We all know that feeling of turning something on, only to find out it isn’t working. It’s especially frustrating when you have no idea what’s wrong.
So if you turn on your sprinkler system and it isn't working right, you can try to troubleshoot the issue before it gets worse.
A broken or damaged sprinkler system can hike up your water bill and even damage your landscape and home if left unattended. So before summer gets into full swing, take the time to troubleshoot any potential irrigation problems.
Here are five things to look for to figure out whether your sprinkler system is faulty and needs repairs.
One of the first red flags you’re going to notice when you start your sprinkler system is if there’s a problem with the controller. It’s the brains of the operation, so fix it if it won’t turn on or has other issues.
Before you go any further, make sure your water is turned back on correctly. It could be that simple.
You should also check the transformer output to make sure it’s at the right level for your specific model. Also make sure all the wires going in and out of the irrigation controller are in good shape.
Most electrical issues happen in the yard, inside the valve boxes themselves. These are more susceptible to the weather and damage than wiring at the controller. If multiple sprinkler valves don’t work, check the common wire inside the valve box. If it is loose, multiple valves will not turn on in that box.
Do your sprinkler heads barely spray any water, or are they more like geysers spewing water everywhere?
When sprinkler heads don’t fully pop out of the ground or provide poor water coverage, it may be due to low pressure.
If you have low water pressure, there are a few things you can do. First, make sure there’s not a blockage in the spray head or around it. If not, you may have an underground leak that needs repair. Sometimes a broken head somewhere can rob pressure.
This could also result from lower water pressure in the neighborhood. If you are on a community well and 12 houses are built in a year, you may notice a drop in pressure.
A sign that your water pressure is too high is misting instead of a steady spray. Consistently high water pressure can wear out your system faster.
You can install sprinkler heads that regulate water pressure or add pressure reducers to the valves. This will optimize spray, water usage, and evaporation.
Another water-pressure-related problem is when your sprinkler head doesn’t pop up when you turn the system on.
You may need to use a pressure gauge to check the water pressure.
Another possible cause is something physically keeping the head from coming up. Make sure no plant material or dirt is on top of the head. Debris like sand can usually cause them to stick.
Unless you’re going for the marshy look, damp spots around your landscape aren’t good — especially when they appear after turning your sprinkler system on.
You could have a leak, high water pressure, heads installed too close together, poor drainage or a watering schedule that's out of whack.
Another tip for sprinkler system troubleshooting: adjusting your watering schedule to ensure you aren’t watering too often and grading areas for proper drainage will help you figure out whether the issue is external or internal.
If none of that helps, you’ll need to find the source of the leak.
If your property has hills or significant elevation changes, your system will drain to the lowest head and puddle after running. You can solve this by installing check valves at each head.
Do your sprinklers always miss the same spot, leaving it dry and brown? Or do multiple heads spray the same area relentlessly?
A well-designed spray pattern is key to an efficient sprinkler system.
You can adjust the spray heads so that they reach the desired areas (and not things like sidewalks or driveways). Broken heads can also cause this issue, so you may need to replace them.
You can do some things on your own if your sprinkler system is giving you a hard time, like removing dirt and debris from the spray head and maybe even replacing damaged heads.
But there are certain tasks that can cause you to do more harm than good: fixing a damaged line, moving spray heads, updating your controller or changing your heads' arc.
Instead of troubleshooting your sprinkler system—and possibly damaging it further—turn to a professional.
At Outback Landscape, we have years of experience installing, maintaining and updating sprinkler systems throughout the Idaho Falls area.
We recommend sprinkler tune-ups and audits at least once a year to ensure your system works correctly and efficiently. Here are some of the things we cover:
Regular sprinkler audits help us catch potential problems before they become big, costly ones. It will also show us ways to save you even more water (and money).
Now is the time to get your sprinklers checked out and up and running before the full heat of summer hits. And we can help with that.
Call us at 208-656-3220 or contact us online to see how we can repair your sprinkler system and make it more efficient.