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Water leaks are often difficult to locate, and sprinkler leaks are no exception. If one occurs, you’ll want it repaired quickly, as it can waste water, increase your water bill, and cause other problems. Here, we’ll examine signs of a leak in your sprinkler system and methods you can use to find them.
Signs You May Have a Leak in Your Sprinkler System
The following are several indications that you may be dealing with a sprinkler leak. Please remember that these signs may also indicate other causes in addition to a sprinkler leak.
Increased Water Bill
While increased water bills can have several causes, they might be caused by a sprinkler system leak. One way you may be able to determine if a leak is coming from your sprinkler system or elsewhere inside your home is by checking your water meter’s low-flow indicator. If the low flow indicator is moving when there is no water being used inside or outside, it indicates a leak. To determine if the leak is coming from the sprinkler system, turn off your main sprinkler system valve. When the sprinkler system valve has been shut off, check the low flow indicator again. If it continues to move, it indicates that the leak is in the home.
Water Pressure is Low
Low water pressure in the sprinkler system may occur due to a leak. Signs of low water pressure in your sprinkler system can include the following:
- A weak stream from the sprinkler head
- A pop-up sprinkler head isn’t coming up
- Unusual sprinkler patterns occur
Erosion Occurs
Erosion occurring near the sprinkler head or along sprinkler lines may indicate a leak. However, erosion can have other causes.
Erosion caused by sprinkler system leaks may initially appear to be a hole dug by a small animal, such as a groundhog hole.
Funguses Appear
While fungal growth is a normal occurrence in landscapes, it can also indicate an overabundance of water in an area.
A common way a leaking sprinkler system causes fungal growth is when a sprinkler system pipe close to a tree leaks. The leak can cause an excessive amount of water to enter the tree’s root ball, thus creating an ideal environment for fungi to grow.
Lush Patches of Grass Appear
An unusually lush patch of grass in your yard may indicate a place where the sprinkler system is leaking. Please note that this could also indicate another leak with another type of pipe, like a sewer leak.
Standing Water Appears
Standing water in your yard, particularly in areas where water typically doesn’t pool, can indicate a sprinkler system leak. Please note that this could also be due to other types of leaks, such as a sewer leak.
Watering is Uneven
A well-functioning sprinkler system should water your lawn evenly. Uneven watering suggests there is a problem, which could potentially be a water leak.
Step-by-Step Guide to Locating a Sprinkler System Leak
There are numerous ways to locate a sprinkler leak. The following are several techniques for finding leaks in your sprinkler system.
Inspecting the Sprinkler Head System for Leaks
Before you begin, shut off your irrigation system from the main valve to prevent getting sprayed when searching for potential leaks.
For the next step, find all the sprinkler heads and turn them on individually to check if water comes out.
If the sprinkler head has good water pressure, there might not be a leak, however, if water pressure is reduced or nonexistent, it could indicate one.
Checking Water Supply Lines
Step One: Trace your Sprinkler Irrigation Line Path
To find a leak in your sprinkler system, it helps to know the layout of the sprinkler supply lines. You may have a map of your sprinkler system from the installer. If not, you’ll need to dig in certain places to map out the system. Please note: To avoid accidentally striking a utility line, contact a utility company so they can locate your utility lines before you dig or otherwise penetrate the ground. Texans can call 811 or make an online request for more information. You’ll need to take care to avoid accidentally striking anything important while digging, such as electrical lines for outdoor lighting.
The following are a couple of tips to help you map your pipes.
- Sprinkler pipes are eight to 12 inches underground. If you haven’t found a pipe after digging down 12 inches, it won’t be there.
- The majority of irrigation pipes are made from PVC, which means pipe detectors can help locate them. However, older irrigation pipes were made of metal.
Mapping Your Sprinkler System by Digging
To locate the sprinkler system’s first pipe, dig by the sprinkler heads and valve boxes (a leak may occur in the valve box). When you encounter the first pipe, continue mapping the rest of your system. Mark the pipes using spray paint or tape.
Irrigation pipes consist of straight and T-joint pipes. When you locate one section of pipe, the next part should be directly ahead or at a 90-degree angle to the left or right.
As mentioned earlier, you do NOT have to dig up your entire pipe. You can ensure you are going in the right direction by digging two to three feet from where you found the pipe. When digging, do so carefully and angle your shovel to the ground so you don’t hit straight down and risk damaging your pipes.
