Did you know that a broken sprinkler head can waste up to 25,000 gallons of water in six months? Irrigation runoff travels over land and picks up what we’ve left behind. These pollutants flow into our storm drains and eventually end up in our lakes, rivers, and sometimes even the ocean. Prevent irrigation runoff by regularly monitoring your irrigation system for leaks, broken sprinkler heads, or misdirected sprinklers. Here’s 6 steps on how you can fix a broken sprinkler at home:
- Turn on the zone by the valve or irrigation clock to determine if the head, nozzle, riser (the vertical pipe that branches off the main line), or pipe is broken.
- Check which direction you need your new sprinkler to spray. If you want one that sprays all the way around, pick one that says 360 degrees.
- After turning off your water, you will slice the sod into easy removable pieces.
- Dig a small hole in the area immediately surrounding the broken head until you reach the riser that is connected to the sprinkler head.
- Turn the head counterclockwise to remove it from the riser. In some cases, you’ll need to use wrench or pliers.
- Attach the new sprinkler head by placing it on the riser and turning it hand tight. Always flush the dirt out of the line before installing the nozzle.
- Check the system, make sure that it is spraying to your satisfaction.
- Backfill the hole and make sure the dirt is compacted.
