Investigate the problem with your leaky or creaky sprinkler system
Many sprinkler problems result from electrical errors and may require replacing the controller or hiring a sprinkler professional.
Common issues to troubleshoot include low water pressure, leaking sprinkler, zone valve problems, and broken sprinkler heads.
Repairing a sprinkler costs about $300 on average.
If you’re experiencing sprinkler problems, it’s time to learn how to troubleshoot your sprinkler system to figure out the issue.
Keep in mind that sprinklers connect to your water source and use electricity to operate, so make sure you feel comfortable troubleshooting your sprinkler system before fixing DIY style. A local sprinkler service can diagnose the issue if you’re unsure. Here are seven ways to address common sprinkler problems.
Errors with the irrigation controller used to operate your system can be especially frustrating. A blank display, sprinklers refusing to come up or retract, and uneven spray patterns are just a few of the issues.
As with most electric appliances, make sure you run through the basic checklist first:
Check to make sure the device is on.
Check if the battery needs replacing or if the backup battery needs recharging.
Check the device to make sure there isn’t obvious damage to it.
Be sure the controls you’ve pre-set are still what you want them to be. (Make sure no one changed them by accident.)
If your controller passes this checklist, it’s likely something further down the line causing issues. Avoid taking apart your controller unless you know how to put it back together. Instead, consider hiring a sprinkler professional for help troubleshooting your controller issues. If they are unable to fix your controller, you’ll need to purchase a new controller that can cost as much as $325.
Leaking sprinklers leave puddles around your water and unevenly water your yard. If the problem persists, you could cause damage to your lawn or worse—water drainage issues that could affect structures on your property.
To troubleshoot the issue, turn your water supply off first and then search the sprinkler in question for obvious signs, such as:
Clogged sprinkler head
Clogged filter
Dirty or clogged valve
Loose or damaged valves
Often, you can fix a leaking sprinkler by unscrewing the nozzle and removing any dirt or debris inside the sprinkler head. Next, use a pair of needle-nose pliers to gently remove the filter to clean it. If this does not fix the issue, or you have a loose or broken valve, you might need to replace them.
Most lawn irrigation systems use zoning to channel water to specific parts of your yard. This system allows your entire yard to receive a soaking without negatively affecting water pressure inside the home, which could disrupt appliance performance.
Unfortunately, sometimes a zone will stop working, or your sprinkler system will just skip a zone altogether, which can greatly affect the health of your grass in the affected zones.
In all likelihood, the issue is an electrical one. Either your controller is defective, or the solenoid valve, which is opened and closed using your controller, is faulty.
Regardless of which type of sprinkler head you have, even small cracks can cause issues, such as pooling water or uneven distribution across your lawn. Blunt trauma can break the head clean off, but small amounts of wear and tear over time (your lawnmower repeatedly passing over it, for example) can lead to cracks or chips that deteriorate performance.
Frozen water left inside your pipes in the fall can lead to liquid expansion, which may crack your sprinkler heads, too. This is why hiring local lawn aeration services and troubleshooting sprinkler system issues in the fall to remove water and microbes is very important.
Sprinkler heads cost between $3 and $30 to replace—and even more if you have a professional do it. If you choose the DIY route to replacing your damaged sprinkler head, be sure to order one that matches your system.
Troubleshooting low water pressure with your sprinkler is one of the most frustrating problems, as the leak could be anywhere in the system—damage at the sprinkler head, a clog in the valve, or even a rupture in the sprinkler line beneath. If not addressed, your sprinkler system will not properly irrigate your lawn and could cause long term damage or even death of your grass.
Fixing a buried sprinkler line will require a shovel to turn up dirt, and you may have to dig several feet to find where the fault lies. Outsourcing this task if it seems out of your wheelhouse is recommended.
A small leak or crack can lead to whining or high-pitched screeching noises from your sprinkler. Water pressure builds up when liquid moves through your sprinklers, and these imperfections in your system can lead to unexpected noises.
Although strange sounds aren’t the most serious problem on this list, it can be an early warning sign of greater issues happening within your system. To stop the sounds, replacing the sprinkler head or applying epoxy putty to the dried small hole is your best bet.
In certain areas, especially drought-prone and urban locations, you must run your sprinklers during off-hours (late at night or early in the morning) to avoid low water pressure. Double-check to make sure you didn’t set your sprinkler to run twice by accessing your controller, or that the settings weren’t interrupted or changed by accident. If left unaddressed, you will likely end up with a large water bill, a poorly watered lawn, and possibly even a violation depending on local regulations.
If it continues, your controller may, once again, be the problem. If so, you might be able to fix it by looking up your specific controller’s instruction manual online and resetting your system.
