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 Hi I have a very sandy soil on a reasonably steep slope with a fruit and veg cage 10m x 10m. Is leaky pipe suitable for very sandy soil? how wide an area can be watered from a single leaky pipe run in very sad conditions on a slope? Thanks
 Can I buy some extra lengths of hose and some connector?
 how much water does the system use?
 I have an apple garden with 6000 trees, 12 years old . Could you please tell me , is it possible to use leaky pipe in my apple garden?
 Looking to water a strip of grass along the side of long window (20m) with foot traffic, Qcan I bury Leaky pipe under the grass surface
 What are the inside & outside diameters of your leaky pipes?
 what system and spacing for 8 rows of vines in east Kent approximately 30m long and spacings of 1.5m between plants and 2 m between rows
 What types of payment do you accept?
 I can't find the answer to my question. What do I do?
 When will my order be delivered?
 Are all of your products in stock?
 How long have we been working with LeakyPipe?
 Do you make LeakyPipe?
 What is LeakyPipe made of?
 Why should I use LeakyPipe?
 How long does LeakyPipe last?
 Does soil block the holes in LeakyPipe?
 Do roots grow into and damage the Leaky Pipe?
 Does LeakyPipe save water compared to using a sprinkler?
 How long do I need to keep it on for?
 Can I use LeakyPipe in a Hosepipe Ban?
 Does hard water affect LeakyPipe?
 What do I do if I think I’ve blocked my LeakyPipe with dirty water or Hard water?
 What do I do with the unattached, open end of the LeakyPipe?
 Does LeakyPipe have to be used sub-surface?
 Can I use LeakyPipe on a Water Butt?
 What pressure do I need to run LeakyPipe?
 How far will LeakyPipe work for?
 How does it come to me?
 How do I unroll the LeakyPipe?
 Do I need to pin the pipes to the ground with pegs?
 Does LeakyPipe have to be in straight lines?
 How can LeakyPipe save me money?
 How do I estimate what I need?
 How do I fix LeakyPipe if it gets damaged with a fork or by vermin?
 What if I can’t work out what I need?
 What size connectors do I need for LeakyPipe?
 What polytube size should I choose for a system using lengths of LeakyPipe adding up to 200m in total?
 What should I consider when planning a layout for a LeakyPipe system?
 I’ve an area with a lot of Planters. What do I do?
 I have a Hedge to water. How do I approach this problem?
 I need to water a Maze
 What about watering an Avenue of large trees?
 Can I use a timer with LeakyPipe and if so, what should I set it for?
 Do I need to add a pressure regulator to my LeakyPipe System?
 Does Leaky Pipe Systems Ltd ever install LeakyPipe?
 If I sent you a plan of the area, can you advise me?
 Do you offer design and installation advice to Landscape Architects and Development Designers?
 Do I have to use my hosepipe to carry water to the Leaky Pipe?
 How difficult is it to use the connectors (barbed fittings)?
 Can I leave LeakyPipe out in the Frost?
 Does LeakyPipe degrade in Sunlight?
 How heavy is a roll of LeakyPipe?
 Why is your LeakyPipe more expensive than the stuff I see on Ebay & Amazon?
 Do you offer a quotation service for the larger quantities that your online shop doesn’t cater for?
 Can I connect LeakyPipe to MDPE blue pipe?
 What would you suggest for an enclosed Courtyard area?
 What would you suggest for watering a Vegetable Garden?
 What If I want to use water from a stagnant lake or river?
 What if I want to use a rainwater tank?
Hi I have a very sandy soil on a reasonably steep slope with a fruit and veg cage 10m x 10m. Is leaky pipe suitable for very sandy soil? how wide an area can be watered from a single leaky pipe run in very sad conditions on a slope? Thanks

Yes, you definitely can use LeakyPipe in sandy soils, in fact it is a classic situation for it.   The amount of water "spread" is defined by the soil type & structure.  On Sandy soils the spread will be more narrow, so I would advise that you place LeakyPipe close to the subjects you wish to water.  In this case, close to the root zone of row crops.  (The roots will tend to "hunt" the moisture that is applied and ween-onto the moist zone).

