7 Most Common Sprinkler Repairs in Toronto-Area Homes
From cracked heads to failed solenoids, here are the irrigation repairs our technicians see most often across the GTA and what each one costs you in wasted water.
The repairs that come up again and again
Irrigation systems are simple machines, and most failures fall into a short list.
1. Broken or sunken heads
Snow plows, lawnmowers and settling soil are the usual culprits. A cracked riser can waste hundreds of litres per cycle and drown one part of the lawn while the rest browns out.
2. Clogged nozzles
Sediment from municipal lines and grit that enters during winterization plugs nozzle screens. Symptom: one head misting or barely arcing.
3. Failed solenoids
The solenoid is the electric valve actuator. When it fails, a zone either will not start or will not shut off. A zone that runs continuously is the single most expensive irrigation fault on a metered water bill.
4. Wire breaks
Rodents, aeration tines and shovels sever the low-voltage wire between the controller and the valve box. We locate the fault with a wire tracer rather than digging up the yard.
5. Leaking valve boxes
Cracked poly fittings and loose manifold joints show up as a soggy patch that never dries.
6. Misaligned or blocked spray patterns
Shrubs grow, fences go up, and a head that was perfect three years ago now waters the driveway. This is a free adjustment during a maintenance visit.
7. Controller and sensor failures
Power surges, dead backup batteries and rain sensors stuck in the "wet" position all stop a system from running on schedule.
What to do first
Run each zone manually and watch it. Note the zone numbers with issues, take a short video, and submit it with a service request online. Diagnosing from your own footage means fewer visits and a faster fix.