Merry Christmas from Sprinkler Daddy!

Hey! It's Sean from Sprinkler Daddy wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best in 2010 on behalf of my wife Katlyn and our 7 week old son Parker!

Thanks for making our first two seasons successful and we look forward to some big things in 2010!

Winterizing Sprinkler Systems - Preventing Damage

How to prevent your sprinkler system valves from freezing when an early freeze is coming and you haven't had a chance to blow out your sprinkler lines yet.

Auto-Drain Valves Explained

Auto drain valves are an addition that can be made to your sprinkler system to drain the water out of each sprinkler line after use.

If you want to add auto drain valves to your sprinkler system, you can find them for sale at http://www.sprinklerdaddy.ca/catalog/item/7033169/7387311

Swivel vs. Solid Dura Manifolds

You can't go wrong with using Dura manifolds for your sprinkler system, but there are two different options available - swivel and solid.

The solid Dura manifold has less connections so there are fewer opportunities for leaking. If you have troubles with the manifold though, you need to replace the whole thing.

The swivel Dura manifold has more connections so there are more opportunities for leaks, but if you run into troubles down the road, you only need to replace one zone on the manifold.

Dura vs. PVC Irrigation Manifolds

We use Dura manifolds instead of plain old PVC manifolds because:

• Dura manifolds take less time to put together
• Dura manifolds can be put together hand tight (no pipe wrenches required)
• No teflon tape required (rubber o-rings make the seal)
• Dura manifolds have thicker wall construction than schedule 40 PVC
• Dura manifolds are easier to repair and replace with their swivel construction

Wall Mounted vs. Underground Manual Sprinkler Valves

Some people prefer their manual manifolds on the wall, some prefer them in a box. In this video a spout off some of the pros and cons to doing it both ways. Essentially it comes down to this:

Wall Mounted:

Pros: Convenient to turn valves on and off, more cost effective
Cons: More prone to freezing, can be an eye-sore hanging off the side of your house

Valve Box:

Pros: Neater look, valves more protected from the elements (won't freeze as quick)
Cons: Have to get on your knees to turn the valves on and off

2009 Sprinkler Blowouts

The video above is from last year, but the same offer applies this year. If you're in the Regina area, simply book your sprinkler blowout online and we'll be out the next business day to get your sprinklers blown out for you (we'll follow up with an email after you order to confirm).

We'll also be throwing in a coupon from The Diplomat Steakhouse for $20 off your next meal when you purchase two entrees and two beverages.

It's a win-win!

Troubleshooting Leaking RainBird 5000 Sprinkler Heads

In this video, we talk about a common problem after installation with leaking RainBird 5000 heads and how to fix it. More often than not, the cause of a leaky sprinkler head immediately after installation has to do with dirt, rocks, pebbles, or other debris making it's way into the sprinkler lines and into the heads as well.

Giving everything a flush and good cleaning usually is the easiest fix.

Troubleshooting Orbit Automatic Valves

Automatic sprinkler valves that won't shut completely? Try taking them apart and cleaning them out.

As Sean Stefan of Sprinkler Daddy (http://www.SprinklerDaddy.ca) shows in this video with an Orbit Automatic Sprinkler Valve, sometimes dirt, pebbles, or rocks can get into the valve and prevent it from closing. Your first option with a disfunctional valve should almost always be to clean it up first before you replace the entire valve.

Drip Irrigation Tip - Dig a Moat Around Shrubs

Here's a quick tip about drip irrigation to help promote better root growth in your plants. Special thanks to my wife for modelling this one!

Want your drip irrigation system to get water to all sides of your shrubs? Dig a small moat around the shrub so the water can flow around.

Make-shift Drip Irrigation Project-Pt 9- ECCO Chips Mulch

ECCO Chips mulch is now spread throughout the shrub beds to cover over top of the drip irrigation lines. The ECCO Chips come in a variety of colours and are available for sale in the Regina area.

Adding mulch to your beds, esspecially in beds where you have drip irrigation has a number of benefits:

1. It makes the bed more aesthetically pleasing to look at by adding colour and covering up the drip irrigation lines.
2. The mulch helps hold the moisture in longer, which means that your watering will be more effective.
3. If you apply the proper level of mulch, it will block sunlight from getting to the weeds, keeping them down (for the most part).

Make-shift Drip Irrigation Project-Pt 8- Finished! (almost)

We're finished with the irrigation aspect of our Make-shift Drip Irrigation Project. Now all that's left is to do is put the ECCO Chips mulch over top.

Make-shift Drip Irrigation Project-Pt 7- Installing Emitters

Sean Stefan of Sprinkler Daddy walks you through the process of installing individual drip emitters to the supply line using a 1/4" coupler, 1/4" tubing, a drip emitter, and a tubing stake.

To find all these parts, just click over to http://www.SprinklerDaddy.ca/drip.html

Makeshift Drip Project Part 6 - Plugging the Drip Line

We're finished running the pipe through the shrub bed and now we're going to plug the drip irrigation line with our lawn service plug that makes it easier to blow out the line in the fall.

To check out some of the products used in our drip irrigation project, head over to http://www.SprinklerDaddy.ca/drip.html.

Make-shift Drip Irrigation Project -Pt 5- Laying Pipe

Check out how we run the pipe for our drip irrigation line. Notice how we get the pipe around the front step and into the second flower bed.

Makeshift Drip Project Part 4 - Installing the Temporary Pressure Regulator

In this video we install the pressure regulator temporarily to the outside tap until we have time to install the entire manifold system with automatic valves.

Special guest appearance at the end of the video by our beagle Finn.

