How to Check Your Sprinkler System (A San Diego Irrigation Checkup)

If your water bill jumped for no clear reason, or there's a soggy patch in the lawn next to a dry, brown one, your sprinkler system is probably trying to tell you something.

Irrigation systems run in the early morning while everyone's asleep, so small problems go unnoticed for months. A broken head can spray thousands of gallons into the street before anyone sees it. A full checkup takes about 30 minutes.

Why It Matters in San Diego

In most San Diego homes, outdoor watering is the single biggest use of water. With dry summers and expensive water, a system that's leaking, overspraying or running on the wrong schedule costs real money.

Overwatering also causes problems closer to the house: soggy soil against the foundation, stained stucco and wood fences that rot from the bottom up. San Diego water agencies also have rules about runoff and watering times, so it's worth checking your local agency's current guidelines.

What You'll Need

A flathead screwdriver, needle-nose pliers, a microfiber cloth and a pack of small stake flags to mark problem heads.

How to Check a Sprinkler System: Step by Step

1. Check the controller. Make sure it's powered on and the date, time and watering schedule are correct. Note any error codes. A summer schedule left running into the cooler months is one of the most common sources of waste.
2. Run each zone manually. Turn on one zone at a time from the controller and let it run for one to two minutes while you walk the area it covers. This is where you'll find almost every problem.
3. Inspect every head. Each one should pop up and retract fully and spray in the right pattern. Look for clogged nozzles and heads that are sunken, tilted or broken. Mark any bad heads with a stake flag.
4. Look for leaks and pooling. Watch for water pooling at the base of a head, geysers from a cracked riser, or areas that stay unusually wet, which can mean a leak underground.
5. Check the drip lines. In planter beds, walk the line and make sure each emitter is intact and dripping, not spraying or blocked. Look for disconnected tubing and rodent damage. Critters love to chew drip lines.
6. Adjust the spray. Use a flathead screwdriver to adjust the arc or distance on heads that spray the sidewalk, driveway, fence or house.
7. Clear around the heads. Trim back grass, soil and mulch covering the heads. They should sit flush with or just above the ground.
8. Run a full automatic cycle. Finish by running a full cycle from the controller to confirm every zone runs in sequence without skipping or stalling.

How Often Should You Do This?

Twice a year: in spring before the heat arrives, and in fall to cut back the schedule for the rainy season. Set the controller to rain mode or turn it off during and after storms.

While You're at It

Check the outdoor hose bibs for drips, and look at where your sprinklers hit fences and decks. If they've been soaking wood for years, our guide on resealing a deck or fence is a good next step. The San Diego spring home maintenance checklist covers other outdoor tasks to pair with this one.

Let Our Team Handle It

Walking every zone at 6 a.m. isn't how most people want to start their day. For Livd members, your dedicated handyman checks the irrigation system twice a year as part of your proactive maintenance plan, adjusts the spray patterns and clears the heads, and flags anything that needs repair. Bigger jobs, like a leaking buried pipe or a failing valve, may need an irrigation contractor, and we'll let you know if that's the case.

Already a Livd member? Add "check irrigation system" to your task list in the Livd app and we'll take care of it on your next scheduled visit.

Not a Livd member yet? Schedule your free home walkthrough at livdhomes.com. We'll look at what your home needs and build a proactive maintenance plan to keep the little things from becoming big ones.