Converting from Sprinkler to Drip Irrigation

For the longest time and even today, some people believe that the garden or lawn sprinkler is the best way to keep your flower beds, vegetable gardens, or lawns well-watered. While much research and design work has been put into drip irrigation systems, it is still widely believed that a sprinkler system best serves lawns. Drip irrigation systems have a 90% watering efficiency.

Drip irrigation systems offer significant advantages over sprinklers when it comes to irrigating flower beds. Sprinklers waste too much water due to evaporation and because the water falls over parts of the bed where there may be no plantings. Water gets distributed improperly with a sprinkler system, and weeds quickly dig into these well-watered areas easily.

Converting from sprinkler systems to drip irrigation in your flower garden means the water is delivered directly to the plant roots. This ends water waste and starves weeds.

What are key steps needed to covert from a Sprinkler system to drip irrigation?

When converting from sprinklers to drip irrigation systems, you must keep some key steps in mind.

What are your watering needs?

What plants or areas need watering? Make a list of how many plants, garden beds, containers, trees, or other areas need watering. How much can you cover with one sprinkler riser? Each sprinkler head that you convert to drip will have a maximum water flow (GPH). Knowing your water flow will help you determine how much you can water with one Sprinkler valve. More than one zone might be required if you have a large garden. Now that you know the number of plants you need to water and how those plants are placed, you can better plan your watering. Remember that a drip irrigation system makes far more efficient use of water since it reduces loss due to evaporation.

Choosing the right sprinkler adapter

You need to get the right kind of adapter that will convert your sprinkler head into a drip irrigation system. There are many products out in the market, so do your research before buying an adapter. Check the size and thread of the Sprinkler you will be converting to drip. Knowing the size will help you choose the correct adapter. DripWorks offers a few options, like the male hose by half-inch female Pipe thread elbow with valve (RLSO). This adapter will thread onto any 1/2" male pipe fitting, allowing you to convert from Sprinkler to drip irrigation easily.

Removing the sprinkler head

Next, you will have to remove the sprinkler head. To remove the sprinkler head, you must dig up the connector and unscrew it. However, if your sprinkler head is installed on a riser, you can unscrew it from the riser or nipple. Most likely, your risers have half-inch or three-quarter male pipe threads. You will need to know this to choose the correct adapter.

Connecting the drip system to a sprinkler valve

Once you have found the correct conversion products, you connect your filter, pressure regulator, and hose to the faucet adapters. There are different options to convert from Sprinkler to drip irrigation. DripWorks makes it easy with our Sprinkler to drip conversion kits. There are several options available at dripworks.com

The next step is to replace the sprinkler head with the drip irrigation system head. If you feel less confident doing this on your own, you can always call in an expert to help you or you can read our sprinkler-to-drip conversion guide.

Installing Drip Irrigation

To complete the installation process for the drip irrigation product you will have to keep the following things in mind:

1. a)A drip irrigation system needs low pressure to operate. A sprinkler system usually requires 40 psi at the nozzle and 55 psi to move the water through the system, and drip irrigation only needs 20 or 30 psi. If the pressure is higher, you will run the risk of damaging the drip irrigation system.
2. b) You will need to monitor the run time of the drip irrigation system. A drip irrigation system delivers water at a lower rate than a Sprinkler and will require longer watering times.

With this resource you have a clear guide to help you convert your irrigation system from Sprinkler to drip Irrigation. There are many factors to be kept keep in mind. Switching over will save you water and money and it will have paid for itself in a short time. You can always seek professional help and reach out to us for professional advice and clarifications.

Today, reducing water waste is on everyone's mind. Installing a drip irrigation system to replace your sprinkler system is a great way to start your journey toward making a better planet, for everyone.