Common Irrigation Problems You Should Know About

Watering your lawn, crops and fields can quickly become expensive when your irrigation or sprinkler system is outdated. Old or improperly-maintained systems can waste a lot more water than you think, resulting in deep watering, evaporation and water runoff—plus root rot and other plant damage. If your irrigation system is causing problems in Hillsborough County, FL, check out these common irrigation problems and how to fix them—or call the professionals at Advanced Pump & Well Service for help.

Sprinkler head problems

Sprinkler heads can be sensitive pieces of equipment, but they’re also some of the easiest problems to fix:

• Broken sprinkler heads: Sprinkler heads are prone to damage. Whether it’s from a lawn mower gone astray or a faulty installation, keep an eye out for anything that looks broken. You might consider mounting them on a swing pipe to prevent future damage.
• Tilted or sunken heads: Even if the sprinkler heads aren’t broken or damaged, they can get knocked off-kilter pretty easily. Tilted heads will affect how evenly your watering area is covered, whereas sunken heads can prevent the sprinklers from working at all. This is another good time to consider mounting them on a swing pipe, or adjust your mower if you think that’s the source of the problem.
• Clogged nozzles: No water coming out at all? The nozzles might be clogged with debris. This can be fixed by flushing the whole system and installing screens to keep soil and other materials out of the sprinkler heads.

Other issues

Issues with your irrigation system in Hillsborough County, FL are not limited to problems with the sprinkler heads. Here are some other places to check for trouble:

• Leaky pipes or fittings: Big leaks will probably be easy to spot, but smaller leaks can cause just as much damage over a longer period of time, since they often go unnoticed. Leaks can form due to age, impact and plant or tree roots. If you suspect there’s a smaller leak in your irrigation system, you may wish to call your irrigation professionals to inspect the entire system.
• Leaky wiper seals: Eventually, your system’s wiper seals will break down due to age (among other possible issues), resulting in spray head leaks. Some spray heads can be easily unscrewed so you can replace the seal, while other systems may require that the entire head be replaced.

What to look for

Not sure if you have a problem? Look for an uneven spray curve, which wastes water—that can be fixed by adjusting the nozzles. If you have runoff, check the nozzles and system pressure to see if those are causing the issue. Water pressure can also be a factor—too high and it will damage the system, too low and it won’t water.

Fix irrigation system problems in Hillsborough County, FL

Advanced Pump & Well Service is your local leading water well specialist in the Tampa Bay area. Since 1956, we have been drilling wells, installing pumps and performing a full array of troubleshooting and repair services. We also install and service irrigation systems. If you’re having problems with your irrigation system, whether industrial, commercial or residential, call our experts 24/7.

Categorised in: Irrigation Systems