You mention a slope.  It may not be a problem to solve.  It really depends on the vertical drop between the highest point and the lowest point within the area you are looking to water, at one time.  For example, If it is 2metres, it is unlikely that the rise in pressure on the lowest pipe, through the static height difference, will make a great deal of difference in the water applied.  (There will be a difference, but in the circumstances, it could be tolerable).  If it was to occur, the answer is to simply design divisions into your layout so you can water high "zones" separately from Middle & Low zones.  Do you see what I mean?

You could just try it and see. After all, with this system, you can take it apart and re-engineer it to suit, without loosing hardly anything.



 
Can I buy some extra lengths of hose and some connector?

Yes, you certainly can buy extra lengths.  There are extension rolls of just LeakyPipe® and rolls of LeakyPipe® for Hedges at https://leaky-pipe.oxatis.com/leakypipe-porous-hoses-c102x2907733   More variety of fittings can simply be browsed at https://leaky-pipe.oxatis.com/connectors-c102x3097753    Phone us if you need further help with your selection.

 
how much water does the system use?

It really depends on how much LeakyPipe® you are using at once, how long and how often you are watering.   Whatever your answer is, LeakyPipe® will use a fraction of water than a "Sprinkler” method (for any given area).

 
I have an apple garden with 6000 trees, 12 years old . Could you please tell me , is it possible to use leaky pipe in my apple garden?

Yes, you definitely can use LeakyPipe® to water fruit trees.   This is something we started doing here in 1986 at Frith Farm and Culls Farm (and is still in use today).  After a short test period, we installed the pipes, subsurface.  One pipe/ tree row or two pipes/large tree row.  

In order to help you with design, I would like to know what your tree spacing is, please.



 
Looking to water a strip of grass along the side of long window (20m) with foot traffic, Qcan I bury Leaky pipe under the grass surface

Yes, you certainly can.  It was originally designed for the purpose of sub-surface installation and has proven to keep working, year on year.  I suggest it is always good to team this up with some sort of timer device so you can program the watering.  (You won't want it on constantly).



 
What are the inside & outside diameters of your leaky pipes?

LeakyPipe® size.      Nominally they are O.D. 13.5mm and I.D. 9.6mm (They fit the size12 barbed fittings seen on our website, which is one size smaller than 16, which makes a tight fit in garden hose and is often the size that fits many other porous hoses).

 
what system and spacing for 8 rows of vines in east Kent approximately 30m long and spacings of 1.5m between plants and 2 m between rows

Either a single lateral (or "Line"), of LeakyPipe®, laid down each row, or perhaps a line on both sides.  (The latter os probably O.T.T.)   All LeakyPipe lines then teed into 20mm polytube "supply" pipe, using 20-12-20mm barbed reducing tees.   Ideally, feed the water supply into the middle of the polytube "manifold" and turn-on.  The network will fill-up an quickly work all-at-once.  (Of course, you do have to plug off the ends of the LeakyPipe and the polytube manifold).  As this is a long-term cropping situation: Once you've seen it working, we would recommend that you place the LeakyPipe into the soil as this is better for the water distribution and keeps the LeakyPipe® away from husbandry operations.   Phone us if you wish to discuss further.  

 
What types of payment do you accept?

When you order online, we accept the following card payments:  
• Visa Credit or debit card
• Mastercard
• UK Electron

Our Payment Processor is Worldpay, the UKs leading Provider.

 
I can't find the answer to my question. What do I do?

Click on "Contact Us" and let us know what your question is. We'll get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.

We also have a section on videos and help guides (printable PDFs) which may be of assistance.

 
When will my order be delivered?

You should expect your goods within a week of ordering. We try to dispatch as soon as possible, so, although there can be hiccups in the journey, we do try to get your goods delivered between 2-3days, (sometimes overnight).

Please try not to leave your order to the last moment. If you have any special delivery instructions, please make sure we have them. Thank you.

 
Are all of your products in stock?

Generally, we will never display products that are out of stock.
As we manufacture Leaky Pipe, the complete range is always available.

