Owning an automatic irrigation system for your lawn is one of the simplest, hassle-free ways of making your lawn look good and stay in top shape all year long. With just the right amount of water these systems can provide to your yard, and a fully automated system, you will truly hit the jackpot with one of these masterpieces. On the downside, you will need to worry about periodically doing some maintenance or repair work on your these devices. However, at the end of the day, the benefits of owning a sprinkler system will be greater than the downfalls of having to perform some repairs on them.
Plus, it is possible to handle most of these repairs on your own, without having to hire expert help and pay loads of money. If you are currently looking for a few quick and useful sprinkler system repair tips, you’ve reached just the right page. We are about to tell you how to successfully find and repair some of the most common sprinkler issues – before you head over to the Yellow Pages and call a professional repairman.
Don’t Worry, The Risks Are Minimum
One of the main reasons why you might avoid trying to repair a sprinkler system is related to the mix of electricity and plumbing. However, all the pipes are made of plastic and they are a lot simpler to fix compared to regular home plumbing pipes. Plus, the low voltage electrical lines should not pose any threats to your safety either. You will need to use a multimeter in order to accurately diagnose the kind of electrical problems you are dealing with.
Knowing how your sprinkler system works will help you perform the repairs a lot simpler. For starters, know that the controller is the one that sends signals to the control valves located in the valve box. Once the valves are open, it will start to send water via the water line found underground. This will, in turn, make the heads of the sprinkler pop up and start spraying your yard.
Broken Sprinkler Head Repairs
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Dealing with a broken sprinkler head is one of the most common issues you might be dealing with. One of the fastest solutions is to have the heads replaced. This can be done by exposing the riser and unscrewing the broken sprinkler head. You will, of course, need a new head to replace the old one. Make sure you screw it tightly with your hands.
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A damaged sprinkler head will look cracked or appear to be broken. Search for signs of broken casing on the heads or heads that refuse to pop when the system is enabled. Another sign that you are dealing with a broken sprinkler head is the water spraying randomly or not spraying at all. It is a common thing for the top of the head to break off, especially if it was set too high or it was run over by a car.
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You should have no problem replacing a broken or damaged sprinkler head with one you can find at a home center. The trick is to buy the same exact head. Replacement is easy: all you need to do is turn off the sprinkler and dig a hole around the head. The hole should be around two feet in diameter. With the help of a square shovel, you will next need to slice the sod into parts that can be easily removed. Place the sod on a tarp and do not forget to set it back when you are done replacing the head.
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Make sure you do not damage the plastic water pipes. They are usually found between 8 to 12 inches under the ground. Also, avoid using Teflon tape on the threads.
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If the sprinkler heads are clogged by dirt and debris, set the head apart and use water to rinse away any traces of soil in a bucket. You can tell you are dealing with this issue if the heads rise up but do not actually spray any water, or they fail to lower after the watering process is complete.
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Prior to your digging, make sure you call 811 and have the underground utility lines clearly marked by pros to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Of course, if all this sounds too complicated or time-consuming for you, you can always opt for an expert sprinkler repair service like ours. Enjoy your spare time playing your favorite games of online roulette and relaxing after a hectic day at work, rather than shopping for sprinkler heads or cleaning and reseting damaged heads.
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