irrigation Design Tutorial.
Drip Irrigation Design Tutorial
(Drip Systems, Trickle Irrigation, Low-Flow Irrigation, Emitter Systems, Xerigation)
How to design a simple drip irrigation system for your yard. Drip irrigation is the most efficient, easiest to design, most forgiving, and easiest to install type of permanent irrigation system. Your 8 year old can handle this project!
Click here for the Drip Irrigation Design Tutorial.
Irrigation Installation Tutorial
(both Sprinklers & Drip System Installation)
How to install your new sprinkler system or drip irrigation system. How to prepare an accurate list of materials (a "take-off"). Forms for you to use, checklists, descriptions of fittings, installation details, even tips on how to "talk irrigation" so you sound like a pro! Lots of tips that will save you money.
Click here for the Irrigation Installation Tutorial.
Irrigation Filtration Tutorial.
Your irrigation system should have a filter on it. A filter will pay for itself over and over in repair costs savings. This tutorial covers the various types of filters, how they work, and best of all, how to select the right filter for YOUR irrigation system!
Click here for the Irrigation Filtration Tutorial.
Irrigation Pumping Systems Tutorial.
If you need to pump water from a well, stream, or pond, this tutorial is for you! Pumps, wells, pressure tanks, and electrical controls are covered. Learn how much water your pump will provide. Perhaps you've been told your well has a (insert a value here) GPM rating? Chances are you aren't getting nearly that much water out of it! Find out why that's normal. You'll also learn how to read pump curves and select the best pump for your situation if you don't have one yet.
Click here for the Irrigation Pumping Systems Tutorial.
Irrigation Scheduling Tutorial.
How to schedule irrigation system cycles to promote healthier plants and save water. Your irrigation system can be a great water saver. It can also waste water, cause disease in your lawn and shrubs, and increase greatly the amount of fertilizer you need to use. Learn how to operate it the correct way.
Click here for the Irrigation Scheduling Tutorial.
Irrigation System Winterization Tutorial.
How to prepare your irrigation system for winter and restart it in the spring. Without proper preparation your irrigation system can be badly damaged by freezing temperatures! This tutorials covers several methods of preparing your irrigation system for the winter, including drain valves and pressurized blow out. This is very important in areas where it freezes in winter.
Click here for the Irrigation System Winterization Tutorial.
Water Hammer and Air in Pipes.
Things that go Bump in the Night. This tutorial addresses the various causes of noise in irrigation systems and household plumbing, along with methods to cure the problem. Water hammer and air in the pipes can make terrible sounds. They also can cause long term damage to your plumbing that is very expensive to repair!
Click here for the Water Hammer and Air in Pipes Tutorial.
Other Sprinkler & Drip Irrigation Information & Tools:
Irrigation Glossary
A list of terms and definitions used in the irrigation industry, with a lot of bad humor thrown in just to annoy you! Don't say I didn't warn you about the bad humor. The folks who named a lot of this stuff were a bunch of dirty old men. And unfortunately I'm not above a little toilet humor myself! This is the section that gets this web site it's "mildly objectionable language" rating. (OK, it's really not that bad, you get a lot worse stuff on TV during prime time.)
Click here for the Irrigation Glossary.
Irrigation, Sprinkler, and Related Formulas
Here you'll find formulas related to irrigation design as well as metric conversions and other helpful conversions. Snore. But when you need them, you need them.
Click here for the Irrigation and Related Formulas.
Irrigation Industry Links
Links to irrigation manufacturers, suppliers, designers, and installers throughout the world. If you're looking for a specific product this is the place to start. This is where to look for links to on-line irrigation supply companies. These links are provided as a service for you, I do not charge for links, or for link placement. In order to keep this website and the reviews objective I do not accept any website support money or direct advertising from the irrigation industry. (Irrigation related ads may show up on the website, however I don't contract directly with the advertisers for the ads, so they have no influence on the website content.)
Click here to check out the Irrigation Industry Links.
Irrigation Questions?
Click here for answers to your questions.
Other Non-Irrigation Stuff at this Website:
Links.. In addition to the irrigation related links you will find links to landscape related web-sites, search engines, subject specific link-sites, and other odds and ends, both interesting and incredibly boring!
Landscape Tutorials Someday this may be the landscape design equivalent of IrrigationTutorials.com. For now, it consists primarily of information on landscape maintenance, aimed at commercial businesses. This is basically for my clients, to help them take care of the landscape that they invested so much money in. I hate coming back a couple of years after a landscape is installed just to see that the maintenance contractor has let it all die!
Historic Hotels & Lodges. I've been exploring a few historic hotels and lodges and have decided to set up a web site with virtual tours of them. Where I have stayed in the hotel I also provide reviews of the facilities and services offered. Lots of photos and details about the hotels, including history, architectural details, ghosts (most old hotels have at least one!), and where I can find it, quirky behind-the-scenes stuff. This is not your typical travel website with a couple of photos and a fluffy review written by the hotel!
My Family Website. Primarily meant for my family and friends, but you're welcome to look it over! My vacation pictures and stories, mostly National Parks. Yellowstone, Mt. St. Helens, Rocky Mountains, Oregon Caves, Roosevelt N.P., Mount Rushmore, Mammoth Caves, Great Smoky Mountains, etc. We visit more each year, and I post my photos and stories. Wow! There's even photos of my own front yard and irrigation system! You'll also find the touching and ever-popular sob-fest known as "The Frisky Story" (grab your hanky first!). Plus my personal life story (zzzzzzzz....).
Text and Images by Jess Stryker. Copyright © Jess Stryker, 2008. All rights reserved.