 
How long have we been working with LeakyPipe?

Over 30 years, supplying goods and systems to Landscape Gardeners and the Professional Horticulturalists across the UK.

We were initially involved in developing the various types of LeakyPipe® and over the last ten years, wholly responsible for manufacturing. We are happy to have the whole process of development, manufacture and supply under our roof to ensure the highest possible standards in this field.

We have also been selling online since the 1990's!

 
Do you make LeakyPipe?

Yes, we make it here in Kent.
We keep manufacturing 'in-house' to ensure high standards.

 
What is LeakyPipe made of?

The major component is high-quality reclaimed car tyre rubber and a few other things to make it really good porous hose, not a pipe with holes in!

 
Why should I use LeakyPipe?

Because it is a reliable, accurate way of applying an increasingly expensive resource direct to its target, without interrupting the use of that area.  

It will last for many years, aid plant establishment and is the most water-efficient way of watering plants.

 
How long does LeakyPipe last?

In the UK, LeakyPipe has a proven life of many years.  It is not unusual to find watering systems with LeakyPipe still working well after 10 years.

 
Does soil block the holes in LeakyPipe?

No, it doesn’t.  It is a porous hose not a pipe with holes in it and that makes it a bit different to a drip system where the pipe is a 'pipe-with-holes-in'.

 
Do roots grow into and damage the Leaky Pipe?

Because the LeakyPipe is made to be porous , as opposed to "a pipe with holes in”, roots can grow up to the outer pipe wall, but do not penetrate the LeakyPipe, as they do with trickle pipes that have holes and emitters.

 
Does LeakyPipe save water compared to using a sprinkler?

Applying water directly, or at least, near the target plant reduces water losses through wind effects, shadow effects, evaporation and run-off.  Also, because the watering philosophy is "watering lower and slower”, it gives the user more margin of error on their watering times as well as being able to water larger areas for the same effort.

 
How long do I need to keep it on for?

With LeakyPipe, watering times for general soft landscaping is about 30 minutes per day, every day through a dry period.  Start watering early in the season and keep putting small amounts in.  Plants establish and grow-on strongly with this approach.  Adjust this guide depending on the specific site requirements, either manually or by simply amending your timer settings.  Of course, this is just a guide and you can apply your own schedule as you see fit.  Just be careful not to over-water as this can be as bad as not watering at all!

 
Can I use LeakyPipe in a Hosepipe Ban?

Yes you can!  In some areas, it is necessary to add a timer and/or a pressure regulator to comply with this exemption.   (Of course, a timer helping program your watering, is always going to be a good idea to improve water efficiency).

 
Does hard water affect LeakyPipe?

As with many things, it can do a bit, just the same as the carbonate salts in hard water affect all tools to a greater or lesser extent.  The encrustation of trickle & LeakyPipes happens over a period of time where the pipes are on the surface, exposed to wet/dry cycling.  The salts simply "dry out” of the water, leaving the pipes to appear a little grey.  With LeakyPipe, this reduces the porosity, but rarely stops it working.   To combat this, users (when confident enough with the product), bury LeakyPipe under a shallow mulch of soil or compost which discourages wet/dry cycling and therefore "salting”.   Unique to LeakyPipe, you can counter the effects of reduced porosity through 'salting' by gently stretching it.  If you do this while the water is on, you'll see the flow increase as the pores are opened and the salt deposit is flushed away.

 
What do I do if I think I’ve blocked my LeakyPipe with dirty water or Hard water?

This rarely happens but if it does, open the ends of the LeakyPipe laterals and flush through with fresh mains water.  With the LeakyPipe re-sealed, repressurise, lift the pipe and gently stretch the LeakyPipe and you’ll open the porous wall.  You will see the water start to flood through and carry away the blockage.  (You can’t achieve that with other pipes!)   Then re-lay the LeakyPipe and use again.

 
What do I do with the unattached, open end of the LeakyPipe?

