Repairing Broken Sprinkler Heads

You are Inspecting your yard and you have noticed that there are lots of broken sprinkler heads, especially at the edges of the lawn. If you have a lawn mowing service, your initial reaction might be to go after them as the culprit, but a little understanding of how yards develop and weather over time shows that this problem is the result of erosion, improperly installed irrigation, or a combination of both. 

When the landscaping contractor installed your sprinkler system, they set the depth of the heads according to the lay of the land at that particular time. The ground was likely softer and it settled.  The sod was likely more full and lush as it just came from the sod farm. The top of the rotary or pop up sprayhead where the nozzle sprays the water particles was likely covered in part by loose top soil. What happens over time, particularly on slopes, is the topsoil erodes away and it exposes the top of the sprinkler head, leaving it vulnerable for lawnmower blades and riding mower tires. Although your yard service could be a little more careful, it is often difficult to avoid broken sprinkler heads in the situation.   

If loss of topsoil in the lawn does not seem to be the explanation for broken sprinkler heads, another plausible explanation is that the sprinkler system installation was done improperly.  It is important to bury the PVC mains, the flex pipe tubing and the sprinkler heads to a certain depth.  The tops of the heads should typically lay just under the roots of the turf. 

In either circumstance, managing the situation could call for a combination of solutions.  One solution is to bring in a layer of more top soil. In addition, burying the sprinkler heads deeper in the ground could be necessary as well.  The end result should be that the top of the sprinkler head recedes deeper than the turf line down into the ground.  

For this and more tips on groundskeeping, Lawn Care and Sprinkler repair Columbia S.C. Lexington and Irmo, visit us online at http://www.BusyBeeLawnCare.com or give us a buzz at (803)331-5323

Rain Bird sprinkler system irrigation repair, Columbia South Carolina

Is your Rainbird sprinkler system malfunctioning?  Rain Bird is one of the most common irrigation brands that we repair.  Service calls for this brand include issues related to valves, rotor or spray head replacement or control panel issues.

One common repair we do is replacing the Rainbird DV Valve.  This is one of our favorite zone valves because the replacement parts are common and readily available (as opposed to Nelson Sprinkler Valve for instance).  Common malfunctions include bad "o-ring" seals where the solenoid threads into the body of the valve and debris in the system causing sticking in the open position.

Other issues we see with Rain Bird have to do with the sprinkler head themselves.  Many old systems (we see a lot in Spring Valley, Columbia S.C. area) used the popup impact Maxi paw type rotary sprinkler heads.  These heads are nowhere near as efficient as modern heads and after years of service they will stick in the upright position or not turn at all.  Another problem we see is with the wiper seal on popup and spray heads where water will leak out of the shaft of the head wasting water.  Lastly, a more common issue is that rotory heads stop turning and popup spray irrigation heads will stick in the up position requiring replacement. 

Another common issue is the cheaper Rain Bird Model ESP control panels going bad.  We usually see problems related to the timer not functioning the way it was designed.  For example, related to turning on the zone, sometimes the panel will not turn on the zone in manual mode.  We also see the digital display lock up disabling functionality altogether.  We suspect that these problems are related to lightening or perhaps power surges...either way, usually its time to replace the control panel.    

Call Busy Bee Sprinkler Repair at (803)331-5323 today!

Landscape Lighting Repair, Columbia S.C.

Landscape Lighting Repair in Columbia, S.C. should be done by a professional contractor.  Your path lights, uplights, control box and wiring all need to work together efficiently and with safety in mind while giving that special touch to your landscaping that outdoor lighting brings.

One of the main problems with older landscape light systems is that the halogen or LED lights were incorrectly connected to the copper wiring that connects them to the power supply.  Improper connections can lead to corrosion, which travels down the wire, creating voltage loss and lost connectivity.

No matter how old your outdoor lighting system, we can safely and professionally repair or replace your system to bring the beauty back to your garden.  We can also install landscape lights on your deck, shine them up to feature your palm trees, or install the latest energy efficient LED lighting to make your house the gem of the neighborhood.