A sprinkler head not popping up is definitely a cause for concern regardless of whether you have a single sprinkler or multiple sprinklers covering your lawn. To solve the question of ‘why won’t my sprinkler head pop up?’, we look into possible reasons and corresponding fixes.
7 Reasons Why Your Sprinkler Head is Not Popping Up
Bad Sprinkler Head
A broken sprinkler head is perhaps the most common reason why your sprinkler won’t work.
The problem could be in three areas- the riser seal has come undone, the cap is damaged or the riser itself is askew. If you could take a closer look while the system is on, check and see if there’s any leak between the riser and the cap, and if the riser section is fully extended.
Also, you can inspect for visible damage, such as cracked housings, broken pieces, and a stuck riser.
If this is the case, then you can easily solve it by replacing the broken sprinkler head with a new one. You can either purchase the same model or get a compatible one for your sprinkler system.
Low Water Pressure
Water not reaching the sprinkler heads can make it refuse to pop up from the ground. Either you’re experiencing low water pressure or a nearby construction is causing water pressure to drop.
A water sprinkler system becomes ineffective in such instances. You can wait for the pressure to be restored, or call the water company and report an issue. Once it’s fixed then the sprinkler heads in your lawn should operate just fine and pop up when you need to irrigate your turf.
There’s Blockage
Debris such as rocks, stems, and similar items can make the sprinkler head stuck and unable to rise when you need them to. Even something small, such as grains of sand or mud can stick itself in-between the cap and riser, which equals a stuck mechanism.
Fortunately, there is one thing you can do to get it unstuck. One, you can spray your sprinkler with a jet of water from a garden hose to get the debris unstuck and clear the way for the sprinkler head.
Second, you can turn on the system and push down on the head while it’s running using your foot or something heavy. The mechanism gives the head a boost and it should then pop up and dispense water.
You can repeat the flushing process two to three times to remove sand, soil, and tiny debris and free the head from the cap.
Water Line Leak
This sprinkler head problem is similar to the low water pressure in that there’s not enough pressure to activate the system. However, this is more difficult to fix especially if the sprinkler water line is underground.
You may be able to determine if there’s a leak if you would turn on the sprinkler and see a pool of water forming up on your lawn. The same holds true if you see a sudden water bill spike, or if a certain area in your lawn is greener than the others.
You can try to solve the problem on your own or contact a professional to fix the leaky line. This entails locating the leak, digging out the soil and exposing the pipe, and replacing the line with a new one.
Significant Blow-by at the Cap
Blow-by is where water leaks out between the cap and the riser whenever the sprinkler is turned on.
A small amount of blow-by is normal and shouldn’t be a concern if the sprinkler heads are popping up, but if the sprinkler head is refusing to go up because there’s too much water leaking out the cap, then it’s best to replace the sprinkler with the same model and brand.
Faulty Valve or Tight Flow Control
Going into specifics, your sprinkler system may have a faulty component. Either the valve could be faulty or the flow control has closed up.
Locate the solenoid valve and try to see if the screw is on too tight. Loosen the knob but don’t remove it completely or else you’ll have a difficult time putting it back. Also, if your sprinkler system has flow control then you will need to check and see if it’s fully open. Otherwise, you can call in a professional for help.
Broken Sprinkler System
Last but not least, you can consider a broken sprinkler system if you’ve tried all the common fixes and still don’t see the sprinkler head come up.
Pop-up sprinklers tend to last anywhere between 5 to 20 years depending on the use and environment. Sprinkler heads typically wear out faster and will need to be replaced every 7 to 10 years or so.
To make sure you get a compatible sprinkler head for your system you should take it out and bring it with you when shopping for a replacement.
Related Article: Sprinkler Head Leaking When Off