How Deep Are My Pipes?

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Old 05-01-2022, 07:44 AM
Gladys Turnip Gladys Turnip is offline
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Smile How Deep Are My Pipes?

I have a sprinkler system in the new (south) section of The Villages. I have cement donuts protecting the sprinkler heads. I just bought a trimmer to trim around the cement donuts (this trimmer tool is circular, has teeth, and is hand-driven).

My question is, How deep in the ground are the pipes of the sprinkler system? I ask because the trimmer is fairly deep; could be inserted into the ground up to 3.5 inches, and of course I do not want to damage the pipes that feed the sprinkler heads..

Anybody know? Thanks!
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Old 05-01-2022, 08:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Gladys Turnip View Post
I have a sprinkler system in the new (south) section of The Villages. I have cement donuts protecting the sprinkler heads. I just bought a trimmer to trim around the cement donuts (this trimmer tool is circular, has teeth, and is hand-driven).

My question is, How deep in the ground are the pipes of the sprinkler system? I ask because the trimmer is fairly deep; could be inserted into the ground up to 3.5 inches, and of course I do not want to damage the pipes that feed the sprinkler heads..

Anybody know? Thanks!
Typically the supply lines are 6” deep. This may vary slightly. If you’re using a circular donut cutter tool you’ll be fine.
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Old 05-01-2022, 08:22 AM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
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Note that you may find that, in about a year or so, the concrete donuts and the sprinkler heads will sink into the ground a few inches. You may even need to have the sprinklers raised by adding extension pipes to them. I thought someone had stolen my donuts, but they had just sunk down into the soil.
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Old 05-01-2022, 08:32 AM
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Note that you may find that, in about a year or so, the concrete donuts and the sprinkler heads will sink into the ground a few inches. You may even need to have the sprinklers raised by adding extension pipes to them. I thought someone had stolen my donuts, but they had just sunk down into the soil.
the grass grows covering them up.
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Old 05-01-2022, 08:37 AM
Michigan Farmer Michigan Farmer is offline
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water lines attach to the bottom of a 4" pop up sprinkler head.
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Old 05-01-2022, 08:50 AM
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Most (not all) pop ups are 4”, add female adapter 1”, male pipe 1” , 1” elbow on irrigation line about 7” total. But, not always I have two 2” pop ups, add the adapters 2”, add the elbow on irrigation line another 1” or so for about 5” total.

You’re hand crank cutter/trimmer shouldn’t be cutting down over 3”, measure the depth of cut So that way you know how deep it can cut. I see no reason to cut more the 2 to 2 1/2 “ deep?

IMO they sink due to rider mowers running over them with soggy soil. IMo when they sink it exposed the pop-up head and that’s why they sometimes get broke.

Last edited by Topspinmo; 05-01-2022 at 05:09 PM.
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Old 05-01-2022, 01:37 PM
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Ours are down about 12 inches, I know as i have dug these up for repairs a few times over the years.
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Old 05-01-2022, 02:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gladys Turnip View Post
I have a sprinkler system in the new (south) section of The Villages. I have cement donuts protecting the sprinkler heads. I just bought a trimmer to trim around the cement donuts (this trimmer tool is circular, has teeth, and is hand-driven).

My question is, How deep in the ground are the pipes of the sprinkler system? I ask because the trimmer is fairly deep; could be inserted into the ground up to 3.5 inches, and of course I do not want to damage the pipes that feed the sprinkler heads..

Anybody know? Thanks!
Probably wise to ask. Best problems are the ones that do not happen. It is not unusual for the level to change. People add soil. The mower guys run heavy riding mowers over them. Rain etc etc etc. That tool. The doughnut is not sitting on the pipe. . That hand tool is essentially a trimmer, No need to go down deep with it. If, you hit something stop and see what it is.

Interesting perhaps. I found a broken lower jaw bone. From a large dog or perhaps a wolf.
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Old 05-01-2022, 04:08 PM
MartinSE MartinSE is offline
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Sorry, to not be on topic, but I have had an "How Deep is Your love?" (Bee Gees) ear worm all day since you posted this - LOL!
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Old 05-01-2022, 04:37 PM
thevillages2013 thevillages2013 is offline
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Sorry, to not be on topic, but I have had an "How Deep is Your love?" (Bee Gees) ear worm all day since you posted this - LOL!
‘Cause we’re living in a world of fools, breaking us down , when they all should let us be
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Old 05-01-2022, 04:41 PM
thevillages2013 thevillages2013 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gladys Turnip View Post
I have a sprinkler system in the new (south) section of The Villages. I have cement donuts protecting the sprinkler heads. I just bought a trimmer to trim around the cement donuts (this trimmer tool is circular, has teeth, and is hand-driven).

My question is, How deep in the ground are the pipes of the sprinkler system? I ask because the trimmer is fairly deep; could be inserted into the ground up to 3.5 inches, and of course I do not want to damage the pipes that feed the sprinkler heads..

Anybody know? Thanks!
RELAX! Unless you are a descendant of Superman you will never drive that sucker in the ground enough to damage anything
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Old 05-01-2022, 05:01 PM
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I live south of 44 and have raised hour heads, the horizontal piping is over 6" deep, I would say closer to 8". However, they were not all installed by the same person.
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Old 05-02-2022, 05:39 AM
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Mortal....that's why he bought a donut cutter. It keeps the heads clean from debris and grass
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Old 05-02-2022, 06:45 AM
midiwiz midiwiz is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gladys Turnip View Post
I have a sprinkler system in the new (south) section of The Villages. I have cement donuts protecting the sprinkler heads. I just bought a trimmer to trim around the cement donuts (this trimmer tool is circular, has teeth, and is hand-driven).

My question is, How deep in the ground are the pipes of the sprinkler system? I ask because the trimmer is fairly deep; could be inserted into the ground up to 3.5 inches, and of course I do not want to damage the pipes that feed the sprinkler heads..

Anybody know? Thanks!

best advice I can give you after 15 yrs dealing with them is -

you really only needed a weed whacker to keep them available. However the device you have won't get anywhere close to the pipes. What will cause you anguish are lawn companies that use riding mowers. They WILL run over the sprinkler head, donut or not, and that will break your system. typically the horizontal pipe near the 90 degree under the head.

Something that you will find over the years is that your grass will "root up" which means that over time due to the type of maintenance vendors recommend. keeping the lawn at 3 inches (augustine) and 2 1/2 (zoysia) is part of the key. Airation isn't a help, using a tine thatcher is a huge help every other year. also the practice of short cutting every winter doesn't help in either type of turf. It took me 12 lawn companies to finally get the answer some years ago, I've been following it ever since and nothing gets buried and I get jealous neighbors LOL ....

also one other point - fix your own sprinklers it's real easy and always use flex pipe where you can. I never do it at the head, but I will before it on both sides about 6 inches away but now these yards are so small I cut it myself with a ryobi battery mower.
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Old 05-02-2022, 07:28 AM
MrFlorida MrFlorida is offline
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Mine are down 12 inches, dug up a few over the years, yours may vary....
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