Drip Irrigation Tips

Professional Drip Irrigation Tips

Hot Water for ¼” Tubing:

A trick among drip irrigation professionals is to briefly insert the end of a piece of ¼” micro tubing into a cup of hot water before attempting to push ¼” micro fittings into the tubing. As a side note lubricants should never be used on drip irrigation tubing. This tip will make installing your drip system easier, faster and more enjoyable.

Place ½” Tubing in the Sun:

Many drip irrigation installation experts place their roll of ½” tubing in the sun prior to installation. Placing your roll of ½” poly tubing in the sun before installation it allows the tubing to “warm up” and become more flexible which makes installation a snap.

Punching Holes in ½” Tubing:

A little known but valuable tip is to try to punch holes in your ½” poly tubing when it is cold. Punching holes in ½” tubing when it is warm can be a challenge and frustrating. If possible, try to punch holes in your 1/2” tubing in the morning before the sun warms the tubing too much.

Determine your Soil Type:

The majority of drip irrigation installation experts agree that before installing any drip irrigation system a person should find out what kind of soil they have. Soil type greatly influences how water penetrates and travels to your plants roots. There are 3 soil types: Clay, Loam and Sand. Clay soils are tightly packed and water does not penetrate quickly into the soil. The result being water accumulating on the surface near the plant and never reaching a plants roots. Sandy soil experiences the quickest water penetration rate. A slow drip emitter may be ideal for plants found in a clay soil, however, that same dripper may be a poor choice for plants found in sandy soil.

Cutting ½” Tubing:

Don't be fooled into buying a special tool to cut ½” poly tubing. Drip Irrigation installation experts simply use household scissors to cut their tubing.

Don't Over Tighten:

Many drip irrigation installation professionals note that a common mistake made by first time drip irrigation installers is to over tighten pressure regulators, back flow preventors and other faucet assembly parts. Over tightening these products can actually damage the products and cause them to leak. All parts in a drip irrigation system should only be hand tightened.

Winterizing your System:

Winterizing a drip irrigation is easy! All of our drip irrigation parts are made of extremely durable plastic which can withstand freezing temperatures, as long as, all the water is removed from the system. Drip Irrigation experts install a threaded end cap at a low point in their system which allows all the water to be drained out of their system easily. Once the water is drained out you simply screw the cap back on and your ready for the winter.

Control Your Water:

A great way to manage the water flow in your drip system is by using a shut off valve. Drip Depot shut off valves come in two sizes, 1/4" and 1/2". Drip irrigation professionals use shut off valves in two ways. First, the valve can be installed inline which allows water flow to be adjusted based on your watering needs. Secondly, the 1/4" valves can be used as a drip emitter. This allows the amount of water to an individual plant to be adjusted or shut of completely depending on your watering needs.

Fixing Holes in your System:

Holes in ½” tubing happen. Fortunately, drip irrigation experts have found a way to repair holes in ½” poly tubing without having to replace the whole system. A perma loc ½” hose coupler can be used to eliminate the hole. Experts simply cut out the damaged part of the ½” poly tubing and then insert the two “fresh” ends into the perma loc coupler and tighten. This is both a quick and cheap way to repair your drip irrigation system.

Reuse you ½” Fittings:

Drip Depot Perma Loc ½” fittings are unique in that they can be reused an unlimited number of times as opposed to compression fittings that can only be used one time. Our Perma Loc ½” fittings have become popular among drip irrigation professionals because of this reason. Drip irrigation systems can change from year to year and Perma Loc fittings allow you the flexibility to do so while saving you money.

Insert Goof Plugs Easy:

A well kept secret among drip irrigation installation professionals is how to install goof plugs easily. Anyone that has tried to insert a small goof plug into ¼” micro tubing will appreciate this tip. Try using a pair of needle nose pliers to grip the opposite end of the goof plug that you wish to insert into the micro tubing. The added leverage of the pliers will make this task a breeze.

Install a Timer:

Drip Irrigation experts recognize that in order to reap the maximum benefits from a drip irrigation system a timer is a must. Timers allow water schedules to be set and carried out without worry day after day. Drip systems are efficient without a timer, however, an addition of a timer to your drip system will save you more time and more money.

Clean Your Filter:

Drip irrigation professionals note that regularly cleaning the filter in a drip system can help keep your system running at full efficiency. Filters are important pieces of any drip system. A filter is crucial in keeping debris out of your system that could clog the small openings on most drip emitters. By routinely cleaning the screen in your filter you can prevent clogs that effect your systems efficiency and your plants health.