Installation and Maintenance of Drip Irrigation
Efficient watering means more green for fewer bucks.
Drip irrigation can produce great results using half the water of spray systems. It reduces loss to evaporation and focuses water at the roots of each plant. We can help you evaluate your existing spray system to determine whether one or more zones can be converted to drip.
Converting to drip usually re-uses your existing timer, valves and pipes. We’ll help select the right zones for conversion, install appropriate pressure regulators and then the best equipment types to get the job done.
Cost of conversion depends upon the size of the zone and its requirements. Hedges and narrow planter beds are easiest and vegetable gardens are the most time consuming. But in either case our customers have most often found that the cost of the conversion is returned within the first full year in savings on the water bill. Adding drip irrigation to potted plants is likely to result in better plant survival and lower replacement costs.
If you are hiring a landscaping company to do a new design and then install it, they should also do the irrigation for you (drip or otherwise). However, if you are thinking of converting an existing system to drip or you are doing your own design and installation, we would be happy to help you plan the right sequence of actions for the best results.
Drip Irrigation Basics
Drip delivers water where it is needed
Drip irrigation is a method of watering plants that is becoming increasingly popular among homeowners. This method of irrigation delivers water directly to the roots of plants through a network of small tubes and emitters, making it highly efficient and able to save water and lower your water bill. In this essay, we will discuss the benefits of residential drip irrigation.
One of the main advantages of residential drip irrigation is that it conserves water resources by delivering water directly to the roots of plants where it is needed, rather than spraying it into the air, which invites evaporation, or watering the ground between plants where all that might grow is weeds. Drip irrigation utilizes your existing timer, valves and pipes, so much of your investment in any existing spray system is conserved. Drip systems are also installed with plant size and types in mind, so that in any one zone, large plants will get more water and small plants less. These benefits make residential drip irrigation an environmentally-friendly choice for homeowners.
Drip done correctly saves water
Another advantage of residential drip irrigation is that it can save homeowners on their water bill. Traditional irrigation methods, such as sprinklers, lose a sizeable percentage of the water they spray into evaporation, or watering areas where there are no plants. With a drip irrigation system, water is delivered at ground level, eliminating most evaporation and just to the plants.
Drip irrigation systems can also be customized to fit the specific needs of a homeowner's garden. For example, different plants have different water requirements and can be placed on different zones. This allows the homeowner to water each zone separately and with the appropriate amount of water. For example; a zone consisting of just trees can be run less frequently, but longer so that water can reach their root level. Plants can be watered more often, but for shorter run timers. Vegetable gardens can be watered daily, or several times a day, but for a short period. This customization makes residential drip irrigation a highly adaptable solution for any garden.
We'll help you figure it all out
There are a few factors to consider when choosing a drip irrigation system for your home. The first is the size of your garden. The larger the garden, the more linear feet of drip line will be required and number of emitters you will need to cover it. The second is the type of plants you have. Some plants may require more or less water than others. If possible, your existing sprinkler system zones should be utilized to keep costs down and so an evaluation of your existing zones and their utilization will be needed. Last, each zone in your system should either be all spray or all drip. Spray is best for grass, ground cover and dense planting areas which make running drip lines problematic. So any existing zone covering those areas should remain entirely spray and are not good candidates for conversion. Zones in your existing system that water only plants are candidates for conversion to drip.
In addition, when installing a residential drip irrigation system, it is important to install a pressure regulator and use the most appropriate drip system types. For plants in pots, each pot would be best served with its own ¼” supply line and properly sized emitter. For plants in a bed that are close together (within a few feet) the best solution is to use ½” drip line that comes with built in emitters, often spaced at one-foot intervals. This is also the best solution for hedges or any plants that are in a narrow bed. In areas where plants are spaced further apart, we recommend using ½” supply line into which one or two emitters are inserted at each plant location.
Drip can put you in control
Although conversion of an existing spray system, or installation of a new drip system from scratch is best done by a professional, the ongoing maintenance is easy and the parts are widely available and modest in cost.
In conclusion, residential drip irrigation is an efficient and effective method of watering plants that can save homeowners money, and water resources. It can also be customized to fit the specific needs of a homeowner's garden. When choosing and installing a drip irrigation system, it is important to consider the size of the garden, the type of plants, and the type of drip equipment. Additionally, using the right materials and proper installation techniques will ensure that the system runs smoothly and lasts for years.
