How to Install a Poly Pipe Irrigation

Draw a scale drawing of your lawn on graph paper. This helps you visualize where to place different types of irrigation heads as well as how much piping you need to buy. As you plan the irrigation system, keep in mind that the water source needs to be fairly close to an outdoor electrical outlet.

Contact a plumber to install a backflow preventer as well as a pressure reducer to the main water line in your house. You might be able to do this yourself, but many communities require that a licensed plumber perform this task.

Use a shovel to dig a trench 8 to 12 inches deep from the house to where you plan to set the valve box. Continue digging a trench to a similar depth for the rest of the irrigation system. If you have a lot of trench to dig, rent a trencher.

Cut PVC pipe the length of the trench from the house connection to the valve box, using a hack saw. Swipe PVC glue around one end of the PVC pipe using the applicator in the glue bottle. Slide on a connector suitable to fasten to the house’s water line onto the PVC pipe. Twist the pipe one-quarter turn to set the glue. Apply glue to the other end of the pipe and attach a connector to fasten the pipe to the valve box.

Lay poly pipe into the remaining trenches. Join pieces of poly pipe, as necessary, with appropriate connectors. To fasten pieces together, slip a circular clamp onto the end of the poly pipe. Slide the barbed end of a connector inside the poly pipe and tighten the clamp around the end of the pipe using a screwdriver. Fasten the poly pipe to the valve box with appropriate fittings.

Hang the control box in a location near the outdoor outlet, using screws from its assembly kit. Connect the wiring from the valve box to the timer box, using wire nuts. Fasten the black wires of the valve box to the black wires of the timer box. Match the white wires together and the green, or ground, wires as well.

Plug in the control box. Turn on water to the irrigation system. Let the water flush out any impurities on the poly pipe. Turn off the water and unplug the control box.

Attach the appropriate drippers and bubblers to the ends of the poly pipe you have in the trenches, using the same procedure you used in Step 5.

Fill in the trenches to cover the poly pipe. Take care not to throw any sharp rocks or other matter against the pipe so you don’t damage the pipe. Cover the trench between the house and the valve box as well. Put the cover on the valve box.

Turn the water back on. Plug in the control box. Set the irrigation system’s timer in the control box.