A Sprinkler system is an essential part of watering and maintaining our lawn and garden. It is quite common to experience panic when our sprinkler system doesn’t work. But don’t get panic, there are several reasons why the sprinkler system stops working. Some of these problems can be fixed at home. Check out this article to learn the problems that a sprinkler system can face and how to fix them. In other words, we will be sharing a sprinkler repair guide.
Working on a sprinkler system
Before we see how to fix sprinkler repairs you must understand it’s working. The mechanism involved in the underground sprinklers is very simple.
First, this sprinkler system is composed of a few key components. It consists of a water supply pipe, a valve box, irrigation zones controlled by an individual zone valve, and an electrical controller. In addition to this, a sprinkler system will also include a diaphragm, solenoid, and sprinkler head.
Water to the sprinklers is supplied through a pipe that is connected to the main source of water. Once the water is supplied it passes through a valve box and gets divided among underground irrigation zones. Some homes usually the smaller ones will have a single zone. On the other hand, bigger homes with huge lawns may have multiple zones. Each of these zones can be controlled by a zone valve. Further, these zone valves are in turn controlled and run through an electrical controller.
Furthermore, one important part of a sprinkler system is a diaphragm that is connected to the zone valve. This diaphragm gets a signal through the solenoid attached to the zone valve. They send the signals to the diaphragm that controls the flow of water, the opening of the valve, and the closing of the valve. Once the zone valve is open it sends water through underground water tubing that in return distributes water through a sprinkler head.
Understanding the basic working of a sprinkler system is important to fix sprinkler repair. Now that we have the different components and their functions let’s check how to repair a sprinkler.
Different types of sprinkler problems and solutions to them
1. Sprinkler head not working properly
The first common issue with the sprinkler system is with the head. In case you are facing an issue with the sprinkler head follow the below-mentioned steps before taking professional help.
Begin your repair by finding the issue with the sprinkler head. Check to see if the head is broken or damaged in any way. If that’s the case the best thing would be to change them. However, in case the head is not damaged or don’t find any issue with it then, remove your sprinkler head. Next, clean the head of any debris or dirt attached to it.
Next re-fix the sprinkler head and try to turn it on. In case they start working properly then you have nothing to worry about. Otherwise, replace the sprinkler head with a new one.
2. Producing of low water supply by the sprinkler head
The next common sprinkler repair is sprinkler head is not producing water supply properly. Low water supply by the sprinkler head can be caused by several issues. Let’s consider one issue at a time.
The first thing you need to do is check the backflow of the system. Usually, a sprinkler pipe that is connected to the head includes a control system. This is called a block flow device it is usually located above the ground and lost to the pipe that runs underground. Make sure the backflow device is turned on completely. A half-turned device can reduce the speed of the water and result in a low water supply.
One other issue that can affect water supply issues is the pipe. There may be a leak in the water pipe that is supplying water to the sprinkler head. Check the water supply line from the source to the head to look for any leaks. In case you find any leak fix it immediately. Finally, in case you see no issue with the backflow or leak in the water supply check the irrigation line.
At times the irrigation line that supplies water to all zones can be crushed or damaged which can affect the flow of water supply. So located your irrigation pipe and check to see if it’s crushed or damaged. In case it’s crushed or damaged you need to dig up the pipe and replace it with a new one.
3. Leakage in zone valve or sprinkler head
The third common type of issue that you can face with the sprinkler system is leakage. In case you come across leakage in the zone valve, first check and tighten the screws. Despite this, if the leak continues then check to see the working condition of a diaphragm. Suppose the part is damaged or not functioning properly then replace the diaphragm. Lastly, check the zone valve body, any damage to the body can lead to leakage so fix this immediately.
On the other hand, in case of leakage in the sprinkler head, it may be the result of dirt in the head. So, carefully remove the sprinkler head and clean it of all dirt and debris. Also, check the valve zone and flow direction to check its condition. Case of any issue with these parts can lead to leakage in the sprinkler head, so get them fixed first.
Bottom line
To sum it up, sprinkler repair can be done by understanding the working of the system. Most minor defects can be detected and corrected. In this article, we have shared information about working the sprinkler systems and the most cook sprinkler repairs which can be fixed.
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