Drip Irrigation Tubing: How to Prevent Kinks and How to Fix Them

Gardening with a drip irrigation system is convenient and rewarding, but kinked tubing can disrupt your system. Tubing is the most essential component of a drip irrigation system as it carries water from your source to the base of your plants. However, all tubing is prone to some kinking if not installed correctly. Irrigation tubing with a large diameter (ID) is more prone to kinking, especially when it is twisted or bent sharply.

Kinks in tubing can cause many more problems than you would imagine. They disrupt water flow, reduce pressure, increase stress on tubing, decrease flow rates, compromise product quality, and may even pose safety risks. Knowing how to prevent kinks in tubing and how to fix them can save you money, time, and ensure your watering system continues to run smoothly.

In this drip irrigation guide, we'll teach you strategies to prevent kinking in tubing and repair it for optimal system functionality.

How to Prevent Kinks in Drip Irrigation Tubing

Below are some helpful ways to prevent kinking in tubing or hoses.

Choosing the Right Tubing

The first preventive step is to select the appropriate tubing material for your application. Certain tubing materials are more kink-resistant than others, such as polyethylene tubing, polyurethane, and flexible PVC tubing. These tubing materials offer durability and flexibility, as well as kink resistance, ensuring a consistent water flow in drip irrigation systems. Polyethylene drip tubing available at DripWorks is a favorite among gardeners and farmers due to its flexibility, strength, and ability to withstand harsh environments.

In addition to the right material, choose tubing with the correct diameters and sizes. Drip tubing with a larger diameter can be more susceptible to kinking, especially with sharp bends.

Polyethylene Tubing: This is a durable mainline tubing that transports water from your water source to the roots of plants. The water is then released by drip lines, emitters, sprinklers, or sprayers.

1/2" Emitter Tubing: 1/2-inch poly tubing is another durable and flexible drip tubing with pre-installed pressure-compensating (PC) emitters. It is perfect for watering long rows on hilly or flat terrain.

1/4" Soaker Dripline: This is 1/4-inch poly tubing with pre-installed emitters every 6, 9, or 12 inches. It is kink-resistant, flexible, and can be used in containers, garden beds, and planters, wrapped around trees and shrubs, and run down straight rows.

Oval Hose: This is a larger diameter poly tubing in an oval shape that can be easily coiled. This tubing is commonly used as a low-pressure supply line or a header line for drip tape.

Secure the Tubing

Another way to prevent kinks in your drip tubing is by securing the tubing with hold-down stakes, or clamps. These tools keep tubes or lines in place and prevent them from sagging and kinking.

Also Read: The Top 10 Most Common Drip Irrigation Mistakes

Allow the Slack

When laying out the drip tubing, avoid pulling it. Allow for some slack to accommodate natural pipe movement and system changes. This prevents kinks from occurring due to tension. Also, avoid excessive slack as it may lead to sagging.

Avoid Sharp Bends

When you're installing the drip irrigation system, ensure the tubing is not bent or twisted too tightly, as this can cause kinking. Tubing should follow gradual, smooth curves with the appropriate bending radius, rather than sharp angles. For more precision, consider using a tube bender or bending spring.

Use Elbow Fittings

Always use elbow fittings to navigate 90-degree turns and corners, rather than trying to force the tubing to bend sharply. Elbows and other drip fittings protect tubing and reduce the risk of kinking. Many gardeners use elbow fittings to make smooth 90-degree turns in tubing, hoses, or pipes. Mainline tubing in a drip system can kink on corners, so every turn should have an elbow fitting.

Regularly Inspect

This is an important step in maintaining and caring drip irrigation system. Inspect your drip tubing regularly for signs of kinks, cracks, wear, or damage. Replace the damaged tubing part to keep the system working smoothly.

How to Fix Kinks in Drip Irrigation Tubing

If your pipes or tubing experience some kinks, here are some simple ways to fix them before they keep your system from working efficiently to irrigate your plants.

Gentle Twisting

It is possible to fix minor kinks by gently twisting the tubing or massaging the kinked part to loosen it.

Sunlight Exposure

If the tubing remains still kinked after untwisting, lay it in the sun for some time to soften it and straighten out naturally.

Heat the Tubing

Sometimes, using warm water to soften the tubing can also help remove kinks or dimples. For this, prepare hot water at a moderately high temperature, and carefully soak the kinked or bent part of the tubing in it for a short time. After a while, gently straighten the tubing while it is warm and flexible. Allow the tube to cool and harden in its position.

Water Pressure

Another way to fix kinks is to run water through your drip system to pressurize the tubing. This can sometimes help smooth out minor kinks.

Cutting and Using Couplers

Severe kinks can be fixed by cutting out the damaged section of tubing and reattaching it with a coupler. For this method, use a sharp poly tubing cutter to remove the kinked part. Make clean and smooth cuts. Insert the coupler at the ends of the tubing. You may need to use hose clamps or any fastener to secure the coupler tightly to the tubing. After reconnecting the tubing, turn on the water and check for leaks around the coupler. Make sure the coupler is compatible with the size of the drip tubing.

The Bottom Line

Kinks in tubing can block water flow, resulting in uneven watering for your garden and leaving your plants thirsty. Therefore, prioritizing kink prevention is crucial for the efficiency, safety, and longevity of your irrigation system. These simple tips will help you minimize kinks in tubing and keep your system working properly.

Looking for high-quality, flexible, and kink-resistant tubing? DripWorks carries a large selection of premium-quality irrigation tubing, driplines, and garden hoses. Additionally, we offer an extensive collection of fittings, including elbows, adapters, and connectors, to ensure your tubing is securely attached.