Makeshift Drip Project Part 3 - Assembing the Pressure Regulator & Drip Plug

Assembling the pressure regulator unit and drip line plug for our makeshift drip irrigation project.

To find the parts you need to complete your own drip irrigation project, head over to http://www.sprinklerdaddy.ca/drip.html

Makeshift Drip Project Part 2 - The Before Shots

Here's part 2 of our make-shift drip irrigation project where I walk through the before picture and outline the project.

In this video you can see a little bit more about what I touch on in the first video about having to get the drip line into two separate beds.

Makeshift Drip Project Part 1 - Choosing The Parts

We've been so busy taking care of our customer's yards that we haven't had a chance to get a sprinkler system into our own home yet. Nowadays, it seems as though sprinkler systems are a must have for all new homeowners, but sadly in the 70's when our house was built, that wasn't the case.

Our place has an overhanging roof that covers our front shrub beds, which means that currently our shrubs only get water when we haul out the hose. The rain doesn't help us out at all. So we finally got sick of it and put in a makeshift drip line to water all of our shrubs.

I call it a makeshift drip line because I don't have time to do the whole system right now, but I wanted to get the shrubs looked after. So for now we'll just be running the drip line off of our tap.

And of course I took some video of the project so that you can see what I do and hopefully come up with your own ideas for your own drip irrigation system.

Here's part one where I pick out all the parts I need at our warehouse:

Parts mentioned in this video can be found in the drip irrigation section of the Sprinkler Daddy Sprinkler Store.

And don't forget to check out the ECCO Chips mulch product too!

Regina Extreme Home Makeover

Sprinkler Daddy is proud to be a sponsor of a great event happening in Regina this summer - The Regina Extreme Home Makeover.



The idea isn't to completely demolish and create an extravagant new home, but instead help a deserving family get back on their feet by making practical upgrades to their existing home.

You can get event details here and take a look at all the companies sponsoring the event here.

If you know of a deserving family in Regina that you'd like to nominate, you can find an application here.

Look for more to come on this project as we'll try to keep you updated with the project.

Orbit Misting Flower Decorative Garden Accessory (50% off)

At Sprinkler Daddy we've just brought in a cool new watering accessory for your flower and shrub beds.

Versatility and charm team up in this enchanting drip irrigation product. Made from copper, this misting flower will endure the elements, add a distinct flavor to your garden and gently water your flowers.

- Ideal in flower beds and container plants
- Solid copper construction will age to a beautiful patina
- Fine misting nozzle is fully adjustable for precise watering
- Includes tubing and a hose/faucet connection

Regular Price: $19.99

Sprinkler Daddy Sale Price: $9.99

Just head over to the Sprinkler Daddy Sprinkler Store to learn more about this misting flower from Orbit.

We'll ship anywhere in Canada and the Continental United States with shipping rates as low as $9 (or choose free delivery if you're in the Regina area).

How To Get a Green Lawn (Howcast Video)

Howcast is a great how-to video site that I find tons of helpful videos about a variety of different topics. I thought this video had some really good tips for growing a green lawn.

You don't realize how important sharp lawnmower blades are for a healthy lawn. Having a soil test done and watering your lawn early in the morning were also good tips in the video.

Have a watch and let me know what you think.

Testimonial From Sprinkler Daddy's First Ever Customer

Mike Morrison was our first ever customer at Sprinkler Daddy and he was kind enough to send us this testimonial about his experience with us last season:

My Personal Experience with Sprinkler Daddy.......

I wanted to install a sprinkler system in my yard but needed help with the design, and installation instructions. I found Sprinkler Daddy online, and they helped greatly in both of these areas. They got the design for my yard done in a timely manner, and I was presented with a very reasonable quote. Within the quote there were options to upgrade the parts at an extra cost, or cut costs in a variety of ways. The quote was very reasonable compared to other websites I had seen. All materials were sent to my house within a week of an agreement, and I was able to start the installation immediately. Sprinkler Daddy has a number of Youtube videos on the web which served as an excellent guide to installing the various components of the system. Throughout the entire process, I had excellent communication with Sean Stefan from Sprinkler Daddy. Whenever I had any questions or concerns, Sean made time to help me out. I was very impressed with Sprinkler Daddy, and would recommend them to anyone who wishes to install their own sprinkler system.

Mike Morrison...................Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Thanks a bunch Mike!

Visit us at the Regina Spring Home Show!

Stop by to see us at the Regina Spring Home and Garden Show! The show starts today, Thursday, March 26 and runs through to Sunday, March 29 at Evraz Place. Our booth is #837 in the Winter Fair Building just through the hall from the Landscape Display area.

If you have any questions about installing your own sprinkler system this summer we'd be happy to have a chat with you.

While you're there, check out some of the landscape supplies we'll be carrying this year too, including ECCO Chips (an environmentally friendly mulch product), bark mulch, bark nuggets, landscape edging, and two different kinds of landscape fabric (professional grade and spun bound).

We also have our drain boxes for sale at the Regina Spring Home Show at a show special price of $25. You'll never have to look at that exposed weeping tile again!

Here's a few pictures from the booth setup:

Papp Signs Testimonial

Big thanks to Papp Signs in Regina, SK for doing a great job putting together our Sprinkler Daddy display sign for us to use at the Regina Spring Home Show from March 26-29 at Evraz Place!

Sprinkler Control Timer Options

I put this video together talking about the different options available when you're selecting a control timer for your automatic sprinkler system.

They are:

• Indoor Control Timer
• Outdoor Control Timer
• Indoor Control Timer Mounted Outside in a Cabinet