Sprinkler Repair FAQs

Welcome to our irrigation system repair FAQ´s section.

Here you will find answers to the most common concerns related to the maintenance and repair of your irrigation system. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.

General Questions about Sprinkler Repair

How often should I have my sprinkler system serviced?

It is recommended to have your sprinkler system serviced at once a year, or when you notice any dry areas, overly wet spots or a change in your water bill.

Can I fix an irrigation sprinkler problem myself or should I hire a professional?

Simple problems like adjusting or replacing nozzles can be fixed by yourself, but for issues with leaks, valves, wiring or timers, we recommended contacting a professional.

How can I reduce my water bill, but keep my yard green?

To keep water bills low, but your yard green, you have three options. For the most savings do all three:

Adjust your zones to run just the minutes required for a good result. If your system has all zones set for exactly the same time then it is certain that some are overwatering and some may be under watering. Walk your yard and look at the health of plants in each zone. In any zone that looks good, take a few minutes off the run time. If a zone doesn't look as good, then consider increasing that zone - as long as you stay within any local watering restrictions.
Install a Smart timer. This one change will save up to 20% of your annual water cost, without having to make any other changes to your sprinkler system or landscaping. Call for more information.
Change some (or all) sprinkler zones from spray to drip irrigation. This puts the water at the base of each plant and tree instead of spraying water in the air, much of which is lost to evaporation or the wind.
Change your landscaping over to plants that can get along with less water.

If you do all four you could cut your annual water bill in half or better!. Additionally, many cities offer rebates for doing conversion to smart timer or drip irrigation.

How can I tell whether my sprinkler system needs a repair?

Your system needs repair if you see any of these indicators

Jump in your water bill
Water spraying in the air
Driveway, house or street getting wet
Dry spots in the yard
Soggy or squishy spots in the yard
Sprinklers not turning on in a zone, or not turning off
Water pooling around valves
If it has been more than a year since your last tune up

What is included in a sprinkler tune up?

A Sprinkler Tune Up consists of the following steps:

Inspection of timer function and settings
Inspection of valve function
Scan of yard to spot leaks from pipes
Inspection of heads, nozzles, drip lines in each zone
Each zone is turned on from the timer and inspected during operation
Adjustment, repair or replacement of any components not operating at 100%.

Why did my system stop running?

The most common reason for an entire system to simply cease operation is a failure of power to the timer. Timers have a battery that will maintain memory and might also keep the display functioning. The display will not always turn off if power is interrupted. Often power loss is caused by a GFI plug circuit breaker having been tripped.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sprinkler Leaks

How do I know if my sprinkler system has a leak?

Signs of a leak in your sprinkler system may include water pooling in certain areas, sprinkler heads not popping up all the way in one zone or higher than usual water bills.

I got a huge water bill, what should I do?

Check your water meter to see if you have a continuous leak. If you do, the meter will display that water is running even if you have everything turned off. Then it's a matter of determining whether the leak is in the house or the yard. If no continuous leak, then increased water use is may be due to a broken sprinkler head or drip irrigation part that allows much more water to pass through a zone than usual, when that zone is running.

What if there is a leak in just one zone of my sprinkler system, and the leak only occurs when that zone is running?

If you find a leak in one zone of your sprinkler system, you should turn off that zone by setting its run time to 0 minutes. Then decide if you want to give the repair a try yourself, ask your gardener, or call us.

What should I do if the area near the valves is wet or muddy all the time?

If you find a constantly wet spot near your valves, there may not be a problem. After each zone runs, some water may drip out of the valve for a few minutes. If a valve drips constantly (24/7), or if the soil around the valves appears wet all the time then give us a call. We'll figure out if there is a valve problem (which is often easily fixed) or possibly a pinhole leak in the pipes below the valves (not so easy).

Can you fix a leak in a galvanized iron pipe?

IN some cases, yes. We recommend giving it a try because replacing a galvanized system is expensive. Our philosophy is to get the most life out of your existing system.

Frequently Asked Questions About Timers

Why do my sprinklers seem to have a mind of their own? The zones run over and over again.

Your timer may be set with more than one 'start time'. Most yards need just one start time - often in the early morning. One start time is all that is needed to run all your zones in sequence. Timers offer the option of more than one start time, but for most residential irrigation systems only one is needed.

How long should a timer last?

Timers that are protected from the sun and weather will last for decades. A timer mounted outside and in direct sun may last half as long. But not to worry, timers are not expensive and they are not difficult to replace.

When should I water?

In the early morning (5 AM for example). This gives the water time to soak in before the sun comes up and when it does come up water is dried off of leaves to reduce the chance of mold or fungus. Watering in the evening increases evaporation due to air and soil being warm and leaves plants wet all night, increasing mold and fungus issues.

Why did my system stop running?

What should I do if I suspect an issue with the timer?

If you suspect an issue with your timer, you may find an answer on Google or YouTube. Or, call us for a free estimate. During your estimate we'll inspect your timer and make any simple changes that may be needed to get it up and running again. We often find that timers only need a few settings changed to resume normal operation. But if the timer has reached the end of its service life we will be able to replace it for you. New timers are not expensive, with a standard 6 zone timer being about $65 and a 6 zone smart timer being about $120.

How long should each zone run?

Almost all cities in the Los Angeles area have set specific days that you can water and the length of time allowed for each zone. To find out what is allowed in your city, search 'watering days in [city name]'. Most cities allow watering twice a week with grass area run time being 10 minutes (15 minutes if you have high efficiency sprinkler nozzles) and 30 minutes for zones that run drip irrigation.

