outdoor
Irrigation Plumbing Repair
While landscapers handle sprinkler heads and programming, the heavy lifting of an irrigation system relies on core plumbing infrastructure. The main water line that branches off from your house to feed the irrigation manifold is under constant pressure. When this underground PVC or poly pipe cracks due to ground settling, tree roots, or freezing, it can send thousands of gallons of water flooding into your yard, threatening your home's foundation and resulting in a massive water bill.
The most vital component of any irrigation system is the backflow preventer. Because sprinkler heads sit in the dirt—often submerged in puddles of fertilizer, pesticides, and animal waste—municipal codes require a heavy-duty backflow device to ensure that contaminated water can never be siphoned back into your home's pure drinking water. We specialize in testing, repairing, and replacing these brass assemblies, as well as fixing high-pressure underground breaks.
Signs You Need Irrigation Line Repair
- A flooded, swampy area in the yard even when the sprinklers are turned off.
- Water spraying out of the brass backflow preventer assembly attached to the side of the house.
- A severe drop in water pressure causing the sprinkler heads to barely pop up.
- The water bill has doubled or tripled during the summer months.
- A noticeable crack or leak in the PVC manifold box in the ground.
Our Process
System Isolation
Shutting off the dedicated irrigation valve to stop the flooding without cutting water to the main house.
Excavation
Carefully digging around the broken PVC main line or manifold to expose the damage without cutting electrical control wires.
Pipe Repair or Component Replacement
Cutting out the shattered PVC and cementing new sections, or replacing a cracked brass backflow preventer.
Pressure Testing
Slowly turning the water back on to test the cemented joints under high pressure before backfilling the dirt.
What Affects the Cost
- The size of the broken pipe (main lines are typically larger 1" to 1.5" pipes).
- Whether the brass backflow preventer needs to be replaced, which is a highly engineered and expensive component.
- The depth of the pipe and presence of tangled tree roots making excavation difficult.
- Cost of municipal backflow testing and certification if required after a repair.
✓ Safe to DIY
- Turning off the dedicated water shutoff valve for the irrigation system if you suspect a leak.
- Replacing broken plastic sprinkler heads on the surface yourself.
✕ Stop & Call Us
- Attempting to repair a backflow preventer without specialized training; improper reassembly bypasses the safety mechanism, putting your home's drinking water at risk.
- Gluing dirty or wet PVC pipes; the cement will fail instantly under pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my backflow preventer leaking from the bottom?
The backflow preventer is designed to dump water out of the bottom relief valve if it senses a sudden drop in city water pressure, preventing back-siphonage. However, if it constantly dumps water, the internal rubber check valves have failed or debris is stuck in them.
Do I need to winterize my irrigation system?
Absolutely. The pipes are buried shallowly in the yard and will freeze. A professional must hook up an industrial air compressor to blow all the water out of the lines and the backflow preventer before the first hard freeze.
Can you fix the wiring on my sprinkler timer?
As plumbers, we handle the pressurized water lines, backflow devices, and manifolds. For complex low-voltage wiring issues and timer programming, you would typically need a dedicated irrigation or landscaping specialist.
Related Services
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