How often do you inspect your MO sprinkler system? Do you know how to turn it off in the fall
and reopen it again in the spring?
Do you know how to troubleshoot outdoor sprinkler system problems, such as
- A broken valve or solenoid?
- A sprinkler head that won’t pop up?
- Brown spots on your yard that should be a lush green?
- Ponding in one area?
- Longer watering time?
Your Branson irrigation system does break down after years of use. It works hard during the
hottest times of the summer, and things do need to be cleaned or replaced.
What You Need to Know About Home Lawn Sprinkler System Maintenance
Ideally, you should turn off your sprinkler system by the end of the fall. It should be “blown out,”
so there is no water left in the system—including the pipes, spray heads, or other parts of the
sprinkler system.
In the spring, you should turn on the sprinkler system and give it a maintenance check. Make
sure all spray heads pop up, and the water sprays the correct distance from each nozzle.
Also, if there’s too much water pressure pushing out a lot of water, you should install a pressure
regulator to lower the pressure.
As spring turns to summer, you’ll need to water your AR lawn more often. So, you’ll need to
adjust the outflow accordingly. Don’t forget to reset your timer in the fall when you don’t need to
water as often.
Read more: Get a Handle on Lawn Fungus
Generally, in-ground sprinkler systems last about 20 years and should save you water over the
long term.
And yet, they need regular maintenance to ensure no water leaks and that your turfgrass gets
an even amount of water.
How to Perform a Home Lawn Sprinkler System Maintenance Check
You should inspect your lawn sprinkler system once a month by walking around your yard
looking for leaks, heads that won’t pop up, and any brown spots where the water isn’t reaching.
Here are five common in-ground sprinkler system problems that crop up:
1. Sprinkler heads not working: Spray heads can get clogged with dirt, or they may break
due to a run-in with the lawn mower. Either way, you need to clean out the heads or
replace a broken one to fix the problem.
2. Low water pressure at the spray heads: You may notice that the spray heads won’t
pop up in one zone or that there’s hardly any water coming out of the nozzles.
You could have a crushed or broken water line that you can repair. Tree roots or driving
your car on your lawn can damage water lines. You’ll need to dig up the broken pipe and
replace it.
3. Sprinkler system zones aren’t working: If one zone doesn’t work, it could be low
voltage going from the controller to the zone’s solenoid. The solenoid may be
disconnected or damaged, or it could be a broken valve. You can replace all of these
parts.
If multiple zones don’t work, the transformer may not be working or low voltage near the
controller. Again, you can repair or replace these parts if you understand how an
irrigation system works.
Learn more: How Yard Drainage Prevents Flooding from Spring Rains
4. The spray head the farthest away from the valve isn’t working: If you see water
leaking around a zone valve, you may need to replace that valve.
Also, make sure that the valve is installed correctly. If you put the valve in backward, it
could cause the sprinkler head not to spray water.
If the leaking is due to a dirty spray head, remove the head and clean it. If you notice that
the sprinkler head is cracked or broken, change it for a new one.
5. Puddling or ponding near a zone valve: You’ll need to troubleshoot the valve by
tightening the screws that cover the anti-siphon device that’s built into the valve.
If the valve’s torn or damaged, you need to take out the diaphragm and replace it with a
new one. Conversely, a cracked valve body will also need replacement.
When to Call Your Lawn Sprinkler Service Near You
If you’re not handy around underground sprinkler systems, then you need to call in a pro who’ll
fix your system correctly.
You don’t want to mess around your lawn sprinkler system if you don’t know what you’re doing
because it could result in a muddy mess!
Instead, you need to call Zanescapes Tree and Yard to maintain your MO irrigation system. At
Zanescapes, you’ll have a professional and licensed irrigation contractor work on your sprinkler
system to find and troubleshoot the problem quickly.
At Zanescapes Tree and Yard, we provide the following outdoor sprinkler system services:
- Lawn sprinkler system installation
- Regular irrigation system maintenance
- Drainage design and implementation
- Irrigation system installment winterization
- Outdoor sprinkler spring turn-on service.
Springfield and Branson, MO homeowners and property managers know that Zanescapes Tree
and Yard does quality work and provides professional in-ground irrigation service. Contact
Zanescapes today by calling 417-332-2333 or filling out our contact form.
Zanescapes Tree and Yard work in the following service areas: Blue Eye, Branson, Joplin,
Kimberling City, Nixa, Ozark, and Springfield in Missouri and Harrison, AR.
Sources:
EPA.gov, Sprinkler Spruce-Up.
TheSpruce.com, All About Automatic Irrigation Systems.
Ibid, How to Troubleshoot Your Lawn Irrigation System.
