You can also buy separate check valves that can be installed on the pipe under existing sprinkler heads. Most pros simply buy a new head with the check valve feature and replace the old sprinkler with the new one. Many major brands of sprinklers can be retrofitted with a new internal check valve, although the retrofit kits are hard to find. These built-in check-valves don't cause any drop in performance of the sprinklers, so they don't have any impact on your sprinkler system design. The anti-drain check-valve closes and holds the water in the pipes when the sprinkler system is off. This check-valve option is available on all major brands of sprinklers. The anti-drain check valve is an optional feature available when you purchase the sprinkler. In most cases these check valves are built into the sprinkler head. These check valves prevent the water from draining out of the pipes through the lowest sprinklers. To fix low head drainage you need to have special anti-drain check valves installed at the sprinkler heads. Fix the valve first, then check for low head drainage. It is possible and common to have problems with both a leaking valve and low head drainage. See How to Repair a Irrigation Solenoid Valve for instructions. To fix the leaking valve you must disassemble the valve, clean it, replace any bad parts, then reassemble it. Another common sign is puddles of water around the lowest sprinklers that never dry out. A typical indication that the problem is a leaking control valve is moss or algae growing on the sidewalk due to the constant flow of water. (It may take several hours for the water to drain out of the pipes.) If a valve is leaking the water will run out of the lowest sprinkler head all the time, 24 hours a day, every day. The primary difference between low head drainage and a leaking valve is that low head drainage results in water flowing from the lowest sprinklers for a while after they run, but the drainage stops after the pipes are fully drained. If you have water flowing from a sprinkler head continuously, even when the sprinkler system is off, then the problem is a leaking control valve. The spewing and spitting of air every time you turn on the sprinklers also puts a lot of stress on the pipe and sprinklers. Obviously the water that drains out of the pipes is wasted. If they spit and spew lots of air when the valve is turned on, then you have a low head drainage problem. The easiest way to tell if you have low head drainage is to watch the sprinklers when you turn them on. After the sprinklers are turned off, the water in the pipes drains out through the lowest sprinkler heads and is replaced with air. The slope does not need to be very high, a change of elevation of less than a foot will often create low head drainage. This occurs when the sprinkler system is installed on a sloped area. Water that flows onto the sidewalk or curb after the sprinklers turn off, but then stops after a few minutes, is due to a phenomena called "low head drainage". Angle valves have a 90-degree angle between their inlet and outlet pipes.Stopping Low Head Drainage Sprinklers that Spit Air If you are looking for irrigation angle valves, you can find them here. The pressure typically drops about 2-5 psi in this instance. You will then need to lower the sprinkler head to the appropriate level since the check valve will raise the sprinkler about 3 inches. You will need to dig up the sprinkler head, remove it, install the new check valve on the riser and then screw the old sprinkler back into the new check valve. Although much harder to install, it will accomplish the same goal. You can install them on the pipe under the existing sprinklers. Hunter Adjustable Arc CV Rotor with built-in check valve.Īnother option to stop leaking sprinklers is purchasing separate check valves. Rain Bird 1804 SAM with built-in check valve. Most people just simply purchase a new sprinkler head with the check valve feature and replace the old with the new. It is an optional feature when you purchase the sprinkler and is available on most major brands of sprinklers. Now in some cases valves are built into the sprinkler head. To stop Low Head Drainage, you need to have special anti-drain valves installed at the sprinkler heads. Once the sprinkler zone shuts off, the water in the pipes drains out via the lowest sprinkler head within the zone and the pipe fills with air. A difference in elevation of less than a foot, within a zone, will often create Low Head Drainage. Usually, this occurs when an irrigation system has been installed on a slope. When water continues to flow from one or more sprinkler heads for a few minutes after you turn your irrigation system off, it’s Low Head Drainage.
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