Question
pvc pipe
Hello! I have a fairly simple question. I know relatively nothing about landscaping and sprinkler systems. We live in Las Vegas and need a drip irrigation system set up, which I would like to do myself if it is easy enough. Our house has a totally unfinished back yard, with a PVC pipe sticking out of the ground which is connected to the main sprinkler system (for the front and side yards). My question is this: I would like to tap into the PVC pipe and hook up a drip irrigation system. I think that I know basically how to connect the irrigation lines, but am not sure how to get started. The PVC pipe has a PVC cap, I don't even know how to get that off. After I turn off the water to the house, what do I do with the PVC pipe?, how do I take the cap off? (does it just twist off, is it a pressure cap, do I have to somehow cut into it?). I have included a picture of the pipe. I would appreciate any information that you can give me to get started from this point. Thanks!!
AnswerMeg,
I would not recommend you trying to install a drip (or any) irrigation zone yourself. Unless you are willing to obtain a detailed book and or do extensive on line reading for several days you are not going to have the understanding and know how to do this work correctly. Even with all my experience, and having built and plumbed my own home, I personally would have to do extensive research and be calling on some friends in the irrigation business for help if I tackled such a project.
From this request, I have no way to know if the pipe sticking out is a line coming off a separate zone (as needed) or just a stub off the main or just some random sleeve pipe for irrigation. Second, there is a lot more to irrigation than cutting off the cap and adding some drip tubing. There are pressure regulators, compensation valves, check valves, clean outs, T's, Y's, elbows, back flow preventers, zone valves, zone valve wiring, programmable controllers, lateral lines, main lines, feeder lines, feed tubes, spaghetti tubes, soaker hoses, drip emitters, spray nozzles and much more. There are simple soaker hose systems and complicated systems with networks of tubes. There are mathematical equations that determine how many emitters and outlets can be supported given a particular water pressure and regulator valve, etc.
In short, I can not walk you through an irrigation installation via this venue. I suggest you hire an irrigation contractor or visit your local home store and pop a squat in the book section for a couple hours and see if you think you can do what is required after reading all about it.
Now all that said to answer the basic questions:
1. You have to cut off the cap with a small hand saw if it has been glued on, which is most likely. If it is not a pressurized (with water) pipe it may just be pressed on to keep dirt out, in which case you can pull it off.
2. The irrigation may very well be on a separate water meter than you home. In that case turning the water off at the home may have no affect. You need to be sure that the zone valve that the pipe is connected to is manually turned off. You probably have several zone valves if you have other irrigation so you have to know which one is the correct one.
I wish you luck. and PS. If you live in Vegas you should consider designing and installing a landscape that requires little or no water at all. The EPA is working right now on regulation that will soon affect everyone in the US and in places like Vegas where water is scarce and has to be obtained from reservoirs miles away, it is likely that future legislation will drastically limit irrigation for non essential ornamental plants.
Sean J Murphy, LA, ISA, LEED AP
www.amenityarchitects.com
www.netcamper.com (coming soon)
www.seanjmurphy.com
