My RainBird Lawn Sprinklers Are Not Fully Popping up

Pop-up Sprinklers

• Pop-up sprinklers are designed to lie even with the soil grade when not in operation and rise from 2 to 4 inches when in use. Pop-up sprinklers that incorporate rotors are more suitable for irrigation of large areas while those with spray heads are more efficient at irrigating small or oddly-shaped areas. Pop-up sprinklers are relatively simple in operation: opening valves cause water pressure to force the sprinkler head up out of the body, typically against resistance provided by a metal spring. Once the pressure subsides, the spring retracts the spray head back into the body.

Valve Problems

• Valves that open incompletely or not at all are a frequent cause of sprinkler heads not popping up. Debris can clog the internal valve seals or solenoids, preventing them from opening or sealing completely. Flushing out the valve will resolve most problems caused by debris buildup. Locate the bleeder screw on the top of the valve body, and open it fully to flush debris out of the valve’s internals. Turning the solenoid one-quarter turn can easily flush valves without bleeder screws. Sprinkler valves vary in design; consult the manual provided by the manufacturer for best results. Repeat the procedure several times to ensure all debris is flushed from the system.

Sprinkler Head Damage

• Damaged or obstructed sprinklers can also prevent the spray heads or rotors in a system from rising out of the sprinkler bodies. Pop-up sprinklers incorporate wiper seals, plastic gaskets that keep debris from clogging riser mechanisms. When these seals fail, small debris particles make it past the seal and jam the sprinkler risers in place, preventing them from popping up in response to water pressure. Damaged retraction springs also have the potential to lock risers in place and are best repaired by replacing the sprinkler head in question.

Water Pressure

• Sprinklers can also fail to pop up when the system lacks the water pressure necessary to force risers up past the tension provided by the retraction springs. Breaks or leaks in supply pipes can cause drops in pressure in sprinkler systems, preventing spray heads in a given zone from popping up. Locate pipe leaks by examining the area for especially green patches of grass, pools of water, puddles or other areas that remain wet when the sprinkler system is not in operation.