Reticulation Installation Perth

Use a quality reticulation controller. Make sure that it has all the functions you need and is large enough for both now and in the future.

There is nothing worse than installing a 6 station controller only to find out a year later when you go to do the back yard you actually needed an 8 station controller.

Make sure all your reticulation wiring is in conduit. You do not want to put a shovel through loose wires in your garden. Also placing the wiring in the least likely position for it to be broken is the best practice. Not through the middle of a garden bed you are going to plant mature trees in!

Another important factor is to make sure you have enough wires for both now and in the future.
Plan properly because once the surfaces and landscaping are down, it is a lot harder and more costly to rectify.

Make sure you use proper waterproof wire connectors to minimise any ‘shorts’ the system may develop in the future. This is very important as many systems just have wires taped and twisted together.

You will need a registered plumber to do this part.

Every system should have a tap that can turn off the reticulation system in the case of an emergency. This is called an ‘isolation tap’.

Attached to this tap is a ‘Dual Check Valve’. Basically it stops water going backwards into the mains drinking supply. Would you like to drink water from someone’s retic system? Didn’t think so.

These are very important. It’s sad to say but many systems still do not have these installed.

Filter your water people!

This valve is a must have. Basically, the main valve is screwed onto the isolation tap and dual check valve and holds the full pressure of the mains back at the copper piping stopping the main reticulation pipes from being under pressure.

Whenever a station solenoid turns on, the main solenoid will also release allowing water down the main pipe to the solenoid, the water then passes through the station solenoid to the sprinklers.

The master Solenoid acts as a failsafe, if there is ever a leak the system will only leak when on as once the controller turns off both the master solenoid and station solenoid shut down.

These are essential and can save you so much time and hassle.

Ensure you use a reputable brand such as Rainbird or Bermad.

Thoughtfully place them when installing and think of the future. Trees and shrubs will grow so putting them in a good position is important.

Make sure Solenoid spotter boxes are placed to protect the valves and if they’re in the garden we would recommend having them visible.

This is the piping from the water source to the station solenoids. It runs from the master valve to the last station.

Always at a minimum use PVC. In some situations, using piping such as high-density Blue Line plumbing piping may be required. Ensure it is bought from a reputable supplier such as Reece Irrigation as they will ensure the pipe meets industry standards.

Make sure the piping is the right size, work out the flow, pressure and any elevation in height to find out what you should do.

There is a wide range of sprinklers you can use from modern waterwise, to more basic traditional sprays as well as larger rotary sprinkler typically used off bore systems.

Although choosing the right type of irrigation is important, nothing will make up for a poorly laid out and installed system. Here are a few basics when planning & installing your sprinklers.

Make sure that you allow adequate pressure. If you are planning 3 stations, put in 5. This allows for a ‘margin of error’ and means if the pressure in the suburb drops the irrigation will still work well. Don’t try to stretch the system to its maximum capability as this increases the chances of future problems.

Ensure sprinklers are ‘head to head’. This is when one sprinkler overlaps to another one. Very important especially when installing reticulation in Perth where the weather is dry and hot. In the hottest months systems, it can be scorching hot here and this is a basic tenet of good reticulation planning.

Ensure that sprinklers in lawn areas are beneath the lawn so a lawn mower, car or foot traffic does not hit and break them. Sounds simple right. Unfortunately, many systems are not set out like this and the result is constant frustration and broken sprinklers.

Sprinklers in lawn areas should be off the edges as well. There is nothing more frustrating than edging your lawn and hitting a sprinkler placed hard up against the pavement. Allow a small gap for the edger to pass through. Be kind to the edger and its owner.

If in a garden bed, plan for the plants to grow and make sure enough sprinklers are added. More is always better. You can always turn down the watering time, but you cannot make sprinklers reach dry areas by turning up the watering time. Be thoughtful where and how you place sprinklers.

For lawn sprinklers we would always recommend using articulated swing joint risers to protect the pipe work and sprinklers from getting broken. This helps to absorb the pressure from downward force applied to the sprinklers from cars to people stepping on them. They minimise damage.

Subsurface irrigation drip-line is one of the most effective ways of watering, IF AND ONLY IF YOU HAVE IT INSTALLED CORRECTLY.

There are a number of components needed such as filters, flushing valves, air release valves and more in order for the retic to work properly. And it only takes missing one of the essential working components to create problems in the system.

If it’s installed correctly it should work beautifully, irrigating under the mulch greatly reducing evaporation

We would recommend installing 100mm or so of mulch (see picture) on the drip line after installation.