Drip Irrigation Conversion Kits

It’s becoming increasingly common for at-home gardeners to tackle projects like drip irrigation, so questions like ‘Can you add a drip line to an existing sprinkler system?’ or ‘How to convert a sprinkler system to a drip system’ are becoming increasingly popular. When looking at how to convert a sprinkler head to a drip line, the first step is to turn off the water supply and remove the sprinkler head. Next, you’ll want to choose the correct conversion fitting. Select a fitting that matches the size of your riser and can connect to your drip tubing. Screw the conversion fitting onto the exposed riser. Attach your drip tubing to the fitting on the conversion piece. Seal off any unused risers with caps.

In most cases, you do not need to dig up your sprinkler system to convert a zone to drip irrigation. A conversion kit can connect directly to an existing sprinkler riser after the spray head is removed. From there, drip tubing is directed to the plants. You may need minor digging to bury tubing, and unused sprinkler heads on the same zone may need to be capped.

Yes. Sprinkler systems operate at higher pressure than drip tubing, and emitters are generally not designed to handle it. A regulator reduces the pressure to a safer level, often around 20 to 30 PSI. Some drip conversion kits include a pressure regulator and filter to help protect emitters and keep the system operating without issue.

Many kits can handle an entire garden bed or landscaped zone, but the total demand of all emitters must stay within the kit’s rated flow. For larger areas or high-flow applications, you may need multiple conversion points or separate drip zones to maintain consistent watering.

Yes. Converting to drip irrigation allows you to deliver water directly to the root zone instead of spraying a larger area. This helps reduce water loss from wind and runoff. As such, drip irrigation is especially efficient for vegetable gardens and other widely spaced plants.

If you’re considering converting your sprinkler system to a drip irrigation system, you’re probably interested in the impact it will have on your wallet. While the upfront investment for installation can be a bit pricey – ranging from $350 for a 50-square-foot garden to upwards of $1,000 for a 200-square-foot garden – in the long run, drip irrigation systems can save you money by decreasing your monthly water bill. Doing some research ahead of time regarding the size of your yard and the complexity of the drip lines will help determine the ultimate cost of the project for converting sprinklers to drip.