Either switched off or not, if your sprinkler head leaks water, it’ll cost you tons of resources in the long run. For starters, you could lose your beautiful and well-maintained lawns. How so?
A leaky sprinkler system will lead to waterlogged soil. Unfortunately, the latter will crush the roots of your grasses and restrict their airflow. In essence, you will spend time and money to regrow your lawn.
Your lawn aside, a leaky sprinkler system also means your energy bills will increase. An average US homeowner spends 20% of their energy bill on pumping water. Now, imagine what your bills would be when your sprinkler head always leaks your water!
Bottom line: a leaky sprinkler does not spell well for your system, fix it as soon as it surfaces. But first, you should know the underlying factor because you would waste your money fixing what you don’t understand.
So, why does your sprinkler leak? Most importantly, what can you do about it? Let’s find out!
3 Common Reasons Why Your Sprinkler Leaks Water
Low Head Drainage
As the name implies, “low head drainage” happens when water drains from the lowest sprinkler after a complete watering cycle. Often, the water drains until there is an equilibrium in the system or the pipe is empty. Either way, the leak stops after you shut your sprinkler system.
Now, you might be wondering how that is an issue. If the water from low-head drainage often stops, do you need to fix it?
Ordinarily, low head drainage is not an issue because even the water in your sprinkler system needs balance. The issue only starts when the drainage spirals out of control and floods your driveways. When that happens, then the system needs fixing.
Note: low head drainage is not the same as backflow!
Suggested reading: Backflow Testing: What Is It? Should You Do It In New York?
Clogged Control Valves
After low head drainage, the control valves on your sprinkler system are the next major cause of leaks. Seeing that they control water in and out of your pipes, these valves are essential components of the system.
Unfortunately, control valves can get clogged. The reason is either the impurities in the water or the valves themselves. How so?
A worn-out valve would corrode with time. When that happens, the corroded parts can cause impediments to the free flow of water in your pipes. Ultimately, the sediments would block the flow and turn the control valve to leakage points.
Note: a leaky control valve might also happen because of low-head drainage. The line between the two reasons could be somewhat confusing. That is why it is best to consult an expert like Sprinklrite.
Broken Pipes
This reason is the most obvious of the lot, albeit the most confusing. Well, let’s explain that!
Ordinarily, you can tell when you have a broken pipe. However, that’s not enough information to fix your leaky sprinkler system. You still need to know from which water line the pipe was broken and here is why:
All sprinkler systems have two different types of water lines: the main and the lateral lines. If the broken pipe was from the mainline, you should shut off the system immediately. Then, look for help.
On the other hand, you can still use a lateral line with a broken pipe. You only need to find the affected zone and cut that off. But it won’t be an easy task.
Either way, know that both lines can be hectic to manage if you don’t handle the fault promptly. If you delay the repairs, broken pipes (either from the main or lateral line) can cause soil erosion and holes in your lawn.
So, what should you do?
How To Fix A Sprinkler That Leaks Water
Frankly, there are tons of DIY fixes you could apply to your sprinkler system to avoid leakages. For example, you can stop low-head drainage by installing drain check valves. To fix clogged valves, you can disassemble the components, rinse and re-assemble them.
But what if you complicate the issue with your DIYs? Do you even know the appropriate drain check values to use? Can you disassemble a sprinkler system and couple it back?
Bottom line: hire a company that offers sprinkler system services. Beyond fixing your leakages, the right professional can help you prevent the damage. Fortunately, we, Sprinklrite, are that professional!
Contact us today to check your faulty sprinkler system!
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