Choosing Spray Heads for Your Irrigation System

With decades and decades of innovation, irrigation systems have evolved to deliver water efficiently across a wide range of landscapes. No single sprinkler design works well in every situation, so manufacturers have developed specialized heads to meet different needs. Spray heads are just one subcategory of sprinkler heads, but even just within that group, there are many varieties. This video will help you understand the difference between the types of sprinkler spray heads and when, where, and how they are most often used.

Sprinkler heads are divided into several types based on the way they disperse water. Spray heads, rotor heads, rotary nozzles, bubblers, and impact heads all disperse water in slightly different ways. Spray heads, one of the most common types of sprinkler heads, are small fixed sprinklers that spray a fan-shaped pattern of water.

Unlike rotor sprinklers, which shoot rotating streams over large distances, spray heads apply water quickly in a fixed pattern, making them ideal for flower beds and smaller lawn sections. They come with a variety of nozzles (fixed, adjustable, strip, or specialty shapes) that let you match the spray pattern to irregular spaces. As such, this type of sprinkler head is best suited for compact, precise watering rather than large open areas or deep root irrigation.

Sprinkler Spray Patterns

Sprinkler spray heads come with different nozzle patterns so you can match the water distribution to the shape of the area being irrigated.

Full Circle – This type of sprinkler waters in all directions, making it ideal for centralized lawn areas.

Half Circle – By design, these sprinklers only spray in a 180° angle. Half-circle patterns are good for edges along sidewalks or fences.

Quarter Circle – These sprayers emit water at a 90° angle, and are usually set up near the corner of a lawn or garden.

Adjustable Arcs – Many modern spray heads allow you to fine-tune the spray angle, which is useful for irregularly shaped spaces.

Strip Patterns – Instead of releasing water in a circular shape, these sprinklers create a long, narrow rectangle.

Spray Heads with Interchangeable Nozzles

Most fixed spray heads use interchangeable nozzles installed on the sprinkler that establish the misting pattern and the span of the throw. Some specialty patterns are available for long, narrow areas. Spray heads can be spaced up to 18 feet apart.

Spray heads need between 20 and 30 PSI of water pressure to operate correctly. Making them the best choice if you have low water pressure or a small area that needs to be irrigated. A fixed body spray head does not have a pop-up riser that moves up and down into an outer body tube, but still sprays the water in identical fine mist coverage patterns. It is screwed onto the top of a shrub stick or riser in a flower or shrub landscaped bed. It remains fixed and visible, providing a gentle mist of spray irrigation.

Rotary Nozzles on Sprinkler Heads

Rotary nozzles are tiny turbine-driven rotors that are the same size as standard nozzles on a spray-type sprinkler. They can be installed onto the smaller, less expensive spray head pop-up bodies. These rotary nozzles have a radius generally between eight to thirty feet, depending upon the model and water pressure. This type of sprinkler uses multiple streams of water that rotate around the nozzle. As a result, rotary nozzles are significantly more efficient than standard spray heads and can help lower overall water use.

Thank you for joining us in our discussion about sprinkler spray heads. Remember, Sprinkler Warehouse has everything you’ll need to keep your trees, lawns, flowerbeds, and gardens lush and beautiful. If you have any questions, you can chat with one of our amazing customer service agents at SprinklerWarehouse.com. They really know their stuff, and they’ll get you squared away. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get the most out of our user-friendly shop and compare website.