What is a 'Smart Timer?

Smart timers adjust watering for each zone to meet its particular needs, and keep track of the season and weather to adjust watering for your entire yard. They will water more in the summer and less in the winter when days are shorter and cooler. They also hold off watering when it rains, and automatically start again when the sun comes out. Without any other changes to your sprinkler system or landscaping they can save 20% on your annual water bill.

Frequently Asked Questions About Valves

What if a sprinkler won't shut off?

Hint: Its not the timer!

If you get up in the morning and you discover a sprinkler is running and won't stop, you should turn off the water to the sprinkler system and contact Smart Sprinkler Repair to have it repaired.

Many homes have a water shut off valve just for the sprinkler system, and if you do have one it will usually be located at the front of the house where the water main comes in from the street. Second most likely place would be near the sprinkler valves.

If your home does not have a separate shut off valve for the sprinkler system, rather than shut off the water to your entire home, try this: If you know where your sprinklers are located, put your hand on each valve in turn to find which is vibrating, a sign that water is flowing through it. Then, if it has a knob in the center of the valve, turn that off (right). Not all valves have a volume adjustment knob, so this will work for most but not all valves. This will keep this valve from opening and your yard will go dry, so give us a call so that we can repair it.

Should I replace old valves?

Valves may look old and still have years of life in them. We recommend rebuilding any valve that leaks or fails and replace any valve for which there are no longer replacement parts.

Why does just one valve fail to come on?

There may be a loose wire, bad solenoid (the electrical component of each valve that responds to the signal from the timer), or possibly the volume control on the valve has been turned off. There are also some very small channels for water to pass through inside each valve that are subject to being clogged.

I'm told that my sprinkler system has a leak or I can see water dribbling out at a sprinkler head. What is going on?

You have a leaking valve. Sprinkler valves have rubber parts that can wear out, or sediment in the water such as chunks of rusted iron or sand can prevent the diaphragm from closing, Even a very tiny leak is enough to result in a wet spot in the yard, or a notice from the city. We'll figure out which valve is leaking and either rebuild it (if possible) or replace it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Drip Irrigation

What is Drip irrigation?

Drip irrigation is a type of low-flow irrigation system that delivers water directly to the roots of plants through a network of tubes and emitters, which measure out water at rates appropriate to the type and size of each plant. Drip irrigation systems are more efficient than spray, as they use less water while still providing what each plant needs.

I've had problems with drip irrigation

Selecting the right equipment and having it installed professionally can avoid these problems:

Most of my plants look dry: Drip zones should be set for 30 minutes when first installed and dialed back in runtime minutes as you gain experience.
Some of the emitters stopped working: The hard water that is typical of Southern California will plug some kinds of drip emitters. We recommend emitters that resist plugging or which can be easily cleaned.
All those little black tubes get cut or moved around accidentally: We recommend the most substantial and damage resistant drip equipment

Would drip work in my yard?

Drip works well for plants and trees but isn’t recommended for grass and ground cover like ivy. Your sprinkler zones that focus on planter beds are good candidates. Call us for a free evaluation of your system to determine which zones (if any) are suitable.

Should I change my spray irrigation over to drip?

Yes, if you have areas (zones) that are appropriate. The water savings is immediate, and the cost of installation is often paid off in the first year or two. Also, you will be doing the most you can do to save water during any shortage - or helping to prevent the next one.

Advantages (and disadvantages) of drip irrigation?

Advantages are: Lower water bill; better control of water amount at each plant; fewer weeds, since water isn’t being sprayed everywhere. Disadvantages are: Higher maintenance; Closer attention to plant health is required.

Will drip irrigation work on my plants and trees?

Generally, yes. Nurseries in Southern California universally use drip irrigation to raise all plants and trees, so drip is suitable for your yard too. However, grass, ground cover (ivy, ice plant) and very densely placed plants may be best with spray.

How hard is it to change from spray to drip?

Not hard at all. Your existing timer, valves and pipes can be used to run drip in the zones selected for conversion, so installation consists of adding a pressure regulator and drip lines.

What does it cost to make the change to drip?

Changing two zones to drip with about 100ft of drip line for each zone might run $350. There are a lot of variables and we do free estimates, so give us a call.

What are some of the things that can go wrong with drip irrigation?

Drip lines can be cut with garden tools, damaged by pets or animals, emitters can become plugged and some types of drip parts are subject to sun damage, which makes them brittle and more easily broken. Repairs are usually easy to do.

How do I maintain drip irrigation?

Run each drip zone and walk around the zone looking and listening for leaks two or three times a year. More often if you have a complex or large system or if you have had a history of problems. All the parts you need are widely available online and at hardware stores. There are hundreds of videos online providing instruction, and then you can always call us. We have some customers that have us inspect their systems quarterly, and we do find a few things to fix with every visit.

How long in minutes should my drip zones water, and how frequently?

Drip irrigation zones always need more minutes of watering than spray zones. 20 to 40 minutes is common for drip. A spray nozzle emits several gallons per minute. One drip emitter will take an hour to emit the same.

A drip zone for trees might run for one or more hours, once a week. A zone covering drought tolerant plants for about 20 minutes once a week in the dry months. Most other plants for 30 minutes, twice a week. These are rough guidelines and you or your gardener must make adjustments for the circumstances.

Turn your garden into a green oasis.
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Sprinkler Repair FAQs

General Questions about Sprinkler Repair

Turn your garden into a green oasis. Tell us about your project today.

Turn your garden into a green oasis.
Tell us about your project today.