You invest time and money into making your lawn look its best, so it’s frustrating when patches of brown grass appear despite your best efforts. Often, the culprit isn’t the Texas heat itself, but rather an irrigation system that isn’t pulling its weight. In Leander, where the soil can be tricky and the summer temperatures soar, a fully functional sprinkler system in Leander is the backbone of a healthy landscape.
If you’ve noticed your yard looking a little lackluster or your water bill creeping up unexpectedly, your sprinklers might be crying out for help. Identifying the problem early can save your grass and your wallet. Let’s walk through four of the most common sprinkler issues homeowners in Leander face and how you can spot them before they cause lasting damage.
Have you ever turned on a garden hose only to have the water sputter out because of a kink? Clogged nozzles do essentially the same thing to your sprinkler heads. Over time, dirt, sand, and tiny bits of debris from the water supply or the surrounding soil can work their way into the nozzle filters.
Watch your system run through a cycle. If you see a sprinkler head that isn’t popping up fully, or if the spray pattern looks uneven or weak compared to its neighbors, you likely have a clog. You might also notice a specific circle of dead grass around a single head while the rest of the zone looks fine.
This is often a simple fix. Most nozzles can be removed and rinsed out.
Sprinkler heads live a dangerous life. They sit right in the path of heavy lawnmowers, energetic pets, and foot traffic. It’s not uncommon for the plastic casing or the internal gears to snap under pressure. In Leander, the shifting soil can also put stress on the components, leading to cracks.
This problem usually makes itself known loudly. You might see a “geyser”—a focused shoot of water spraying straight up into the air—instead of a controlled fan pattern. Alternatively, you might find a puddle forming rapidly around one specific head, or see a head that simply refuses to pop up or retract.
A broken head almost always needs to be replaced.
Watering the driveway doesn’t make it grow, yet it’s one of the most common sights in neighborhoods across Leander. Sprinkler heads can get knocked out of alignment by lawn equipment or even just shift naturally over time as the ground settles.
Conduct a “wet check.” Turn on each zone and walk the property. Look for heads that are spraying the sidewalk, the side of your house, or the street. Conversely, look for dry spots in the lawn that should be getting water but aren’t because the spray is pointed the wrong way.
Adjusting heads is part of regular maintenance.
Sometimes the hardware is fine, but the power behind it is lacking. Low water pressure prevents heads from popping up fully (we call this “flushing”) and stops the water from reaching its intended distance. This leaves you with weird donut-shaped patterns of green grass around the heads and brown grass further out.
If heads in an entire zone fail to pop up completely, or if the spray looks like a weak mist rather than a strong stream, pressure is the likely suspect.
Troubleshooting pressure can be tricky because the causes vary.
If you can’t find a leak or a closed valve, this is usually the time to call in a professional. Diagnosing hydraulic issues often requires specialized tools and knowledge of Leander’s municipal water pressure variances.
Your irrigation system is like a car; it has moving parts that wear down and need tuning. Ignoring these small issues leads to wasted water—a precious resource in Texas—and higher utility bills. More importantly, a malfunctioning system can stress your lawn, making it susceptible to disease and pests.
By doing a quick walkthrough of your system once a month during the watering season, you can catch these four common issues before they turn your green oasis into a dust bowl. A little attention goes a long way in keeping your Leander lawn lush, healthy, and happy.
Don’t wait until your lawn shows signs of stress—proactively maintaining your irrigation system can save you time, money, and effort down the line. Whether it’s fixing leaks, adjusting sprinkler heads, or programming your controller for maximum efficiency, regular maintenance ensures your lawn stays vibrant and healthy throughout the season.
Contact us today to schedule an inspection or to address any irrigation issues. Our team of experts is here to help keep your Leander lawn in pristine condition!