Homeowners with access to a lake, pond, or even a well will prefer to use the free water over paying to use city water for irrigation.
When using surface water, it is essential to install a filter after the pump to protect the irrigation system. Without a filter the emitters will become clogged and the turf will suffer from dryness, bed areas will have a shortage of water, and all of your investments on landscape may be lost.
How to Choose a Filter for Your Irrigation System
There are several options to choose from depending on your budget and needs – automatic self- cleaning, semi-automatic or manual cleaning, and screen, disc or media technologies.
A simple manual plastic filter as small as ¾” inlet/outlet is fine for small zones, and self-cleaning filters from 2”, 3” and 4” will protect the whole system.
Here are the basics to take into consideration:
Automatic Self-cleaning Filters
Use: For large-scale landscape irrigation systems.
Cost: Higher investment, but savings on labor and maintenance expenses.
Cleaning: Automatic self-cleaning filters do not require any manual work to clean the screen element from debris buildup. Automatic filters will flush periodically based on differential pressure (DP) between the filter inlet and outlet. In addition to saving you time to check and clean the filter, an automatic filter ensures that water continues to flow downstream without interruption.
Semi-automatic Filters
Use: For mid-sized landscape irrigation systems.
Cost: Less expensive than automatic but still require some maintenance.
Cleaning: For the semi-automatic filters, it is easy to know when cleaning is required thanks to the Clogging Indicator Kit (CIK). Semi-automatic filters include a brush or suction-scanner to enable cleaning to be performed without having to open the filter, but still require someone to perform the cleaning function.
Manual Filters
Use: For small landscape irrigation systems.
Cost: Low initial purchase cost, however, manual cleaning and maintenance are required.
Cleaning: During the summer when a filter is used consistently, the homeowner or irrigation contractor will have to open a manual filter once a day to see if the screen needs to be cleaned.
Selecting the Right Filtration Degree for Your Needs
There are various contaminants that can cause your landscape irrigation emitters to become clogged, depending on your water source, such as sediment, minerals and organic material.
Filtration traps these clogging factors and is essential to maintaining healthy lawns, plants, trees, etc.
The first step before selecting your filtration solutions is understanding which clogging factor/s are present in your irrigation water, and the nozzles size of your system’s emitters.
Here is a basic guide to the most common contaminants and their micron size:
Clay: Less than 2 micron
Silt: 2-50 micron
Sand: Fine – 100-250 micron, Medium – 250-500 micron, Coarse – 500-1,000 micron
Another factor to take into consideration is the flow rate of your system, so that your landscape irrigation filtration supplier can provide you with the correct filter size for your specific needs.
Understanding Micron Sizes and Their Importance
Micron sizes are essential in determining the effectiveness of filtration in any irrigation system, including landscape irrigation systems.
Here’s an overview of Amiad’s filtration technology spectrum to help you determine the right type to protect your irrigation equipment and ensure that each landscape area gets the water it needs:
Protecting Your Landscape Irrigation Investment with Proper Filtration
Investing in a quality landscape irrigation filtration system offers several long-term benefits that can significantly enhance the performance and longevity of your irrigation infrastructure. Here are some key advantages:
- Protects emitters from clogging: Sediment, minerals, and organic particles in the water source can clog emitters, potentially damaging your lawns, plants, and trees. Filtration traps these particles before they reach your irrigation system.
- Promotes healthier plant growth: Uniform irrigation water distribution is essential to keep your landscape healthy. Clogged emitters can cause uneven watering, overwatering some areas, while underwatering others. Effective filtration ensures that each area receives the right amount of water as originally planned.
- Reduces maintenance costs: Regular cleaning and repairing clogged landscape irrigation systems can be both time-consuming and expensive. By implementing filtration, you ensure your system operates smoothly, reducing maintenance requirements and saving time and money.
Amiad Filters for Landscape Irrigation
The filter is the first vital link in the irrigation chain – it protects irrigation systems from damage, while delivering the best quality water. Our landscape irrigation filters are able to cope with any water quality, in any geographical location.
We offer a full range of filters for every landscape need, including manual, semi-automatic and automatic filters, and 3 filtration technologies: screen, disc or media.
Summary: The Value of Water Filtration in Landscape Irrigation
Investing in high-quality landscape irrigation filtration systems is a wise decision with long-term benefits. It safeguards your system from damage, enhances water flow efficiency, lowers maintenance costs, and ensures the health and longevity of your landscape.
For further assistance in determining which filter is ideal for your application, or for assistance in locating an Amiad distributor, contact us.