The ends do need sealing.  You can either fold the end of the lateral over on itself and retain the fold with a cable tie or short sleeve section of 20mm supply pipe polytube.  However, it is tidier and more reliable to use a 12mm end plug.  (See 'end plug - 12mm size',  and fittings video)

You can also avoid needing end plugs by tee-ing the free end back into the supply pipe - this will only be a suitable solution where the layout of the supply pipe allows this connection e.g. when the supply pipe forms a 'ring' around the garden.

 
Does LeakyPipe have to be used sub-surface?

It doesn’t have to be.  Most users who are new to the product will place the LeakyPipe onto the surface, just so they can see what it does.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  You just loose a bit of efficiency as the exposed, top surface of the pipe that isn’t being touched, tends to dry-off and is "slower” than it would be if it was covered.  Once you are happy your system is working, we recommend covering with a mulch or soil as LeakyPipe works most efficiently this way by 'wicking' water into the soil around the whole of the pipe, rather than just where it lies on the ground.

Sometimes surface-placement is just more convenient both for installation and to allow easy repositioning at a later date. Repositioning may be necessary for either a change in the planting, or to make for convenient digging, or perhaps it is finished with for that area and can be relocated to another site, getting more value from the product if you’re a Professional.

 
Can I use LeakyPipe on a Water Butt?

Water Butts, if raised just a few feet higher than the area you intend to water, develop hardly any pressure.  For this reason you won’t find many products that will be reliable with this approach.
To make the most success with this, you will need to use a very porous pipe in short lengths. The LP12UH LeakyPipe is a very porous type that will work at very low pressures for short lengths (up to 20metres).  LP12UH is available packaged in our "Kits for Vegetable Gardens” seen on our online catalogue.

 
What pressure do I need to run LeakyPipe?

LeakyPipe is designed to work between 1-2 Bar as an operational pressure.  The leak rate of LeakyPipe at this pressure is 1-4 litres/metre/hour depending on the specific type of LeakyPipe.  This doesn’t look like much when it is on, but it is plenty because you are getting it to the target area efficiently and regularly, which makes the difference. 

 
How far will LeakyPipe work for?

LP12UH runs to 20metres (the type of LeakyPipe you will find in Vegetable Watering Kits)
LP12H runs to 50metres (and is the most popular pipe for general landscape watering use).
LP12L runs up to 100metres (the type of LeakyPipe in the Hedge Watering Kits)

These are recommended maximum lengths for single laterals of LeakyPipe, from where the water is introduced, (plugged at opposite end). This isn't a limit on the amount of LeakyPipe that forms a system, as several laterals can be used at once.

To help put a perspective on this, a typical domestic water supply is capable of running a cumulative total of about 300metres of LP12H at one time. (In any combination of lengths of up to 50m each).

If you want to water more than 300m in your garden, design your layout into 'zones' with different zones being watered at different times. A dual output tap timer can help with this.

 
How does it come to me?

LeakyPipe comes to you as promptly as possible via a carrier. (Usually within a few days, sometimes overnight).  

It is delivered in rolls of 50,100, 250 and 450metre increments and you just cut it up as you see fit with a pair of scissors, or better a good pair of garden secateurs.

For the bigger rolls, (250m and 450m rolls), take the LeakyPipe from the middle of the roll.  This makes it easy to revolve the spiral out of the pipe, as you pull it away from the roll.  The LeakyPipe will then lay flat and be easier to position into place.
See also 'How do I unroll LeakyPipe?'

Small orders of connectors which are small enough to fit through your letterbox will be sent by first class Royal Mail.

 
How do I unroll the LeakyPipe?

The 50m and 100m rolls are easy to hold and dispense the pipe, gently rotating the end of the pipe in your fingers you go. This will rotate-out the spiral and allow the pipe sit flat on the ground.  

For the bigger, heavier rolls, (250m and 450m rolls), prop the roll up against a wall or similar. If pipe is taken from the outside of these larger rolls, it will have a real tendency to tangle. To prevent tangling, cut the stretch film-wrap from the inside of the roll only, leaving the film-wrap intact on the sides and outside.  Take the LeakyPipe from the middle of the roll.  This makes it easy to revolve the spiral out of the pipe, as you pull it away from the roll.  The LeakyPipe will then lay flat and be easier to position into place.  If you don't lay out all the pipe at once, the remaining film-wrap will keep the remaining pipe organised until next time!

