[LuckyS]

This product looks like a good alternative to sprinkler donuts, anyone try them yet?

Best Sprinkler Head Protector - GRASSHOLE

[retiredguy123]

It looks like a waste of money to me. Why spend 6 to 8 dollars to protect a 2 dollar sprinkler head? Concrete donuts don't offer much protection either.

[jrref]

I just installed them. So far, so good. My hope is due to the design, the grass will not grow into and around the sprinkler head so I will have less maintenance. Also, I don't think this device will sink over time as much as the concrete donuts due to it's larger top flange. I agree, they are not cheap but if they work it will be worth the cost of replacing the concrete donuts.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by LuckyS

This product looks like a good alternative to sprinkler donuts, anyone try them yet?

Best Sprinkler Head Protector - GRASSHOLE

IMO most sprinkler head damage due to sprinkler height not at correct level. Too high get damaged too low water spray pattern effected. The main line has to be correct depth for the head to work properly. If not have adjust height appropriate coupling or different height head.

If head above their product has chance damage. Same would be for concrete donuts.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

It looks like a waste of money to me. Why spend 6 to 8 dollars to protect a 2 dollar sprinkler head? Concrete donuts don't offer much protection either.

2 dollars few years ago $4 bucks or more today?

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

2 dollars few years ago $4 bucks or more today?

The regular Hunter nozzles are $1.76 each at sprinklerwarehouse.com. They are now on-sale for $0.86.

[villagetinker]

I guess I am missing something, I placed around 40 concrete donuts around the sprinklers around 10 years ago. Three were cracked by either the lawn mower or the landscaping trucks, I have never cleaned out the center and the sprinklers work just fine. I have had 2 sprinkler heads damaged when the concrete donuts were damaged. I replaced the damaged heads (ACE hardware was very helpful) and then the concrete donut.

[fdpaq0580]

Down spout pop-ups, with the pop-up cap removed. Sounds good in theory, but will likely fill with debris like any hole. You will still have to keep them clean. Jmho.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

I guess I am missing something, I placed around 40 concrete donuts around the sprinklers around 10 years ago. Three were cracked by either the lawn mower or the landscaping trucks, I have never cleaned out the center and the sprinklers work just fine. I have had 2 sprinkler heads damaged when the concrete donuts were damaged. I replaced the damaged heads (ACE hardware was very helpful) and then the concrete donut.

You're good. In some softer soil the heavy riding mowers will push the donuts into the ground, exposing the sprinkler heads to damage.
ACE is the helpful place. My choice for most hardware needs.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

The regular Hunter nozzles are $1.76 each at sprinklerwarehouse.com. They are now on-sale for $0.86.

Gotta add shipping

[thelegges]

Our first 3 house we used concrete donuts. They sometimes cracked and had to be replaced.

Two years ago Amazon had Grasshole on Black Friday then Prime day sale set of 10 came to $3.95 each basically had 4 months to return. Last donuts were $5 installed (or buy $3.50 self installed) and within 3 months had to start clearing out grass, that either grew under or over.

Not only does Augustine grass have a difficult time growing inside. They have held up to landscaper equipment. Easy to trim for odd places. I used a bulb planter to install, took about 2 minutes per. So little maintenance compared to regular donuts.

[thelegges]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

Down spout pop-ups, with the pop-up cap removed. Sounds good in theory, but will likely fill with debris like any hole. You will still have to keep them clean. Jmho.

Actually you add pea gravel inside keeps sprinklers in place, sand out and on downhill sprinklers water doesn’t sit in them. In two years I haven’t had to clean anything

[jrref]

Originally Posted by thelegges

Actually you add pea gravel inside keeps sprinklers in place, sand out and on downhill sprinklers water doesn’t sit in them. In two years I haven’t had to clean anything

Good to hear. I was hoping this would be the case based on the design.

What always makes me chuckle is when talking about any maintenance item, everyone always goes to the cheapest solution whether it works or not. Our irrigation systems are one of the high maintenance items here in the Villages mainly due to the terrible pond water used in the newer areas. I've seen this pond water clog up the irrigation valves causing the valve not to turn on or not shut off or stay open slightly causing a high water bill. I've seen my neighbors going to 30-40 sprinkler heads and cleaning the filter only for those filters to clog up a day later. All this said, I've installed an irrigation filter, these Grassholes. I've updated all my sprinkler heads, installed a Rachio controller and even installed some sprinkler bodies with the check valve in them to prevent all the water draing to the lowest head to save water. Yes, I've measured several gallons of water waste every time I've watered. For $3.15 per body one time expense, that's water savings. Did I spend a couple hundred dollars making all these improvements? Yes but have you seen how much these irrigation guys charge to do simple fixes? Now I just get a beer and watch my neighbors endlessly fool with their systems or watch the expressions on my neighbors faces when they get the bill from the irrigation repair guy.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by jrref

Good to hear. I was hoping this would be the case based on the design.

What always makes me chuckle is when talking about any maintenance item, everyone always goes to the cheapest solution whether it works or not. Our irrigation systems are one of the high maintenance items here in the Villages mainly due to the terrible pond water used in the newer areas. I've seen this pond water clog up the irrigation valves causing the valve not to turn on or not shut off or stay open slightly causing a high water bill. I've seen my neighbors going to 30-40 sprinkler heads and cleaning the filter only for those filters to clog up a day later. All this said, I've installed an irrigation filter, these Grassholes. I've updated all my sprinkler heads, installed a Rachio controller and even installed some sprinkler bodies with the check valve in them to prevent all the water draing to the lowest head to save water. Yes, I've measured several gallons of water waste every time I've watered. For $3.15 per body one time expense, that's water savings. Did I spend a couple hundred dollars making all these improvements? Yes but have you seen how much these irrigation guys charge to do simple fixes? Now I just get a beer and watch my neighbors endlessly fool with their systems or watch the expressions on my neighbors faces when they get the bill from the irrigation repair guy.

One way to reduce the time it takes to clean the plastic filters on sprinkler nozzles is to just throw the filters away. They are useless. Why do you need a filter to protect a 2 dollar nozzle?

[jrref]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

One way to reduce the time it takes to clean the plastic filters on sprinkler nozzles is to just throw the filters away. They are useless. Why do you need a filter to protect a 2 dollar nozzle?

Because when we don't get rain and the pond water gets very dirty, you can clean or change all the filters and the next time the system runs they are all clogged again. We had this problem recently and it lasted about a month when we didn't get rain for a long time.