All parts in a drip irrigation system should only be hand tightened, and teflon tape or glues should not be used. Over tightening these products can actually damage the products and cause them to leak. Loamy soil falls in between these two in regards to water penetration rate, so a drip rate of 1 gph would work well.Ĭutting Tubing: Don't be fooled into buying a special tool to cut poly tubing, which can easily be cut using household scissors.ĭon'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, backflow preventers and other faucet assembly parts. Sandy soil experiences the quickest water penetration rate, so a drip emitter with a faster flow rate, like 2 gph, would be recommended. 5 gallons per hour (gph), are ideal for this soil type to prevent water from accumulating on the surface. Drip emitters with slower drip rates, like. Clay soils are tightly packed and water does not penetrate quickly into the soil. There are 3 soil types: Clay, Loam and Sand. Soil type greatly influences how water penetrates and travels to your plants' roots. Know your Soil Type: Most drip irrigation installation experts agree that before installing any drip irrigation system a person should identify what type of soil they have.
Punching holes in tubing when it is warm can be a challenge and frustrating. Punching Holes in Tubing: A little known but valuable tip is to punch holes in your poly tubing when it is cold, like in the morning before the sun warms the tubing too much. Place Tubing in the Sun: Many drip irrigation installation experts place their roll of tubing in the sun prior to installation, which allows the tubing to warm up and become more flexible. As a side note, lubricants should never be used on drip irrigation tubing. Hot Water for Tubing: A trick among drip irrigation professionals is to briefly insert the end of a piece of tubing into a cup of hot water before attempting to connect fittings to the tubing. Weve compiled some tips from installation professionals provided especially for those weekend warriors to help with the DIY installation process of a standard drip irrigation system. Most systems, in fact, can be installed quickly with no tools necessary other than a standard household pair of scissors. Drip Depot proudly sells products from these quality irrigation manufacturersĪs drip irrigation systems become more user-friendly, more individuals are successfully designing and installing systems themselves and saving the expense of hiring irrigation professionals to accomplish these tasks.