One of the best features of an automatic lawn irrigation system is that they are set-it-and-forget it. Or are they?
While irrigation systems do have a programmable controller that can be scheduled to water on specific days and times, some components in the landscape can fail over time – giving you a false sense of security that your yard is being watered properly. Your irrigation installer probably programmed these settings into your controller when the system was new, however, you will find that periodically optimizing your lawn irrigation system is necessary to ensure proper watering of your lawn and trees.
Troubleshooting an Irrigation System
Chances are your irrigation system is scheduled to run in the early morning hours or during the day when you are at work. You don’t actually see the lawn sprinklers watering the lawn. Early fall is a great time for troubleshooting your irrigation system and identifying needed repairs, especially after a hot dry summer.
- Plan ahead. Shut off your system and leave it off for at least two days to thoroughly dry it out.
- Take a walk. Physically inspect every area of your yard for areas that are overly dry (brown) or overly wet (green and growing better than other parts.)
- Inspect your plants too. If you have drip irrigation, check your trees and shrubs for new growth or lack of it. Some plants like rhododendrons may look wilted. Poke your finger 3 inches down into the soil and see if it is dry or saturated.
- Run your system. Manually go through each zone and observe the path of the lawn sprinkler heads. Make sure you see two or three full rotor operations before moving on to the next zone.
Irrigation System Problems and Repairs
Once you’ve identified the affected areas of your yard, it’s helpful to know what may be causing it so you can identify the source. Here are some common watering problems and how to fix them.
1. Stuck Irrigation Head
Small dry areas with a very wet/green section near it is most often caused by a stuck irrigation head. Sometimes sediment from the water system can get stuck in the rotor gears. If you have a stuck head, run the zone and step on the irrigation head several times. This may unstick the gear. If not, the entire irrigation head should be replaced.
2. Sunken Irrigation Head
As your lawn grows over time, the turf grass can sometimes grow over your irrigation heads. Lawn rotors should be spaced no more than 30 feet apart. If the area is dry and it seems like there should be ahead there, see if you can find it, dig around it and raise it up to be just below the surface of the grass.
3. Rodent Damage
Larger areas of dry turf and/or soaked areas can be an indication of rodent damage. Chipmunks we’ll chew irrigation lines and mice often make nests in valve boxes, chewing the wires. If an entire zone is out, check the irrigation valve box first for damaged wires. If the valves are fine, inspect the lawn or planting bed for saturated areas and dig down until you find the source. Repairing irrigation lines is easily done with a barbed fitting and clamps. Irrigation wires may require an irrigation repair service to fix.
4. Spray Interference
As a landscape matures, trees and shrubs can overgrow the lawn areas blocking the spray path of lawn rotors. This is easily identified as you run through your system. Remove any limbs or prune up shrubs that are interfering with the spray path.
5. Outdated Components
If your landscape irrigation system is more than five years old, part of your optimization strategy could be to upgrade to newer irrigation components that provide better coverage and use less water.
6. Seasonal Adjustments
If you can’t identify any specific cause of a dry lawn, it may be necessary make seasonal adjustments to your irrigation controller. Shady areas may be over saturated and areas in full sun may require longer run times. You can schedule your controller to adjust run times and start times seasonally by using different programs. At Groundhog Landscaping, we install water-smart irrigation controllers that automatically adjust your watering cycles according to current weather conditions.
Test the lawn rotor’s movement and clear potential sediment blockage before determining if replacement is needed.
Irrigation rotors buried beneath overgrown grass cannot pop up. This requires exposing the rotor body to adjust the height.
Shrub branches that interfere with the lawn irrigation spray pattern will require pruning for optimal water distribution.
Inspecting valve box wiring can show evidence of mice activity, requiring professional repair to restore system functionality.
Upgrading to newer irrigation components can improve coverage while also reducing water consumption.
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Irrigation zones may require seasonal adjustments to balance watering between sunny and shaded areas for optimal coverage.
Groundhog Landscaping Experts are Here to Help!
If you feel your irrigation system isn’t running as well as it could be and you don’t want to fix it yourself, give our landscaping office a call. Early fall is a great time to schedule irrigation repair services. We can optimize your irrigation system prior to winterizing it, so that you are up and running without a hitch in the springtime.
If you have concerns about the health and vigor of your turf grass or your trees and shrubs, this would be a good time to have Groundhog Turf Care inspect your property and make recommendations on how to make it healthy and growing again.