Spray heads, like the ones to the left here, are probably the most common heads used for watering Outdoor Living Spaces.  This has become the ultimate tool for those who don’t understand irrigation principles.

The biggest advantages of these heads are that they are easy to use efficiently because most of the nozzles you would use on these heads all have matched precipitation rates (MPR).  This means that the water is applied evenly across the landscape where they are used. 

These heads also work very well for small areas and for places where the water pressure is lower than normal.  I always recommend using the heads with the built in PRS (Pressure Regulating System) because they operate most efficiently at 30 p.s.i. and most sources for irrigation are pressurized much higher than 30 p.s.i.

Despite the advantages, these heads are the proverbial firehose.  These heads will apply around two inches of water across your landscape in around an hour.  Remember that in a previous post , I mentioned that Utah receives on average between eight and sixteen inches of total precipitation in a whole year!  Firehose!

These are also the most readily available head to the general public, so the ambitious individual who is installing his or her own system will most likely use these heads.  With appropriate scheduling, and design these heads can be a solid source for watering your landscape, but most people installing them do not know how to use them appropriately.  The result is a lot of water and money going right down the storm drain.

These heads do have an application in Flower Bed Design.  I will discuss that in a following post.