Setting Up a Patio Misting System

An outdoor mist cooling system is a great way to enjoy the outdoors in the hot weather. Water mist systems can drop outside temperatures by up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit so you can more fully enjoy the hot summer sun. First, you need to determine how much area coverage you want for your misting system. This will help you decide how much mist tubing or PVC pipe you need. To get these dimensions, measure all open sides of your gazebo, deck or patio. With these measurements, you can determine how many nozzles you need. Misting nozzles should be spaced every 2 feet. If you have 40 feet of area to mist, you will need 20 mist nozzles.

Next, you need to measure how much feed tubing you need. To do this, measure from your garden hose faucet to where you will be placing your first nozzle. The first misting nozzle should be placed at least 2 feet from your house or patio cover.

You can attach your misting tube or PVC pipe using mounting clamps or tubing anchors. If your patio or deck has corners, you can use tube or pipe fittings so there will be less strain on the water mist line. With nozzles spaced 2 feet apart, you can connect your mist line to a garden hose spigot. If your patio cover or roof is quite high, you may want to consider installing nozzle extensions to lower the height of your misting nozzles. If desired, you can also connect an automatic timer to your hose faucet to regulate misting times, intervals and durations.
Place an end plug or drain valve in the misting line end that is not connected to your water hose faucet. If there are certain areas of your patio that do not always need mist cooling, you can plug the nozzles and remove the nozzle plugs when you need those areas to be misted.
Another important part of having an outdoor cooling system is the maintenance. Be sure to keep nozzle cleaner close at hand to remove hard water and mineral build-up so the nozzles do not clog. Keep a few extra mist nozzles on hand just in case a few get damaged or stop working from normal wear and tear. It is also a good idea to have some extra nozzle extensions (if needed) and mounting clamps on hand.
Enjoy your own outdoor oasis that you created with a misting system. Have a family party or neighborhood barbecue so everyone else can enjoy it too.