 
Do I need to pin the pipes to the ground with pegs?

Absolutely not for LeakyPipe.  There is no reason to retain LeakyPipe with pegs when it will sit flat on the ground and you could do better and cheaper by using "spotting” soil or a mulch cover, if it was necessary.

Pipe clips or pegs can be useful for retaining 20 and 16mm polytube which can have a natural "spring”, but you still can apply the same process of soil or mulch cover.

 
Does LeakyPipe have to be in straight lines?

No.  You can snake it about as you see fit. It may be very relevant to snake the pipe from stem to stem to make sure the water applied from the LeakyPipe is dropping straight onto the pot/root ball of the new plants, especially if the plants are further apart, it’s dry season and the subjects have just been planted.   Watering the rootball compost as well as the soil immediately surrounding the rootball has a considerable benefit to a reliable "take” & fast establishment.

 
How can LeakyPipe save me money?

If you are on a metered water source,  efficient use of that resource will save money.  Timers & irrigation control methods are particularly good at helping you tune this approach.

LeakyPipe will help save money with labour costs of watering any landscape.  Also, a big saving can be made by ensuring that new plantings are efficiently established with minimal loss and replant costs.  

Landscapes can double their growth over the period of the first four years if a judicious watering plan is applied.   This benefit is particularly useful to Clients who are looking to develop and maintain quick Shelter Belts and Green Screens as a part of their Development Plan.

 
How do I estimate what I need?

Placement as a general "Rule-of-thumb” is not critical.   With LeakyPipe spaced at between 600mm-900mm (2-3 foot) apart you could estimate the LeakyPipe meterage by estimating the total soft landscaping area and multiplying this by 1.5 to give you a total.  Connectors and supply pipe polytube are not that expensive and are usually something best estimated plus a percentage over.

 
How do I fix LeakyPipe if it gets damaged with a fork or by vermin?

Easy!  Just locate the point of damage by turning the water on, walk the system and listen for the "leak” or look for a swirling puddle.  This will indicate the place of damage.  Cut through the pipe with a pair of secateurs, cutting out the damage, leaving good, clean, square cut.  Insert a straight connector (12mm size) into the ends of the LeakyPipe to re-connect.  It’s quick, user-friendly, reliable & cheap.   You don’t need an engineer!

 
What if I can’t work out what I need?

Perhaps consider buying one of our kits.  They have LeakyPipe and a useful selection of connectors, so you can make a start and experiment with the goods.   

Kits can be found here.

 
What size connectors do I need for LeakyPipe?

12mm connectors (also known as barbed fittings) fit all porosities of LeakyPipe.  This is not really the exact diameter of the connector, it’s just what we call them as they fit the LeakyPipe.   Normally, you don’t need to use anything to reinforce the connection, but rarely if you do have a unreliable connection, you could reinforce the joint with a cable tie or a jubilee clip or similar.  

Remember, 12 fits Leaky, 16 fits "garden hose" (& 16mm black supply pipe), 20 fits 20mm black supply pipe.  (NOT 20mm "Blue” pipe - that needs compression fittings).  

Supply pipe is sometimes referred to as "L.D.P.E Polytube" or just "Polytube". 

  

 
What polytube size should I choose for a system using lengths of LeakyPipe adding up to 200m in total?

You could use 16mm supply pipe polytube rather than hosepipe as your "water distribution main”, as it is a little more efficient at carrying water without pressure drop than garden hose.  But you may already have a lot of hose to use?

20mm supply pipe polytube is more efficient again, because it’s bigger, the water travels slower and the drop is lower.  This means you can carry the water further for the same pressure drop.    

As a guide. -  If you intend to try to run 400m or more of LeakyPipe at one time, - Choose 20mm supply pipe to transport the water.    I'd suggest if you're using 100-300metres of Leaky, you can use 16mm supply pipe.

16mm supply pipe is available here in lengths of 50m and 100m
20mm supply pipe is available here in lengths of 50m and 100m

 
What should I consider when planning a layout for a LeakyPipe system?

