Converting a Spray Zone to Drip Irrigation

Many Fort Worth homes have beds watered by the same spray heads used on the lawn. The heads spray over shrubs, onto walls and windows, and into walks, while the roots underneath may stay dry. Converting a bed zone from spray to drip is one of the most practical improvements you can make to an older system. This article explains how the conversion works and what to plan for.

Why Convert

• Water goes to the roots instead of leaves, walls and walks.
• Less evaporation and drift in heat and wind.
• No runoff from beds onto concrete.
• Fewer stained walls and windows.
• Flexible scheduling. Fort Worth’s rules allow drip irrigation at any time and on any day. See our article on what Fort Worth’s rules allow for drip and hand watering.

Is the Zone a Good Candidate?

The best zones to convert water only beds. If a zone waters both lawn and beds, the conversion is harder, since drip and spray cannot share a zone well. In that case, options include splitting the zone into two, or converting the bed heads and re-routing the lawn heads to another zone.

What the Conversion Involves

1. Choose where to connect

Drip can be fed from the zone valve itself or from an existing spray head location. Conversion kits are made to screw onto a spray head riser or into the fitting where a head was.

2. Add filtration and pressure regulation

Drip emitters need clean water at lower pressure than spray heads. A filter and pressure regulator are installed at the start of the drip zone, either at the valve or at the conversion point.

3. Cap unused heads

Spray heads that are no longer needed are removed and capped below ground, or fitted with caps made for this purpose. Leaving heads in place and just turning them off is not an option, since they share the same pipe.

4. Run drip tubing

Drip tubing is laid through the bed, usually under mulch. Inline tubing with built-in emitters works well for dense plantings. Solid tubing with individual emitters works well for spaced shrubs. Our guide to drip for beds and shrubs explains layout choices.

5. Add flush caps

Each line gets a flush cap at the end so sediment can be cleared.

6. Test and adjust

Run the zone and check that every plant gets water, there are no leaks and the pressure is right.

Permits and Licensing

Fort Worth requires a permit for installing or altering an irrigation system, and the work must be done by or under a licensed irrigator. The city specifically requires a lawn sprinkler permit when zones are added or when more than a certain share of an existing system is modified. Whether a small conversion needs a permit depends on its scope, so check with a licensed irrigator before starting. Adding a new valve or zone for drip does require a permit.

Changing the Controller Program

Drip zones need much longer run times than spray zones because emitters release water slowly. After converting:

• Move the drip zone into its own program if your controller allows it.
• Set a longer run time, then check soil moisture a few inches down a few hours after watering.
• Adjust through the seasons.

Our controller programming guide explains how programs work.

Converting Beds Near the Foundation

Beds along the house are often the best candidates. Spray heads there tend to hit the wall more than the soil. A drip line in the bed can water plants and help keep moisture more even around the foundation. Our article on foundation watering with drip lines covers this use.

Common Mistakes

• Skipping the filter. Emitters clog quickly without it.
• Skipping the pressure regulator. Fittings pop off under full pressure.
• Leaving spray heads active on the same zone.
• Too much tubing for the zone’s flow, leaving the far end dry.
• Using the old spray run time, which is far too short for drip.
• Burying tubing too deep, which makes leaks hard to find.

Maintaining the Converted Zone

After conversion, the zone needs occasional care: clean the filter, flush the lines, check emitters and add more as plants grow. Our guide to drip irrigation repair covers common issues.

What It Looks Like When Done

A well-converted bed has no visible spray heads, tubing hidden under mulch, and even moisture at the base of each plant. Walls, windows and walks stay dry. You may also notice fewer weeds, since drip waters plants rather than the open soil between them.

Doing It in Stages

You do not have to convert every bed at once. Many homeowners start with the bed that has the worst overspray, usually the one along the front of the house or beside the driveway, and convert others over time. If you plan it that way, have the first conversion set up so later beds can tie in easily, for example by running the drip supply line to a spot where the next bed can connect. Keep notes on what was done in each bed and add them to your zone map.

When to Call a Technician

If you want a bed zone converted to drip, or a mixed zone split into lawn and drip zones, our sprinkler repair service can do the conversion and handle any required permit.