Step Two: Isolating the Leak’s Source
Once you’ve determined the pipes’ layout, it’s time to narrow down the leak’s location. You can do this in several ways, such as digging or utilizing sound detection tools.
Please note that a sprinkler leak could occur in the valve box.
Option A. Finding Leaks by Digging
Each sprinkler system zone has a separate connection to the water supply. To find the area with the leak, the irrigation system must be turned off so the ground can dry up.
- Turn off the sprinkler system’s water supply. If your sprinkler system has a controller, you can activate rain mode or turn it off for a few days. Please note that turning off the controller will stop the electrical clock, so you’ll need to reset the timer when you are done looking for the leak.
- Wait several days until the ground is completely dry. The time it takes for this to occur depends on the weather.
- Once the ground has fully dried, cover every sprinkler head with a cap.
- Active one sprinkler zone at a time and inspect the ground where you made the mark with tape or spray paint to check if it is wet or if the lawn seems elevated.
- If you find a wet area, turn the water off and dig in the spot to find the pipe.
- With the pipe exposed, turn the water back on. The leaking line should bubble or gush water, depending on the severity of the leak.
Option B. Finding Leaks by Sound
A leak can be detected by audio. However, you’ll need to invest in an acoustic water leak detection kit.
Use the kit to follow the marked water lines. When used correctly, it will enable you to hear disruptions in the water flow underneath the soil. Please note that the highly technical nature of these devices means you’ll have to learn how to use them correctly.
When you’ve located the leak, dig to uncover the pipe and locate the damaged section.
The following is an instructional video on how to use LeakTronics equipment to find sprinkler system leaks.
Tools You May Need for Sprinkler Leak Detection
Several leak detection tools are available. However, they can be costly, time-consuming, and difficult to use if someone doesn’t know how to properly use them. You may also not find a leak with them. It’s generally a good idea to leave leak detection equipment to the professionals.
The following are several types of equipment that can be used in leak detection.
- Water leak microphone – A water leak microphone is either a rod or probe that is moved along your yard above the sprinkler water line or inserted into areas of the pipe so the sound of water or vibration from the pipe will be amplified. The area with the most intense sound marks the location of the leak. A leak noise logger attaches to the microphone rod or probe to help the user determine in which direction the sound is loudest. The user wears headphones to help block out other noises.
- Moisture meter – A moisture meter is inserted into the ground in the vicinity of where you believe the leak to be. It will then provide a reading of the moisture content in the ground.
When to Call a Professional Plumber in Bedford
If you don’t know how to locate or are having trouble finding the leaks, or don’t want to invest in leak detection equipment, contacting a professional is a good idea. They generally have experience locating and repairing leaks, using leak-locating equipment, and may find problems that you missed. Hiring a professional plumber is a great way to save yourself time and hassle.
Preventing Future Sprinkler System Leaks
While there are no guarantees that a sprinkler leak won’t occur, there are several steps you can take to help reduce the risk.
The following actions can help reduce the risk of sprinkler system leaks.
Regularly Clean Sprinkler Heads
Over time, sprinkler heads can become coated with dirt and debris, potentially causing leaks to occur in the valve or sprinkler water lines.
Use High Quality Parts
Utilizing durable sprinkler heads, pipes, and fittings can help prevent leaks caused by malfunctioning or corroding parts. While these parts won’t last forever, they can add reliability to your sprinkler system if installed correctly.
Maintain Proper Water Pressure
Too much water pressure can damage sprinkler components and pipes. Utilizing a pressure regulator can help protect against this.
Annual Professional Maintenance
Have a sprinkler professional conduct annual maintenance on your sprinkler system. By doing this yearly service, they may be able to catch problems before they escalate, potentially saving you money and hassle. Contact the experts at HEB Plumbing & Sprinkler to get routine maintenance and help protect your sprinkler system.
Winterize Sprinkler System
As the North Texas area doesn’t get as cold for as long as other places, you might not have to take as many steps to winterize your sprinkler system.
Texas A&M notes the following:
“For most of Texas you can follow these simple steps to Winterize an irrigation system and protect it from light to mild freezing events:
- Turn off the irrigation controller,
- Turn off the irrigation system water supply near the water meter or backflow prevention assembly (most irrigation systems have an isolation valve for this purpose),
- Insulate any PVC pipes that are exposed above ground, and
- Drain the water from irrigation components installed above ground such as backflow prevention assemblies.”