Firstly, whether an area is big or small, you need to consider where the water is coming from and then where is the place or places you want to water.  Then work out an acceptable way to plumb the water between these places.  If you can plan ahead consider ducts under hard-surfacing or pathways and consider clipping supply polypipes to walls.  Consider if you need to run supply pipes up and over an obstacle.  

A really good design principal is to split or 'Tee' the flow of your source water in two directions around the garden, perhaps even closing the loop and creating a 'Ring Main'.   The action of 'tee-ing' the original flow, halves the flow and so slows down its speed.  The speed reduction helps reduce friction and subsequent pressure loss along the supply main.  In simple terms, this means the water is carried in such a way, that the nearest and farthest LeakyPipe laterals have a greater chance of working at similar pressures, which is good practice.  Designing supply pipe layouts is similar to planning electricity supplies in a house, where the cables in the wall is supply pipe, the connectors are sockets on the wall and the LeakyPipe is the electrical appliance you connect and use.  There are big similarities between the two resources as they both deal with flow and pressure.  Teeing-off is a good thing, so 'tee-off' to a border or island bed, before continuing to the next. Avoid running water through LeakyPipe and back into supply pipe to get to the next area (i.e. in series).
With this approach, you could consider making a border, hedge, tree or planter or any group of these into an 'Irrigation Zone'.  A 'Zone' can be replicated and then a group of zones could be watered sequentially to get the maximum use from a limited water source. 

A Zoned approach can also be useful if the areas to water are very different in their watering need.  The reasons could be related to aspect, rain shadow, drainage, exposure, plant characteristics, to name a few.   (But it doesn’t need to be that complicated).  

We also have a video on designing the layouts for various uses (hedge, mature trees, borders, vegetable plots etc)

 
I’ve an area with a lot of Planters. What do I do?

Planters that have drainage built into them, can be watered with LeakyPipe.  Just install about twice as much Leaky as you would in a border and connect the Leaky to a supply pipe polytube "Riser” that has been brought up through the planter.   The riser is usually 'tee-ed' into a polytube "main” that is running horizontally, perhaps under the planter/s to connect the planters together.  Because of the "hard” nature of the building works of a planter-based design, we recommend that 20 or 25mm MDPE "Blue” pipe or similar is used.  This is because it is tough and will stand more abuse while being installed as a part of the hard-works.    Compression to barbed fittings will then be needed to create the connection between the blue pipe and the LeakyPipe.  

Typical planter designs need small amounts of water, very frequently, so this is the approach you should have when setting up your watering times. 

 
I have a Hedge to water. How do I approach this problem?

If it’s a newly planted hedgeline, just lay out the LeakyPipe along the line, near to the stems.  If it’s a staggered, two row planting design or you are planting large hedge subjects, consider laying a "Tramline” of two lengths of LeakyPipe.  One for both lines or on either side of the larger hedge plants. 

The connection to the LeakyPipe can be made at the end of the laterals, (if there’s a slope, ideally at the top end).

Even better and especially if you want to water a hedge that is over 100metre long, connect the water supply pipe into the middle, bisecting the laterals.    Where this is possible, it is good practice because it can help balance the "system” and do a lot of watering, easily and all at once.  Then add a Timer!    Consider this way you can be watering 200metres of hedgeline, all at once and so easily.

 (See the Garden Design Videos available on this website).

 
I need to water a Maze

Mazes are difficult to water by conventional methods, but it doesn’t have to be with LeakyPipe.  Just form a ring main of supply pipe polytube around the perimeter of the Maze. From this, run supply polytube from the mid-point of each side, into and meet in the middle of the maze.  (From above, it would divide the Maze into a "Battenburg” type of design).  The water source can be fed into any part of this network of supply pipe polytubes,LeakyPipe is installed, perhaps in the soil alongside the plants. LeakyPipe can be 'tee-ed' into the closest supply pipe to water the various sections of maze hedging.  Imagine the saving from watering this problem area accurately with the bonus of not interrupting the use of the maze?


 
What about watering an Avenue of large trees?

