Troubleshooting Commercial Irrigation Sprinklers

9/24/2020 (Permalink)

A broken sprinkler head could cost you thousands in your Wentzville, MO commercial building

Broken sprinklers in a commercial irrigation system are a consistent problem in Wentzville, MO. All systems should be checked for irrigation problems and repaired regularly; otherwise, flooding and property damage can be caused by faulty devices.

Find the Problems

The whole irrigated area should be inspected for bad plumbing. After determining the location of the system’s sprinklers, look for the following:

• Sprinklers that spray incorrectly. Straight up, sideways, or just a trickle – you’ll likely know an abnormal spray when you see it.
• Heads that don’t pop up when the water comes on. These may spray or they may not.
• Puddles. If water is pooling on the property, it is likely that too much water is getting to that spot.
• Visually damaged heads. They can be cracked or even broken off completely.

Sprinkler heads are always at the mercy of the weather, animals and even vehicles. When they are not installed at the right depth, they can sit up higher than they were designed to and become especially vulnerable. Luckily, they are often cheap and can be replaced easily.

Replace Broken or Damaged Pieces

Probably the hardest work involved in replacing a sprinkler head in an irrigation system is making sure to purchase the correct one, which isn’t hard if you take an old one to the hardware store with you. Beyond that, it’s super-simple:

• Dig up the old head. Don’t get your biggest shovel and put all your weight into it. There are other parts that can break down there.
• Twist off the old one. This will detach it from the riser below.
• Twist on the new one. This will attach it to the riser below.

It’s really that easy. Remember that you will be working in a muddy hole, and cleanup may be needed before the new sprinkler head can twist on.

An irrigation system can do great things, but it can also cause property damage. Keeping a close eye on your system is a worthwhile task and usually not very complicated. Regular inspections and inexpensive repairs can often help avoid the need for water damage repair.