Your Sprinkling System Is Flooding. Now What?
You go outside to check on your sprinkler, and see that a portion of the yard is flooded. Before you start to panic, take a deep breath and realize that you can probably identify the problem and have it repaired within a day or two. Here’s how to prevent damage to your lawn, and what might be going wrong.
Stop the Watering
The first thing you need to do is stop the flooding from creating a bigger problem. First, go to the sprinkler control system and turn off the watering for that particular zone. If this does not seem to stop the watering, you may need to temporarily turn off the water supply for the sprinkler system. Water that keeps running through the system even after you have turned it off indicates a problem with a valve, which should be solved before you look at any other part of the sprinkling system. Once you can confirm that the source of the water is not coming from somewhere off your property, you can work on identifying the source of the concern.
Broken Sprinkler Heads
A broken sprinkler head is a common cause of sprinkler flooding. Since sprinkler heads rise above your lawn and are made of plastic, they could be run over by a car or other piece of equipment. In short, sprinkler heads break easily. You will know that this is a possible source of the problem if you see one site of a sprinkler head that is not spraying water properly. As you inspect, clean or replace the sprinkler heads, be sure to start at the beginning of the line and work toward the end. If all sprinkler heads seem to be in good condition, you need to look underground.
Cracked Pipeline
The sprinkler heads are connected to a series of pipes that run underneath your lawn and garden. Periodically, these pipes may become cracked or broken due to damage from above. The growth of roots from bushes and trees could also displace or break these pipes. If a pipe has been broken, it should be removed and re-sealed with a new portion of pipeline. This may require the services of a Sacramento plumber.
System Configuration
It is possible that there is flooding of your yard due to the configuration of your sprinkling system, not as a result of any fault within the system. Sometimes, when you are doing an inspection or maintenance of your sprinkler system, you may override the default settings of the sprinkler system. For example, you might turn on the zone for drip irrigation to test its output. If you failed to turn it off, it may continue spreading water until it appears that it has flooded. Make sure that your system is configured as it should be and is not deliberately overwatering the zone.
Using far too much water in a drought zone is always a cause for concern. If you follow these tips, you will be able to save your lawn and conserve water. For expert repairs to your sprinkler system, contact Ace Plumbing.