Question
We will be hiring a contractor to put in a lawn sprinkler in our .25 acre yard. We've heard conflicting stories about water consumption. Some say self-draining uses 2-3 times as much water than a traditional system. Your thoughts? Thanks.

Answer
Hey Paula, I hope this helps. The only water that drains from the system, is when the system shuts off, whatever water is left in the pipes, will drain out. Depending on how often, and how long you water, the water that is drained is very little compared to the water the system puts on your lawn. I have no idea how they say you will use 2 to 3 times as much water. You might use less than 1/10th of 1% more, very, very little. I'm assuming you live in an area that has frost in the ground. Any system can be "blown out" with compressed air in the winter, to keep the pipes free of water, so they don't freese and crack. Sometimes the automatic drains that they install on the "self draining" systems are more trouble than they're worth. These drains also don't last forever, and will need to be replaced from time to time. I hope I have answered your question, and have not confused you anymore. Whatever contractor you go with, ask for a list of past customers that you can call to check on their work. Also make sure they are licensed and insured in your state or county. Make sure they give you a complete list of the # of heads, valves, and etc. that they are going to use. It is also a good idea to get a plan from them on how the heads will be set in your yard. Don't always go with the low bid and compare apples to apples. The saying goes "good work isn't cheap, and cheap work isn't good". Good luck and have a great day.