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- Drip Irrigation -
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Kits 
Checkout | Design Menu: | Overview | Getting Started | Basic Components | System Map | FAQ | Glossary | Design Form |
This FAQ answers some of the questions you may have about setting up a drip system for your
home garden and landscape.
You can also call us at (800) 522-DRIP (3747)
Questions
- I want to install a drip system but where do I start?
- What's my water flow?
- Can I design a drip system without knowing my flow?
- What's my pressure?
- Do I really need a pressure regulator?
- Which pressure regulator do I need?
- Do I really need a filter?
- What goes where...(filter/regulator/timer etc.)?
- How far can I run the mainline?
- Can I bury the tubing?
- How many emitters can I put on my mainline?
- What is zoning?
- How long should I water?
- Can I add on to my system?
- Can I combine sprinkler and drip on the same system?
- There is a whining or rattling coming from the system.
- What do I do about water hammer in my line?
| Q. I want to install a drip system but where do I start? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The flexibility and range of choices for a drip system can be both a blessing and a curse.
One easy way to get started is with our Heart of the Garden Starter Kit and
one or more add-on packages.
We also have some special purpose kits to meet other needs such as
misting or
container gardening.
Be sure to check out the other resources on our web site such as the system map and the design considerations pages to help get you thinking about drip. If it still seems overwhelming, don't despair, we also offer a free design service to help you get started. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q. What's my water flow? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Flow is how much water you have available from the water source and it's different for everyone.
Although flow is related to pressure, it's not the same thing.
It's possible to have high pressure and low flow.
In order to design the best possible drip irrigation system it's essential to
know what flow you're starting with.
Measuring your flow is easy to do by timing how long it takes to fill a
1 gallon bucket with your faucet opened all the way.
Knowing how many gallons per hour (GPH)
you have available will determine how
many emitters you can run at one time.
Here's a Flow Calculator to calculate your flow once you have timed the water at your faucet. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q. Can I design a drip system without knowing my flow? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In some instances it's possible to design a small system without knowing your flow.
However, we don't recommend this!
If you don't know your flow you can easily design a system that puts out more water than you have available.
The end result is a system that doesn't work and that gives you more stress than doing your taxes on April 14th.
Sometimes you can have a small system that works for years suddenly stop working
if you add on in a way that exceeds your flow. Know your flow and this will never happen.
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| Q. What's my pressure? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pressure is the amount of force pushing the flow of water.
It's measured in pounds per square inch (PSI)
and can be easily measured with a low cost pressure gauge.
Knowing your starting pressure helps determine whether or not you need a pressure regulator,
but it's not essential in a simple backyard system.
Regular household pressure is often around 50 PSI.
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| Q. Do I really need a pressure regulator? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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If you're using T-Tape,
soaker dripline or
Aquapore you will need a regulator.
Read the individual product descriptions for pressure recommendations.
If you're using pressure compensating emitters,
Shrubblers® or
misters and have
normal pressure you may not need a regulator.
If you are using sprayers, you may want to use a pressure regulator to bring the water
pressure into the rated range of the sprayer, since they will generally put out more
water at higher pressures.
If your water pressure is above 40 PSI
you should probably have a regulator on the system to keep fittings from 'blowing off'.
Again check individual product descriptions for pressure recommendations.
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| Q. Which pressure regulator do I need? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Your pressure regulator should be matched to the flow of your system and should
be appropriate for the products you're using.
Most small systems are fine with a 30 PSI
Lawn and Garden regulator;
larger systems may need to go into a medium or high flow
Senninger regulator.
Most drip products work in a range of pressures from 10-40 PSI.
Read individual product descriptions for pressure recommendations.
If your system has multiple zones,
remember that you'll need a regulator for each zone, since most regulators are not
designed to work under constant pressure.
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| Q. Do I really need a filter? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Even if your water is fine to drink and "super clean" we recommend a filter on
every drip system.
Filters protect your investment by
screening out particles in your water that can clog emitters.
Think of a filter as good insurance!
We will only warranty systems with appropriate filters.
