Low Head Drainage or Faulty Valve?

12 years ago

I am a proud new homeowner, but I have already discovered a problem with my Sprinkler system. Here are the details about my system:

150 sq. ft of lawn shaped like a kidney bean with about 4' of elevation change and 9 sprinkler heads (5 on top of the slope and 4 on the bottom)

My Problem started with water leaking down the driveway from the lowest sprinkler. I dug the Sprinkler up and discovered water slowly leaking out of it while the system was off. I believe the problem is low head drainage even on this tiny lawn. I also checked the valve for debris or wear, but everything looks new and normal.

Here is what I have done so far:

Replaced the lowest 3 sprinklers with sprinklers with check valves and all it has done is moved the low head drainage to the next lowest head without a check valve. My thinking is that I can add check valves to the other sprinklers on the slope and the ones on level ground might be okay.

I don't think I should have this many problems with such a small system, and now I just want to fix it.

Any suggests and comments would be extremely helpful!!! Thanks.

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Comments (2)

trkpoker
12 years ago
Several bits of missing info need to be posted here first.

What is your water supply? Pump or city water?

How long does the drainage happen for?

Are you sure the area is 150square feet? (thats only 10'X 15' and 9 heads seems excessive...not that it changes your problem...i am guessing your number is wrong)

Good luck,
Tom
lehua49
12 years ago
PR,

Here is an idea ($0.02 worth) if it is not a leaking valve but might be just as expensive as a lot of check valves. It is used when you have excessive slope in an irrigated yard. Place a check valve just before the lower tier(just one). Any drainage from the upper tier will be absorbed in the lower part of the lawn. Build a sump pit filled with gravel with a small grate inlet with good draining soil above the sump and locate it under the lowest bottom tier head. Size the sump to twice the volume of the volume of water in the lower tier pipeline(should not be much). The water will drain into the sump and later into the sump's soil bottom avoiding runoff on the driveway. JMHO Aloha
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