DIY irrigation system repair
It’s ironic that the year I chose to start a blog about DIY house and yard projects, I’ve had more irrigation repair issues than in any other of the eleven years we’ve lived on this property. I take it as confirmation that this site was meant to be.
One of the repairs I had to make this year was to an above-ground irrigation pipe inside the pump house. The pipe had to be spliced with a telescoping repair coupling, but as the repair was above-ground and the irrigation system in the pump house consisted of two pipes leading off a single pump, this presented a problem. The telescoping coupling was bound to expand with the backpressure of the irrigation system, and that would put a huge strain on the two main pipes in the system.
This video shows how you can do your own above ground irrigation system repair using a telescoping coupling and a strapping system to keep the coupling from expanding with the water pressure. Basically, I used two plumbing tube straps and a nylon strap to hold the coupling together when the irrigation system was on. The two metal straps were tightened around the far ends of the coupling and the nylon strap (I’ve also used wire cables) was used to keep the two plumbing straps from moving apart.
Ingenious strapping system to keep those pipes coupled securely, Marta. Seems like a good solution for irrigation systems that are exposed to freezing temperatures in winter, too.
As an aside, I saw a new type of water hose being marketed to RV owners yesterday. It has a wire running through the hose that keeps the water from freezing in winter. I wonder if there is a similar DIY way to keep outside water pipes and hoses from freezing? If there is, I’m sure you’ll figure it out if it’s something you ever need!