Spray lawn sprinkler heads are designed to shoot large amounts of water over a 5 to15-foot radius in a relatively short period of time. This “high application rate” is favored for small, flat lawns and shrubs where some precision irrigation is needed.

The standard spray head nozzles deliver a fan-shaped pattern of water, but optional interchangeable nozzles are available in several patterns including those that spray water in a full circle, half circle or quarter circle. And since they function at between 20 and 30 pounds per square inch (psi), they use less water pressure than the 70-psi rotor sprinklers require.



Rotor lawn sprinkler heads are favored for larger lawn areas and slopes since their higher pressure operation can send water sprays up to 50 feet. That long reach means you will need fewer rotor heads than spray sprinkler heads for the same area. Rotor lawn sprinkler heads are more uniform in the way they deliver water and, like spray heads, come with a variety of nozzles for altering the spray patterns.

Because rotor sprinkler heads cover larger distances they actually water an area slower, which makes them ideal for areas like clay soil that require good drainage. But if your water pressure is less than 40-psi, a rotor sprinkler head will not work as designed.



Both spray and rotor-type sprinkler heads can be installed as “pop-up” sprinklers. Rather than permanently mounted on an irrigation pipe above the lawn, a pop-up sprinkler is installed flush with the ground. When water reaches these sprinklers, the water pressure forces them above ground. That water pressure also engages a gear that rotates the nozzle. Like other sprinkler heads, pop-up sprinklers come with a variety of nozzles with a range of delivery patterns.



If you have pets, or rural wildlife, that you would rather not have visiting your lawn, a “scarecrow” sprinkler might be something to consider. These above ground units include a motion-activated sprinkler that can detect and spray unwanted visitors within a 1,000-square foot area day or night.