5 Signs Your Yard Needs a New Sprinkler System

It is the thing that strikes fear into homeowners everywhere. Your yard is becoming a dying wasteland.

You are losing the unwritten competition with neighbors for the best-looking yard. You are the laughingstock of the block parties. Even the neighborhood dogs are ignoring your sandlot.

The sprinklers are supposed to be set to a schedule, but every day you wake up to find no improvement. What is going on? Why your yard? Are you cursed?

No, it is not a curse, or a plague, even bad luck. It sounds like evidence that you need a new sprinkler system. 

Read on to discover the top indicators that you may need to replace your old sprinkler equipment.

Dry and Dying Grass

Let us start with the easiest sign to identify. If you find spots in your yard that are dry and crispy, they are probably not getting enough water.

Sprinkler systems are designed to cover the entire yard. Uneven coverage can lead to a lousy looking grass. 

A new system allows you to customize the head types and coverage pattern of your sprinklers.   

Sprinkler Heads and Pipes Keep Breaking

Do you consistently find broken off sprinkler heads and ruptured PVC pipes? This could suggest poor pipe trench depth. 

If the lines of sprinkler systems are not buried at the proper depth, they can be susceptible to damage. Shallow pipes can be broken by something as light as a bicycle tire. 

The correct depth for pipe trenches is around ten inches. If you find one pipe that is too shallow, it is likely the entire system shares the fault. 

The System Is Not Running on Schedule 

Watering frequency is a critical aspect of yard maintenance. Grass needs water every three days in the early morning. Set the schedule on your sprinkler timer and keep an eye on the timetable. 

If the system is consistently missing its schedule, the yard is probably not getting an adequate amount of water. 

Bad Water Pressure

Are your sprinklers providing a powerful jet of water that reaches the length of the yard? If not, it is possible your sprinkler system could be suffering from having too many heads on one sprinkler line. 

You can try removing heads from that line, but this will usually just leave you with coverage issues. If you have this problem, you likely need to redo this line and add an extra valve to split it up.

High Water Bill

If you have an abnormally high water bill, one of the first things to investigate is the sprinkler system. 

The piping needs to be checked for cracks. If not remedied, this problem will cost you money and create a soggy mess in the yard.

A sprinkler system with water flow meters can source leaky and broken pipes. 

Treat Your Lawn to a New Sprinkler System

If you are noticing some of these warning signs, your old sprinkler system may be lacking.

So, don't wait. Seize the summer. Install a new sprinkler system and return your grass to its former glory. 

For other lawn and gardening tips, check out our blog.