Sprinkler System Heads Leaking

This article explains the why wet spots or slow leakage comes out of sprinklers when system is off the goal of an irrigation system is to evenly apply.

Sprinkler system heads leaking. If your sprinkler system is turned off but one of the sprinkler heads is still emitting water it is likely due to one of two possible causes. There are two reasons why a sprinkler will leak water when the system is supposed to be off. Low head drainage occurs when the lowest head on a zone allows water to drain from the lateral piping out of the sprinkler. The cap typically holds the shaft that pops up when water pressure is added.

This cap also keeps water from leaking out of the body. So your sprinkler system is off but your sprinklers are still leaking water. If your sprinkler is leaking when the system is turned off before resorting to costly repairs there are a few troubleshooting fixes you can try. I describe a method to repair an irrigation sprinkler head that is continuously leaking.

A clogged sprinkler head clogged filter or dirty. A bad connection is one of the most common reasons that sprinkler head leaks occur. This will lead to a reduction in water flow or even a complete lack of flow even if the system is running. Inspect the seal at the bottom and then push up on the shaft to expose the sprinkler head itself.

If you can t see immediate issues check to see if water is spraying from the base of sprinkler heads if there is pooling water around the sprinkler head or if the sprinkler system is leaking when off. The two most likely culprits are a leaking valve or low head drainage. If the sprinkler head is at the bottom of a slope. Most sprinkler heads are removed by twisting a cap off the top of the sprinkler body or housing.

You might even see water seeping up or fountaining between sprinkler heads indicating an underground pipe leak. The water from the rest of the line then runs down towards that sprinkler head and leaks out the top. The most common reason is called low head drainage. If this is your problem the sprinkler head will leak every time the system is turned off.

If it is low head drainage residual water will stop flowing after.