Adding a water feature to your home can be both beautiful and aesthetically pleasing to the ears. However, the incidental splashing of a fountain can cause damage to your home or pump and a mal-function can occur. So how do you prevent your fountain from splashing?
To prevent in indoor fountain from splashing, you have to adjust the pump or fountain so that the stream of water flows smoothly through the piping and doesn’t splash outwards. The speed of the water is what usually makes it splash. This will prevent possible damage to both your home and fountain.
There are more reasons as to why your water is splashing around in your feature. So what are some ways to adjust your fountain and/or pump to avoid the splash?
Verification that the Fountain is Level
Splashing may actually be an indication that the fountain has been placed on an unbalanced or uneven surface. To ensure that the fountain is perfectly balanced, you can use a level device that shows a bubble inside of it. When balanced or level, the bubble should be placed in the center or middle of the level device.
Try to find a new placement, or to level the surface underneath the indoor fountain. This will help to at least slow, if not prevent any further splashing.
What is the Water Level Like
Verifying the water level is a key part in the prevention of the splashing of your water fountain. If the water level is too low, it will cause a greater splash to occur, which will cause damage to any surrounding area that has not, or has yet to be, carefully waterproofed.
To verify the level of the water, turn off the water fountain and gage how far down from the top of the fountain edges it is. It should be at least one and a half inches away from the top edges of the fountain.
Placing a Screen in the Bottom of the Fountain
Having a screen is vital in limiting the return flow of the water, especially in any indoor fountains with a waterfall feature. The screen should be placed in the center of the bottom of the indoor fountain. By limiting the return flow, the added splashing will be effectively prevented.
Controlling the Force of the Fountain
Ensure that your fountain has been turned off before examining the pump of your fountain. Determine what sort of pump that you have, and feel for its control dial to begin adjusting the force of the fountain.
Once you have sufficiently adjusted or turned the dial, you may turn the fountain back on. Verify if any splashing has occurred and repeat until the splashing stops completely.
Smooth Rocks or Other Decorative Items to Prevent a Splash
Thicker decorations and objects, according to their placement, can prevent splashing as well. If splashing is still occurring, then it may be necessary to rearrange your rocks and decorations, or to add more until the splashing ceases.
Warning: Rocks and other decorations often take up space within the fountain, leaving less space for water. If you use too many rocks or decorations, it can leave you with little water left for the fountain to function properly.
Making a Splash Guard to Protect from Damages
A possible option for protection, in the case that splashing is still occurring, is to make a splash guard to catch the excess water. You can place the guards around the fountain within the splash range. Materials such as slate should work perfectly in catching the water without receiving any possible water damages.
Switching to a Smaller Pump and Reducing the Piping
If the water fountain pump is too large, then it will have an increased water flow. If the water flow is too strong, then splashing will definitely begin to occur. To fix the problem, you can easily replace the water pump with a smaller one.
A smaller pump should be capable of decreasing the flow and pressure of the water as it moves through the fountain as it has less space to move the water through.
Another problem that can be fixed is the piping of the water fountain. Adjusting the piping to a smaller size or even extending the length of the piping will help to decrease splashing.
Increasing the length of the piping increases friction, which decreases the pressure and water flow. This, in turn, decreases the amount of splashing that may occur.
Fishline Leader Strings
The water will cling inwards towards the fishline as it moves. So threading the fishline throughout the piping and structure of the fountain should improve the flow of the water and decrease the chance of any splashing that may occur.
Keep the Kids Away
A common accident is that kids or other people may mess with or splash around in our beloved water features. So, as you finish adjusting and repairing any damages done to your water fountain. Look into safe guards to prevent further outside intervention.
Tip: keep yourself and others out of the fountain water.
(Source: How can I control splashing from my fountain? | Yahoo Answers)
Waterproof the Surrounding Area
If the splashing isn’t as much of a concern to you as much as the damage being caused by it, then you can treat and waterproof the area around the water fountain.
In this way, you will be able to keep the natural look of your water fountain without having to worry about adjusting consistently for the change in water levels and other issues which cause splashing to occur.
Turn Your Water Feature into a Snow Globe
A fun way to brighten up the space while prevent splashing, is to add a stylish glass dome over the top of your water feature. The glass will protect the surrounding area from the splashing and you can still see the feature clearly without any outside distractions.
Having a glass dome will prevent any outside intervention while providing a fun and playful aspect to the common household fountain. Having the snow globe affect of the glass dome will add to the uniqueness of your feature, while simultaneously solving your unsolvable issue of splashing.
Fun tip: Add glitter to get you water feature truly glowing.
For your information: Having a glass dome will also diminish the noise of an indoor water fountain.
Aesthetically Pleasing Plants
Adding plants that require water as a source of life, the water that splashes can be collected. Carefully place the plants around the surrounding area or ‘splash zone’ of the indoor water fountain.
Warning: This will only be able to partially prevent splashing. Though moderately effective, water damage could still occur on occasion. If water damage is a concern, then it is better to use another option of prevention.
For your information: The plants will, however, be able to muffle the noise of the splashing more.
What to be Aware of and What to Avoid
- You should be aware that any fountain that you use will have the possibility of leaking, spilling, or splashing water. From the beginning, it is vital that you place your indoor water fountain on a surface that you don’t mind getting water, or possible water damage, on.
- Avoid placing too many various decorative objects in the décor of your indoor water fountain, as these objects take up space and can increase the water level. Increased water level can increase splashing as well.
- Using any sort of netting or screen can cause too much deduction in water flow. Especially if said screen or netting gets clogged up by dirt, dust, or debris.
- Adding a glass dome can make it more difficult to be able to clean out your water fountain every now and then.
- When resizing your pump or replacing it, look for a someone who can help you with professional expertise. If the water pump is too small, the fountain won’t be able to function properly and there may not be any water flow anymore.
- Having too many plants can block the view of your indoor water fountain. This, in a way, can make your fountain become less aesthetically pleasing. Especially if the surrounding area is cluttered with too many plants.
- Reducing the piping to a diameter that is too small can also prevent water flow from occurring properly. Be sure to also have a professional size the piping properly.
- When making a splash guard, be aware that it may not be aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It will be a randomly placed object to catch the splashing. With a little bit of creativity, you can adjust the splash guard in a semi-aesthetically pleasing way. However, it may simply ruin the design that you are going for.
- In ensuring that the water level is too high, you could cause the water level to be too low. Having a water level that is too low could cause the fountain to cease its function and have no water flow at all. If the water level does become too low, then just add water so that the fountain flows again.
(Source: How to Set Up a Bamboo Water Fountain in a Flower Bed (sfgate.com))