When Trees are planted further apart than 5metres, it becomes economic and sensible to use a polytube "Spine” to carry the water from tree-to-tree, then tee off to each tree with a spiral of Leaky Pipe.    This negates the water being applied between each tree, saving that cost and also helping to discourage weed growth in that area.

When watering Extra Heavy Stock, (very large trees!) the Leaky Pipe Spiral needs to water three important areas.  It needs to water the root ball, (to keep the tree happy), the new soil surrounding it and really importantly, the margin between the two.  The reason for this is that it would be deleterious to root growth across from the rootball to the new soil, should the margin area have the conditions to allow it to shrink away from eachother, (as in Drought).  This will cause "checking” in the tree establishment and will affect the subsequent growth.  After the first Year, it can be sensible to relocate or limit the spiral so the rootball is no longer watered, to encourage roots out from under the tree, aiding structural rooting.  

 
Can I use a timer with LeakyPipe and if so, what should I set it for?

Watering Timers (simple and cheap) or Irrigation Controllers that can be monitored through the Internet, (Not so cheap!) are an incredibly sensible addition to a LeakyPipe System.  They aren’t a necessity, but are cost efficient, let alone convenient.    

(Don’t leave them out in the winter though.  Unlike LeakyPipe, timers do get damaged by frost!)  

Set watering up for say 30minutes per day at any time of the day that is sensible to your location.  This is a recommended guide for starting but you may need to adjust it to water more or less. Generally 30-60 minutes per day is needed through the summer.

On domestic systems, you can use a brass manifold screwed onto the tap. The manifold can allow you to connect two timers below it.  Alternatively, the Buddy2 timer is two timers rolled into one!  These are all great tools.

 
Do I need to add a pressure regulator to my LeakyPipe System?

Not really.  You could just throttle the water supply at the tap.  

However, if you have excessive pressure, it is a useful and easy addition to your system. Signs of excessive pressure include  fittings that keep blowing-off or when you see excessive pin-jetting of water away from LeakyPipe - Consider adding a Pressure Regulating Valve. (P.R.V.).    Incidentally, these are a better solution than "Pressure Step-down" devices as PRV's do adjust automatically as input pressure varies and downstream demand changes.

The PRVs have 3/4" thread and can be positioned immediately after the tap timer or direct onto the thread of your outside tap if no timer is used.

 
Does Leaky Pipe Systems Ltd ever install LeakyPipe?

We do install in some commercial landscaping situations.  Sometimes we work to consult, advise and train Contractors, on sites to do their own installation.  

In gardens, systems can be easy to DIY or perhaps employ a local garden maintenance firm who are familiar with our products.  ('Local', reduces cost).

 
If I sent you a plan of the area, can you advise me?

Yes, we can.  We can’t tell you everything you need, but we can give you good ideas.

Commercial Schemes are likely to need creation of zones and to accommodate other hard landscaping features, so you can certainly contact us for advice and estimates.


 
Do you offer design and installation advice to Landscape Architects and Development Designers?

Yes, some projects we work on can be years in the planning and are phased according to the Site Progress timelines.

Please contact us by e-mail or phone for advice.

 
Do I have to use my hosepipe to carry water to the Leaky Pipe?

You can choose to use your hose to bring water to the beginning of a length of LeakyPipe, perhaps connecting through a "snap-on” HoseSnap-LeakyPipe fitting.  This allows you to connect and disconnect as you please.  
Or you may choose to use polytube and barbed connectors to create a more permanent network of pipes to do your watering chores.

 
How difficult is it to use the connectors (barbed fittings)?

All the connectors and pipes we supply are materials that not only are compatible with each other, they are what we choose to use when we install.  So they should be OK.  
The barbs (ridges) on the connectors grip on the inside of the pipe. Cut pipe neat and square, push over the barbs on the connector, ensuring at least 2 or the 3 barbs are covered. A gentle 'wiggle' action can help. The pipe does not need to cover all the barbs.
Sometimes, particularly when it’s chilly, dipping supply pipe polytube into hot water to soften it, will help ease the insertion of the barbed connector.  
Soapy detergent can help with the slip-on, but don’t use any other form of lubricant.

