Because we can’t all depend on Mother Nature for the perfect amount of water each week, lawn sprinklers are vital for keeping grass alive and green. But, water pressure levels can greatly affect your sprinkler’s effectiveness. Without enough water pressure, sprinklers can become pretty much useless. If you notice the water pressure of your sprinkler system is too low it’s a good idea to take action right away. To begin, let’s do some sprinkler system troubleshooting low pressure.
Not Enough Water Pressure for Sprinklers
The most common culprits when there is not enough water pressure for sprinklers are:
- Water Supply Problems
- Water Supply Valve Adjustment
- Sharing Water Pressure
- A Dirty Irrigation Filter
- Clogged Sprinkler Heads
- Damaged Underground Pipes
Why Do My Sprinklers Have No/Insufficient Water Pressure?
As you can see, there are a lot of different reasons why your irrigation system might not be running at its usual full pressure. So, let’s take a closer look at different ways to diagnose your sprinkler and find out what is going on.
Water Supply Problems
Irrigation systems usually get their water from one of three different sources: city potable water, city irrigation water (reclaimed water), or some type of on-site water supply like a lake or well. So, before you investigate the actual sprinkler systems, it’s best to check the water source first. A couple of tools you can use are a water pressure gauge or a water flow meter. The pressure gauge will tell you what the incoming water pressure is, and the flow meter will tell you how many gallons of water flow over a set period. If you are not getting the expected pressure from your water source, this will affect how your sprinkler system performs.
Water Supply Valve Adjustment
A pretty common cause for the loss of pressure on a sprinkler system is to have the supply valve partially closed. If the valve isn’t fully open, then there will be a restriction in the flow rate and a drop in pressure. The quickest way to diagnose this is to check the valve.
Sharing Water Pressure
If you happen to have more than one water outlet running at the same time as your irrigation system, you will likely find a drop in pressure and your sprinkler heads won’t run how they usually do. This can be an issue regardless of what type of incoming main you have. For example, washing the car at the same time the irrigation is running can cause a drop in pressure on potable water systems, as well as running your sprinkler system on the incorrect allotted time and day of reclaimed water systems. This is because other people are using the supply at the same time. So, check if the water supply is being shared elsewhere while you’re running your irrigation system.
Dirty Irrigation Filter
Next along the line in your sprinkler system is the filter. It is possible for the filter to become clogged and reduce the water flow rate in your system. Now, these filters are usually used on more modern systems as they are typically a requirement of local ordinances. So, if you do have a filter, then remove the filter cartridge from the filter housing and check its condition.
Sprinkler Heads & Valves that are Clogged
If you are seeing an issue with just individual heads or zones and not the system as a whole, then you’ll want to inspect the heads. One issue with not using an irrigation filter is that dirt and junk can get into the system and block the head jet. In addition to this, if you have been working on your systems, then dirt could have gotten in the pipes and blocked a few of the jets or even the valves. To check the heads, remove the top of the head and inspect the internal filters. For the valves, you’ll need to remove the valve cover and take a look inside. If you find dirt, then you will have probably found the root of the problem.
Damaged Underground Pipes
Unfortunately, the underground pipes of your irrigation systems can crack on occasion and split, causing a dramatic loss of pressure. This can happen because of things like ground movement, frost, and even heavy lawn mowers crushing shallow pipes. So, how can you tell if your underground pipes are damaged? Well, if you don’t have an obvious wet patch, then you’ll need to check if any water is being used while the system is off. One way to do this is to make sure every water outlet is switched off, then check the flow meter on your incoming main. If everything is turned off and you still have water being used, then there’s a leak somewhere in the supply side of the sprinkler system. Now, if you suspect you have a leak after your irrigation valves, then you can cap off each of the heads and see if water is still being used. But usually, if one head in a zone isn’t working and the head is clean, then it will be its supply pipe that has an issue.
How to Restore Water Pressure to a Lawn Sprinkler System
Now that we have been through the six possible causes why your sprinkler system has lost pressure, let’s take a look at the fixes.
Fix a Water Supply
So, if you have a problem with the incoming water supply that is supplied by your city, then all you can really do is contact them directly. Anything before the water meter is the responsibility of the water company. Therefore if there is an issue with incoming supply, they will have to deal with it. But what about you guys that get your water on-site? Well, this depends on what the issue is. My best recommendation is to contact a professional who has experience with your particular setup. If you are pumping from a river or pumping from a well, these systems can be pretty technical and expensive. Therefore, getting a professional to inspect your system could save you a headache and money in the long run.
