5 Common Problems With Malfunctioning Sprinkler Systems

During the middle of the summer, few things can be as frustrating as a sprinkler system that suddenly stops working. However, as frustrating as the problem can be, there is luckily a series of common problems that can possibly be fixed without the need to call a repair company.

One common cause for a malfunctioning sprinkler system is that the sprinkler head needs to be replaced. A broken sprinkler head will be relatively obvious; it will have cracked or broken casing on the heads, or the heads simply won’t pop up when the rest of the system does. Sometimes the top of the head is completely broken off. To replace the sprinkler head, turn off the system and dig a hole around the head that is 2 feet in diameter. Use a square shovel to slice the sod into easy-to-remove pieces and set the sod aside so you can put it back later. Dig down to the “riser,” a vertical pipe that branches off the main line. Turn the head counter clockwise to remove it.

Sometimes, instead of replacing the entire sprinkler head, it just needs to be cleaned and reset. Dirt inside the head will cause a clog, causing it not to spray or to spray wildly. To clean it, remove it from the riser and take it apart. Remove the plastic screen basket, which is used as a filter, and rinse in a bucket of clean water. You may have to adjust the sprinkler head to a specific area whenever you are done cleaning.

There may also be a leak in the watering system. Once the leak has been found, dig down to the water line and enlarge the hole along the line until you find the actual break. Turn off the system and use a slip coupling to repair it.

Low water pressure could be a problem due to valves on the back flow pipe that will not open enough. These valves will be above group. Make sure the valve handle is parallel to the pipe.

The final common cause of malfunction in watering system is crushed pipes, often due to tree roots. You may have to lay a new section of pipe to recover proper water flow in this case.

If you have tried all of these solutions to no avail, or if you would just like assistance in any of the repair ideas given above, be sure to search for sprinkler repair in San Marcos, visit this website.