My Sprinkler is Leaking

Sprinkler Head Leaks

• The sprinkler head is the last part of the system. This is the point where water pressure is forced out of a small nozzle and onto your lawn, which makes the sprinkler a key point in any irrigation system. Sprinkler heads sit underground with only the top of the head exposed. Sprinklers are screwed into a plastic riser below, which is the most common place for a leak to pop up in any sprinkler. To fix a leaking connection, you must unscrew the sprinkler head, replace the Teflon plumber's tape on the riser and reconnect the head.

Manifold

• The sprinkler manifold is the heart of your system. The manifold is the big piece of tubing within the irrigation control box outside. When you lift the lid on this box, you will find the manifold with several valves attached. The connection point between the valves and the main pipe is a common leak area. Tighten the valves by hand, or replace the valves with new ones. Chances are the connection has become rotten by hard water.

Pressure Vacuum Device

• The pressure vacuum breaker sits above ground, just above the manifold. This device is a piece of safety equipment that prevents water from flowing back into your main line. Water that enters an irrigation system is considered to be non-potable and should not be allowed back into the main line. The vacuum breaker contains an O-ring inside the cap. If this ring becomes worn down, the breaker may begin to leak from the top. You can replace the O-ring with a new one that's specifically designed for pressure vacuum breakers. Repair kits are available at most home improvement stores.

Supply Pipe

• The pipe underground that feeds water from the manifold to the sprinklers is called the supply pipe. This pipe is usually made out of PVC, which is a tough form of injected-molded plastic. However, PVC can crack when frozen. This will lead to large leaks under sprinklers. When this happens, you must dig up the supply line and place a repair coupler over the area of the break. This is one of the most difficult leaks to fix.