Setting Supply Valves Adjustments
There is not really much to do here other than turning the valve so that it is fully switched on and maybe asking people not to adjust the valve unless they ask you first. This is one of those simple fixes that can have you stumped for days unless you know what to look out for.
Stop Sharing Water Pressure
If you have discovered that you have been sharing water pressure with others, then you want to make sure you are watering at a different time. First, make sure that you check your local ordinance to make sure you have your irrigation timer set correctly on the right days and at the right hours. Usually, these times are during the middle of the night or in the early hours of the morning. Once you have the right hours set, you’ll probably find that washing machines and showers are no longer an issue because you’ll probably be asleep at these times anyway.
Cleaning a Dirty Irrigation Filter
If you have pulled out your irrigation filter and found that it’s dirty and it’s causing a pressure issue, then you should be able to fix it by just giving it a good cleaning. If it’s torn or looks damaged, then just install a replacement filter. But, usually a thorough cleaning works fine. So, wash the filter using a jet nozzle on the end of your garden hose and wash out all the loose dirt. Then, give the filter a good spray with a degreaser and allow it to sit for a few minutes. This will break down any oils and fats that might be covering the filter material. Next, wash the filter again, making sure to get between each of the fins. Finally, reinstall your irrigation filter back into its housing.
Tools & Materials to Clean an Irrigation Filter
- Garden Hose
- Hose Jet Nozzle
- Degreaser
Cleaning Sprinkler Heads
To clean a sprinkler head, you’ll first need to remove the top of the popup by unscrewing it from the head. Then, remove the small plastic filter. Once you have the plastic filter removed, you can give it a wash under a tap. Next, run your irrigation system for a few seconds to flush out the line. Finally, reinstall the filter and the top of the popup. During this process, you need to make sure that you don’t get any dirt into the system. To prevent this, you may find it easier to completely remove the head to clean it. Also, you can attach a head extender pipe to the underground pipe so that when you flush the system, dirt doesn’t flow back into the underground pipe. As soon as that water from flushing has soaked away, you can remove the extender and reinstall the head.
Tools to Clean an Irrigation Head
- Head Extender Pipe
- Garden Tap
Repairing a Broken Underground Pipe
Repairing a broken underground pipe is actually a pretty easy and cheap job to do yourself without having to call in a professional. As long as you don’t mind getting a bit dirty, you should be able to make the repair in just an hour. Let’s take a look at the steps you’ll need to follow.
Expose the Broken Pipe
First, you’ll want to take a garden shovel and expose the broken pipe. Dig a hole around the broken pipe, making sure you dig at least six inches below the pipe. This is so that you have a good amount of room to work.
Cut Out the Broken Section
Next, use either a pipe cutter or a hacksaw to cut out the broken section of pipe, making sure that you make a nice straight square cut.
Prep the Pipe
Now give both sections of the pipe that are exposed in the ground a wipe down with your cloth. You want to make sure you remove any dirt or mud. Then, use your sandpaper to sand at least an inch of both ends of the pipe.
Glue & Install the Couplings
Now, take one of your couplings and glue its inside, making sure to only glue one-half of the inside. Then glue one of the exposed pipes making sure to cover one inch of the end of the pipe. Finally, push and twist the coupling onto one of the exposed pipes to ensure that the coupling reaches its stop point. When this is done, you can repeat the process with the second coupling on the other exposed pipe.
Cut the New Section of Pipe to Length
Next, take your new length of pipe and cut it to length, making sure that you include the measurement for the pipe to extend into both couplings. Then, grab your sandpaper on more time and sand both ends of the pipe.
Glue & Connect the Pipe
Glue both ends of your prepared pipe, making sure to cover at least one inch of pipe. Next, spread a coat of glue on the inside of both couplings. Finally, insert one end of the new section of pipe into one coupling and the other end into the other coupling. Just make sure that the pipe is fully pushed into both couplings. Finally, allow the glue to fully cure.
Backfill the Hole
The last job is to back fill the hole, making sure that the soil is well compacted.
Tools & Materials to Repair a Broken Underground Pipe
- Garden Shovel
- Pipe Cutters
- Cloth
- Sandpaper
- PVC Pipe Glue
- Pipe
- Couplings
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