 
Can I leave LeakyPipe out in the Frost?

You can leave LeakyPipe and the supply pipe polytubes out in the frost.  Water can freeze solid in LeakyPipe and it won’t effect the pipe for the next time it’s needed to irrigate.
Do remember to bring tap timers inside during the winter to avoid frost damage.

 
Does LeakyPipe degrade in Sunlight?

There is no significant U.V. degradation of LeakyPipe in direct sunlight in the UK.  LeakyPipe lasts many years and has proven to give good service where sensibly maintained.

 
How heavy is a roll of LeakyPipe?

100m roll of LeakyPipe weighs nominally 6kg and a roll of this can have dimensions 400mm by 400mm by 150mm.

250m roll of LeakyPipe weighs about 16kg, 450m roll weighs about 28kg.

Supply pipe is often wrapped with the smaller rolls of LeakyPipe, but no single item will exceed 30kg.

 
Why is your LeakyPipe more expensive than the stuff I see on Ebay & Amazon?

Because we know from our experience, to keep the high quality, we need to put more of the good stuff into it and take a lot of care along the way.  We pride the fact that it is the genuine, original porous rubber hose, LeakyPipe®. Much like 'Hoover' is often said to describe any vacuum cleaner, the phrase 'leaky pipe' can get used generically for a number of different porous, soaker or weeper hoses. 

LeakyPipe® is made is under our own quality rules, honed from thirty years of experience. We manufacture from materials that we won’t drop our standards on.  It is a product designed essentially for professional use, so we won’t degrade it to compete with the "foreign” sourced copies and risk the trust of our customers.

We don't currently sell on eBay or amazon, so please be wary of products you find on online marketplaces and check who the manufacturer is. Look for the LeakyPipe® logo to find the original product.

 
Do you offer a quotation service for the larger quantities that your online shop doesn’t cater for?

Yes.  If you have a potential larger list of materials, please feel free to email us and we will offer you the best deal we can.  sales@leakypipe.co.uk

 
Can I connect LeakyPipe to MDPE blue pipe?

Yes, you can, but you have to use compression to barbed fittings as the Blue pipe is too stiff to accept barbed fittings directly.  

 
What would you suggest for an enclosed Courtyard area?

Enclosed courtyards can create peculiar micro-climates within themselves.  Especially if the walls or buildings that surround them are tall.  Please look for the Courtyard Discussion on our video "Design Information for Designers and Contractors".  It may be very relevant to divide the courtyard watering system up into four 'Zones' to water separately and cater for very differing requirements (dry hot zone, cool shaded zone etc).

 
What would you suggest for watering a Vegetable Garden?

There are discounted kits available for vegetable garden layouts, on our online catalogue - click here for a direct link.

Fruit & Veg’ gardens lend themselves to a lot of short lengths of LeakyPipe, laid either along the rows, or between close-spaced rows, each 'tee-ed' into a supply polytube "manifold” pipe.  Each take-off could have a in-line tap incorporated in the pipework so you can isolate individual lines when desired, without turning off the rest of the system. The vegetable plot kits come in various sizes and include isolation in-line taps.

 
What If I want to use water from a stagnant lake or river?

The problem with this source is that it is invariably 'dirty' and heavy with particulate that needs to be filtered out of the flow, before the LeakyPipe becomes the filter!   Filtering on these sources can be both expensive relative to the size of use and inconvenient.

Again pumping will be required to create a pressure of 1-2 bar at the LeakyPipe for LP12H to work properly (less pressure is needed for higher porosity pipes, but fewer and shorter lengths of LeakyPipe can be watering at any one time).


 
What if I want to use a rainwater tank?

Fine to do this.  The water will need to be pressurized to give you 1-2bar working pressure at the LeakyPipe.  Keep the water in a light-free container (to avoid algae growth) and store as much as you can afford. Your stored water is invariably needed most during a drought, but rain water is least available at this time.  Therefore a mains top-up facility may be needed. Consider the capital investment in this (large tank and pump) compared to the variable cost of buying mains water and using it wisely.  It may be a better deal!