A sprinkler head here, a sprinkler head there. But, really, where?
While having an in-ground sprinkler system makes irrigation very easy, it becomes a headache after the winter season. When the time finally arrives to start using them again, you may notice that a few sprinkler heads are playing peek-a-boo with you! In other words, they are no longer visible on the surface and are lodged quite firmly in the ground.
How to Find Buried Sprinkler Heads?
We understand how tempting it is to just forget about them, but you should understand that lost sprinkler heads are usually malfunctioning. This means that a portion of your lawn will not get the water it needs. That portion will turn brown and dry. So, you have to learn how to find buried sprinkler heads before it is too late.
Luckily for you, we know the easiest way to find a sprinkler head, and we are going to share it with you. Keep reading!
Turn your sprinkler on
Use the sprinkler’s controller to turn it on. If you are of the zone in which the sprinkler head is buried, activate that zone in particular. Otherwise, try various zones one after the other until you figure out which one is hiding the gems!
Bring out the tape measure
With the help of your tape measure, measure the distance between all the active heads in the isolated zone. We know what you are thinking. How do you do this without getting wet? Simple.
- Activate the sprinkler heads
- Remember the location of one sprinkler head
- Turn off the water
- Start walking straight from the functioning sprinkler head
- Every zone usually has 3 heads. So, when you measure the distance between 2 heads, the location of the third will become apparent.
- Now, go back and activate the system entirely
- Most sprinkler heads are in the corners of the lawn and are equidistant. When you switch on the entire Sprinkler system, you will be able to locate blind spots based on the measurement you took earlier.
- Also, if you notice any area in the lawn that isn’t getting water, you will know that there’s a malfunctioning head around.
- Use both the above steps to locate approximate spots.
- Now, using a spade, start prodding the ground around these spots. Be gentle so that you don’t damage the heads. You can also scrape the ground to find spots, but this may be messy and can take longer.
- After a while, you will be able to find all the hidden sprinkler heads.
Steps after finding the sprinkler heads
After learning how to find buried sprinkler heads, you should learn how to get them to start working again. Don’t worry, this is simple too!
All you have to do is to pull the sprinkler head out of the ground with your fingers. Be careful but firm. Once you remove it, it should start working normally again. If it does not, maybe it needs servicing or repair. Contact a professional to avoid further hassle.
Buried sprinkler heads are common because, for an entire season, we leave them unused. But, they are not really a hassle. A little time and some patience are what they need.
We hope our guide helps you remove the overgrown sprinkler heads in your garden. If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to ask us through comments. We are always happy to get in touch and help.