Sprinkler Leak Repair

A soggy spot that never dries, water in the gutter, a water bill that jumped for no reason. We find where the water is going and stop it.

Call 469-902-9800

A dug hole in a lawn exposing a cracked white PVC sprinkler pipe in muddy water, with cut sod squares and a shovel beside it

How to tell if your sprinkler system is leaking

A wet or muddy area, or extra-green grass, in the same spot every day
Water trickling down the curb or the alley when nothing is running
One head at the low end of a zone that keeps dribbling after the zone shuts off
A sudden jump in your water bill
A sinkhole or soft ground near a valve box or along a line
Weak, short spray on one zone while the other zones look normal

Two kinds of leaks

Leaks that run all the time are on the part of the system that always has water pressure: the main line between the shut-off and the valves, or a valve that is not closing. These waste the most water because they never stop.

Leaks that only show up when a zone runs are on the pipes after the valve, out to the heads. They waste water only while the zone is on, but they also starve the rest of the zone of pressure.

Knowing which kind you have tells us where to look. That is the first thing we test.

A muddy puddle in a soggy low spot of a lawn next to a round green irrigation box lid

Why clay soil makes leaks hard to find

The heavy clay under most of University Park and Dallas does not drain like sand. Water from a break can travel along the pipe and pop up several feet away from where the crack is. Sometimes it never surfaces at all and just sits there, making the ground soft. We use the system itself, by running zones one at a time and checking pressure, to narrow it down before we dig, so we dig one small hole instead of tearing up the yard.

An open concrete meter box in a parkway showing a residential water meter dial with a red triangle leak indicator

What we fix

Cracked pipe and broken fittings
Leaking or broken risers under heads
Valves that do not fully close and let water seep to the low head
Leaks at the backflow device or the main shut-off
Lines cut or crushed during landscaping, fence or remodel work

We cut out the bad section, put in a proper repair, and test it under pressure before we fill the hole. We put the grass back as neatly as we can.

What to do right now

If water is running when the system is off, close the irrigation shut-off. It is usually a ball valve or gate valve next to the backflow device near the house, or in a box near the water meter. Then call 469-902-9800. If you cannot find the shut-off, we will help you on the phone.

Questions people ask us

Is the low head dripping after the zone turns off a leak?

Not always. When a zone shuts off, the water left in the pipe can drain out of the lowest head. That is normal for a few minutes. If it drips for hours, the valve is probably not closing all the way.

Will my water provider help with a sprinkler leak?

The city is responsible for the water main and meter. Everything on your side of the meter, including the sprinkler system, is the homeowner's. If you think the leak might be at the meter, call your city's water department.

Do you dig up the whole yard?

No. We narrow the leak down first and dig only where the break is. Most leak repairs leave a small patch that grows back quickly.

Worth reading before you call

How to Find a Sprinkler Leak in Clay SoilUse your water meter, your controller and a walk around the yard to narrow down a sprinkler leak before anyone digs. Written for Park…
High Water Bill? Check the Sprinkler System FirstWhy a sprinkler problem is often behind a jump in your water bill in Dallas, University Park and Highland Park, and how to check…
Standing Water, Mosquitoes and Your Sprinkler SystemWhere sprinkler systems create standing water, from flooded valve boxes to low spots and clogged drains, why it matters for mosquitoes, and how to…
Sprinkler Damage After Construction, Remodeling or LandscapingPools, additions, fences and landscape crews damage sprinkler systems. How to protect yours before work starts and what to check after.

Sprinkler problem? Call and talk to a person.

Tell us what you are seeing: a wet spot, a dead zone, a geyser, a controller that will not turn on. We will tell you what it likely is and set a visit.