Irrigation, Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Irrigation systems, like all mechanical things, require some periodic maintenance to ensure adequate performance. Because many residents have automatic systems that water very early in the morning, problems often go unnoticed. Check your system carefully and take note of the following tips:

Big leaks - There is a geyser in your front yard and none of the normal irrigation controls you’re familiar with will shut it off.
What to do: Where the irrigation system branches off from your house water system there may be a valve with a handle to turn (main shut-off valve, usually at the front of the house opposite the water meter). Repair the irrigation system piping, replace the spray head, etc., and turn the valve back to the "on" position. If you do not find a shut off, you may have to have the Water Division shut the water off for you. In the city of Fresno, you can reach them at 621-CITY.

2.	Little leaks – The water is continually seeping out of a sprinkler on your irrigation system. What to do: This type of leak is in the valve. Clean out or replace the valve. It can be challenging, so be prepared to call a repair person that specializes in irrigation.

The water is spraying in the wrong direction.
What to do: If it is a sprayhead or microsprayhead you might be able to just grab the top of the unit and twist it in the correct direction, being careful not to break the riser (the tube coming out of the ground) from the pipe below. If it is a rotor, it probably requires tools and knowledge you don’t have; call an expert.

The drip system seems to be clogged.
What to do: Replace the clogged dripper(s). It is not usually worth the trouble to try to clean them. Then clean the filter and flush the system. Clogging is not something that happens a lot in properly installed drip systems; however, calcium deposits and sand from the water can clog the emitter opening. If this is a recurring problem, have the system checked out by an expert.

Too much water too fast.
What to do: How fast a watering device applies water to the soil is called the application rate. How fast the soil takes in the water is called the infiltration rate. You may be able to apply water at an impressive rate but if the soil is taking four times as long to absorb it, then three quarters of the water you are applying is likely being wasted.

Your choices are the same for all types of systems:

If you are applying too much water:

1.	Adjust your irrigation controller to a Cycle-Soak program. Use the Watering Guide on the Main Page for guidance.

2.	Install a weather-based irrigation controller that will automatically adjust itself for weather changes. Refer to Choosing a Control System.

If you are applying the water too quickly:

Divide your total watering time into short segments with time in between for soaking in. Note that, unlike choices 2 & 3 below, this is not a cure for the problem but a coping mechanism. Amend shrub beds with compost and mulch with biodegradable material to improve water penetration and reduce runoff.

2.	If your landscape is several years old, aerate the soil to allow for better water penetration. If your landscape is turf, have it de-thatched. If you have a gardener he or she should be able to do this.

Change to a different watering device with a slower application rate. New technology in irrigation has made low flow nozzles readily available from irrigation retailers. Low-flow nozzles provide a slower rate of application, thereby reducing run-off but they need to run for a longer period of time than standard nozzles. If standard nozzles are changed to low flow nozzles, all standard nozzles on a valve should be changed rather than replacing one or two standard nozzles with low-flow nozzles. See Upgrading Existing System also Master Gardeners http://ucanr.org/ mgfresno/sites/

•

Leaks and/or breaks: Once a month turn your irrigation system on in manual mode to check for leaky sprinklers (nozzles), or broken equipment. This helps protect against plant loss and offers a simple way to conserve water. When the system is in manual mode monitor each station / valve for broken sprinkler nozzles, broken pipes, rotors that are stuck in place, sprinklers that are leaking from the base of the sprinkler, mismatched sprinkler types and nozzles, clogged nozzles, spray patterns that are blocked by plants or other obstructions (such as overgrown with turf), and connections that are loose causing leaks. Make sure sprinklers are spraying in the correct direction and not onto paved areas or permanent structures such as your home or fencing. For drip systems, clean out the filters, assure the emitters are attached and secure, and that the drip tubing is intact and not leaking from the connections.

•

Irrigation Design Malfunctions: For an irrigation system to function properly, it is important to have some key elements and knowledge to provide for the even distribution of water. When the irrigation system is in manual mode, look for improvements and alterations that can be simply made to aid in a better coverage of water in your planted areas. This will help save water and keep plants healthy. Observe your irrigation system looking for tilted sprinklers, misting of the spray (a sign of too much pressure which can be corrected by turning down the flow control on the valve), uneven water coverage due to head spacing (sprinklers’ spray should touch each other from nozzle to nozzle), check that the sprinkler nozzles are the correct shape of spray for the area being watered (if a 90 degree area, or quarter circle is the area being watered select a ¼ spray nozzle), and finally make sure the sprinkler bodies are at the proper height, not at the soil grade level.

A broken head wastes water and will create brown spots in the lawn.

•	Flushing the system:

If sprinkler heads or drip emitters become clogged, the system will need to be flushed. Sprinkler systems: remove individual nozzles from sprinklers. Turn system on for a few minutes until a clean, solid stream of water flows from each sprinkler head. Turn system off. Check nozzles before replacing to be sure they are not clogged. Clean and replace clogged nozzles. Turn system on to check for proper operation.

Drip systems: Remove the end caps from drip main tubing. It is best to do this process one station at a time. Turn a station on for a few minutes until a clean, solid stream of water flows from the end of the line. Turn the station off. Replace the end cap. Turn the system on to check for proper operation. Replace any emitters that are not functioning properly.

•

Adjusting sprinklers: Avoid overspray. Adjust the distance of the spray so that it does not touch paved areas or permanent structures. Whenever possible adjust the spray so that it touches the spray from an adjacent nozzle. This overlapping pattern improves water coverage and can reduce dry and wet spot problems.

Check the arc of the rotors and impact sprinklers to ensure that

they are not overspraying onto driveways and walks.

•

Hardware compatibility: Each valve should have only one type of sprinkler (e.g. spray, rotor, drip). Do NOT add a rotor to a valve that has all spray heads since the area being watered by the rotor would not receive adequate coverage if the timer is set for the spray heads and would result in severe overwatering of the spray area if set for the rotor. Determine if all sprinkler nozzles on a valve match (not all brands and models are interchangeable or compatible). This will help insure that the nozzles within each valve or zone have the same precipitation rate for even coverage. In addition, the radius of nozzle (the distance the nozzle is designed to spray water) should match actual spacing between sprinkler nozzles to achieve head-to-head coverage.

•	Valves: Check all valves for leaks. Malfunctioning valves that do not shut off completely may allow leaking through the sprinklers.

•	Spigots: Check spigot to be sure there is no leak.

•	Dry or wet spots: If dry or soft wet spots are present in lawn or shrub areas, make adjustments to improve the irrigation system inefficiencies.

Find and fix the cause of brown spots.

•	Just Right: If the soil is slightly damp on the surface and the lawn springs back when walked on, the schedule should not be modified because the station’s irrigation schedule is on target.