Unless a drip tube is designed for use under ground, with anti-root intrusion technology, it’s should not be buried under soil. However, performs at its best when installed under mulch where the water is delivered with minimal evaporation.

The type of pipe you use depends on the water pressure of the application. For example, in any application under constant mains pressure like before your Irrigation Valves, you’ll need pipe that can cope. This rules out Low Density Poly Pipe & you’ll need to use something like Class 12 PVC or Metric Poly Pipe, these typically have a rating of Class 12, or PN12 which translates to being able to cope with 1200kPa. For irrigation lines after the valves in most domestic applications, Low Density Poly Pipe is ideal. In this situation, the operating pressure is much lower because the water is able to escape out of the operating sprinklers or drip tube & once the valves shut off, there is no static pressure build up.

Pipe sizing is all about reducing friction loss & allowing maximum flow to all points of your garden. There are a number of variables to consider, but in most domestic applications, 19mm Poly Pipe is the common choice. In larger areas, where you may have to run pipe 30-40m to the start of an irrigation zone, or zones with large sprinklers with high flow requirements, you may want to consider upping your pipe size to 25mm of more boost that flow output.

The main cause of blowout is pressure. Whether it’s poly fittings, PVC fittings or timers, whatever the component, if the pressure is too high for what it’s designed for, kaboom! Simply solve the problem with a pressure reducer & make it a brass one if it’s on your water supply.

There’s no best type of sprinkler, just better sprinklers for different applications. Gear Drives are better for large areas, over 5m. Pop-Ups are ideal for 1.5-5m & Micro sprays are excellent for anything under that.

Drip tube is excellent in areas of rich dense soil where water spreads nicely throughout. Installed under mulch, the water is delivered with minimal evaporation & wastage, going direct to the root ball.

No, drip tube isn’t simply holes punched into poly pipe. Inside each hole is an intricate dripper which delivers that water nice and evenly. Punching a hole will simply create an uncontrolled leak!

Each sprinkler & nozzle will push out water at different rates, but the key factor is the flow rate of your water supply. Work that out with a simple timed bucket test. From there, you can work out how much water each sprinkler you’re looking at uses & work within your flow limit. For more information, check our Product Guides.

As you install a system, it’s almost inevitable that small fragments of dirt will get into the pipe, for this reason you should always flush out the system before running it the first time. This can be done by leaving an open end at the farthest point of each irrigation zone & operating the zone for 15 or so seconds to flush it out. Then plug it up & you’re good to go! This can also be said for any other times dirt may have gotten into the system (eg: further irrigation repairs or a mains water supply fault).

We definitely don’t recommend it. Typically, drip tube will deliver the water at a far slower rate that sprays. Because of this, if you were to have both on the same zone, the areas with drip would be left far drier than the areas with sprinkler coverage. If you do want to water some areas with drip & some with sprinklers, it can be done, but each will just need to be run on their own separate irrigation zones.

Even on a typical domestic system running on mains water a filter is still a good idea. In the event of a water main fault where rubbish does find it’s way down the line, a filter will protect the system from blockage and or failure. On systems operating off recycled water, like from a tank, a screen filter is mandatory. Debris like silt & dirt from recycled water is the most common cause of blockages of failures in irrigation systems.