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| Q. What goes where...(filter/regulator/timer etc.)? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The setup for a simple drip system coming off a hose bib or faucet is as follows:
Timer (optional),
filter,
pressure regulator,
female hose beginning
(Easy Loc or
Compression),
mainline tubing,
end.
You can see a drawing showing some of the elements of a drip system here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q. How far can I run the mainline? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This can be a tough question to answer because it depends on several factors
including elevation change, how much flow you have available and how much flow
your emitters are outputting.
Also friction loss occurs in very long lines that can negatively affect your system.
However, in most home garden situations distance does not become a limiting factor.
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| Q. Can I bury the tubing? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The mainline tubing can generally be buried with no problems.
However, it is possible for burrowing rodents like gophers or moles to chew right through the line.
That aside, it is often desirable to bury the line to have it out of the way so it won't be seen or tripped over.
Emitter tubing can always be covered with mulch, which is, in fact, desirable to protect it from the sun and extend its lifespan. If you want to bury the emitter tubing, you should include an air bleed valve to prevent dirt from being pulled into the tubing when the water is turned off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q. How many emitters can I put on my mainline? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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You can put as many emitters on your mainline as your flow supports and your tubing size allows.
For example, if you have a flow rate of 200 GPH you can use 200 1
GPH emitters or
100 2 GPH emitters or whatever combination
of emitters, sprayers, soaker dripline, etc. that adds up to 200 GPH.
If you have a flow rate of 200 GPH
and you realize that you want to use 300 GPH,
you'll need to break your system into multiple zones to be run at different times.
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| Q. What is zoning? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Zoning is the breaking up of one large system into smaller parts or zones.
This is necessary when your system's water requirements exceed your available flow.
It can also be useful when you have areas of the garden that have different watering requirements (i.e. a veggie garden that needs daily water and a row of trees that needs to be watered only once or twice a week). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q. How long should I water? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sorry, we're going to have to punt on this one.
How long to water depends on several factors including your soil type,
the water requirements of your plants, your climate and your available water.
Knowing how and when to run your drip system is something that only you are in
the best position to determine.
Keep in mind that hot areas, gardens with sandy soils, and gardens with
"thirsty" plants like annuals, veggies and some ornamentals will need longer
and/or more frequent run times.
If your plants show signs of wilting or if, after watering, you find dry soil when you poke your
fingers an inch or so into the soil near the root zone, it's time to increase your watering or add more emitters.
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| Q. Can I add on to my system? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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One of the advantages of a drip system is its flexibility.
You can always add on to the system, as long as you have the water available to support the added
drippers or sprayers and as long as the tubing can carry the additional water required.
We figure (conservatively) that a 1/2" mainline can carry around 240 GPH and that a
3/4" mainline can carry around 480 GPH.
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| Q. Can I combine sprinkler and drip on the same system? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lawn sprinklers and drip emitters operate in a different way.
Sprinklers put out a lot of water and are run for a relatively short time, while drip
systems put out a little water and are run for a longer period of time.
For this reason, you would not want to put lawn sprinklers and drippers on the same
zone.
In this situation, you would have one zone for the drip system and another zone
or zones for the sprinklers.
It is possible to have both low volume sprayers, such as Wing sprinklers, and drip emitters on the same line. Just keep in mind the balance of the system so that you do not combine emitters that need to run a long time with sprayers that need a shorter time. As an extreme example, you would not want to combine sprayers in pots with emitters on trees in an orchard in the same zone. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q. There is a whining or rattling coming from the system. | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This is almost always caused by a backflow preventer in the system.
Since the noise is a result of a harmonic effect, changing the amount of water being used, either up or down,
may get rid of the noise.
If you are not using a fertilizer injector, you might consider removing the backflow preventer.
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| Q. What do I do about water hammer in my line? | Return to Top | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Water hammer is caused by a pressure change or surge in the line, generally when it is turned on or off.
If you are having a problem with water hammer in your line, adding a short branch line with a garden hose may help.
Near the beginning or your line, put a tee in the line and run a 10 foot or so length of hose from there.
Cap off the line.
This will allow the pressure in the line a place to go that can expand enough to relieve the water hammer effect.
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DripWorks, Inc. - 190 Sanhedrin Circle - Willits, CA 95490 - (800) 522-3747
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