How Do I Fix The Sprinklers In My Los Angeles Lawn?

An outdoor sprinkler system is a great way to give the grass of your lawn a hand during Los Angeles's hot, dry summer days. An optional convenience in many places around the country, lawn sprinklers are an absolute necessity for proper lawn maintenance in our area. Like every other mechanism or appliance, lawn sprinkler systems have parts that wear out with use and age, sooner or later requiring repair and maintenance. 

Fortunately, most issues common with sprinkler systems can be diagnosed by a DIYer with a bit of experience and proper tools.

Let's take a look at the common issues you might run into maintaining your sprinkler system, how to troubleshoot them and where to find reliable lawn care spraying in the Los Angeles area to give you a hand if you run into the proverbial wall in your repair efforts. At Aerations Plus, we are the local go-to experts when it comes to sprinkler system repair. Let us give you a hand with yours!

What Causes Sprinklers To Stop Working?

Most lawn sprinkler system issues can be narrowed down to broken or plugged heads, low water pressure, or an electrical problem. A plugged-up or damaged sprinkler head, a leaky valve, or crushed pipes can severely impede the effectiveness of your system and cost you hundreds of dollars in wasted water.

How Do I Troubleshoot My Sprinkler System?

To troubleshoot lawn sprinkler heads, remove the top of the sprinkler and wash away dirt and grime. At the bottom, you will find a removable screen basket. Take it out and clean the debris out of it. Reassemble. Debris plugging up the sprinkler head screen is the most common reason for malfunctioning sprinklers.

To check for low pressure, start with making sure all valves are fully open, including two on the backflow device. Once you're sure that's not an issue, check for a leak in the system. Take a look at your low-flow meter -if you see movement while the sprinklers are off, you're dealing with a leak. To localize the leak, watch for water pooling on the lawn and low pressure from some of the sprinkler heads.

Testing for a crushed pipe is more labor-intensive. Dig up the soil along the sprinkler pipeline until you discover a crushed pipe. Cut out the damaged section and replace it with a new pipe piece connected to the line with band clamps.

To check for an electrical malfunction, open up the main electrical panel and start with the following:

• Check the breakers
• Check the controller unit and make sure the wires are firmly attached
• Reset the controller
• Make sure the controller is not set to Off.

If these steps do not solve the problem, it is time to get a professional involved.

Can I Fix My Sprinklers Myself?

While it's certainly possible to fix basic sprinkler problems on your own, the effort involved is considerable, and the job is pretty messy. Digging up pipes, cutting and clamping repair pieces, and working with the electrical system is not what anyone would describe as fun; it often requires job-specific tools and can be dangerous to both your health and the health of your Los Angeles lawn.

Whom Can I Call For Help To Fix My Sprinklers?

Here at Aerations Plus, we've been filling Los Angeles residents' lawn irrigation needs and helping to keep their lawns green and lawn sprinkler systems in tip-top shape for over 25 years. We specialize in modern and highly efficient irrigation systems designs that will keep your lawn lush and green while saving you money on water bills, such as drip irrigation and quality sprinkler repair and upgrades to older, more traditional lawn sprinkler setups.

If your lawn sprinklers need to be repaired to help them keep your lawn in tip-top shape-give us a call today!