September on site: a faster method for designing the irrigation system

September marks the return to full operational activity on site for many irrigation professionals. Residential projects resume, new public green area works begin, and requests related to irrigation system design increase before the autumn season.

When orders multiply, the real challenge is not only to install a good system, but to define each job quickly, precisely and in an organised manner.

A structured working method reduces unexpected issues, prepares the site with greater accuracy and leaves more time for the technical decisions that truly make a difference.

A well-developed project saves time on site too

The quality of an irrigation system begins long before installation.

Careful planning allows you to arrive on site with a clear layout, a complete materials list and an already-defined zone allocation. This means fewer mid-project changes, fewer unexpected issues and faster installation operations.

Before choosing components, it is important to evaluate several key factors:

• available flow rate and pressure;
• shape of the area to be irrigated;
• presence of flower beds and hedges;
• zone allocation;
• position of the water connection point;
• distribution of the sprinklers.

This information influences the entire development of the system and, if gathered correctly from the outset, allows the installation to be approached with greater efficiency.

Designing with installation already in mind

The person who designs the landscaping is not always the one who installs the irrigation system. On public projects, housing developments or large private gardens, the installer often receives an already-defined design and must develop the irrigation component based on the available information.

In these cases, spending a few minutes checking certain aspects can prevent changes during the project.

Before starting the design, make sure you have the following:

• an up-to-date, dimensioned site plan;
• actual flow rate and pressure available at the connection point;
• distinction between lawn areas, flower beds, hedges and trees;
• any zones with different irrigation requirements;
• presence of paved areas, walls or underground services that may affect pipe routing;
• ideal position of the solenoid valve assembly to facilitate installation and maintenance.

Having this information from the start means designing with greater precision and arriving on site with fewer variables to manage.

Design choices that make a difference on site

The choice of sprinklers, drip lines, pipes and fittings determines how the system operates, as well as how easily it can be installed and maintained over time.

For this reason, Rain has always developed solutions inspired by the day-to-day work of installers. The patented Manifold system, for example, makes it faster to connect and disconnect solenoid valves and to work directly inside the valve box; the new solenoid opening system speeds up verification and maintenance operations thanks to its dual mode and dedicated ergonomic accessory.

These design details reduce installation time, simplify future servicing and contribute to making fieldwork more efficient.

The same philosophy guides the development of Rain’s digital tools: not to replace the installer’s experience, but to help them work more quickly and in a more organised way.

Extra support for those who also work on residential projects

For work on residential gardens, we remind you that the Rain Configurator is available: a tool designed to make automatic irrigation system design simpler and faster.

Based on the main design parameters (available flow rate and pressure, shape and dimensions of the area to be irrigated), the Configurator automatically generates the system layout and the corresponding materials list. A practical starting point for organising work on residential projects.

If you do not yet use it, you can create an account and start using it for your next garden projects.