Sprinkler heads sinking?
 

Was wondering if anyone has had an issue with sprinkler heads sinking low in the ground after about 5 months? I bought donuts for them when we first got here, but they seem to be an awful lot lower now. I mean, they still just make it over the grass level to function, but did you have to raise them? Is this a normal thing after the sod takes and grows? If so, can anyone recommend who may do the job, I have 39 of those sprinklers and would not relish doing the job myself. Thanks for any input you may have on this.

Our landscaper told us not to use the donuts that they make the sprinklers sink. Something about the donuts weighing the ground down? I didn't really understand it at the time, but maybe she was right. I would call either your irrigation person or the person that does your lawn and see if they can help you.

Turn on a zone of sprinklers. Drop golf balls on their locations. Spray RoundUp within the donuts. The donuts don't sink, the grass grows over them.

Ditto

Sprinklers
 

Up north we put a brick under the bottom of the sprinkler connection. Down here they just lay the pipe screw in the head and the sod goes down. When the lawn guys rides the heavy mover over your donughts and heads down they go. I've fixed several of mine already.

Thanks! Good to know information that I will certainly give a try for sure. I spent quite some time pulling out a ton of grass from all those sprinklers yesterday and surrounding area by the donuts.

yep as your yard grows mulch settles in and the dirt get higher. there are two inch heads and four inch heads, i slowly have been replacing heads its not fun but not that hard

Skip, what are you saying exactly? Are you putting a brick under the donut?? Not sure the sprinkler would still make it over top then, just saying... that doesn't sound right to me. If you are talking about taking out the whole sprinkler from deep in the ground and putting brick, that is a bit much to do all 39, are you for hire? LOL! 39 of them is quite a lot of work, more than I want to do myself.

Maybe warranty would take care of it since house is less than a year old? I do a lot of yard work, garden stuff, inside and out, not a lazy person by no means, but to have this happen in such a short amount of time, I think warranty should come out and put in those 4 inch heads, makes sense right? Nothing ventured, nothing gained, but in the meantime, Roundup will be applied, but they still are mightly low in the ground. Sounds like I may have to get those 4 inch ones installed. Anyone know anyone who does such a thing?

No the brick went at the base of the sprinker head where it screw into the pipe. The brick slowed the sinking a lot. Yes there are also taller heads and extension pipes you can buy but when the siol is wet under the head and it's run over by a riding mover it will sink

Thanks Skip, I got it now, doing that 39 times here seems a bit overwhelming though. Phew! That's a whole lot of digging! I would be afraid I would break the irrigation pipe doing it myself. Trying to get this job done this coming week, can't say I ever dabbled with irrigation fixing, new territory for me. Thanks for all the information, helps a lot.

I would call warranty for sure

Golfnut, considering it is quite a lot of work, it is not just a "few" heads I have to do, I am going to call warranty. Seems very odd that 90% of them are that way, way deep, like up to my elbow! Hubby is not here all the time to do it, and for me, well, a little out of my league...

Raising the sprinkler heads is part of routine sprinkler maintenance.....Don the Donunut man charges about $2.50 a head (plus service call)to dig out and put more sand under the head. He also checks for leaks(replaces leaky sprinkler heads) and realign the sprinkling pattern. BTW Dons son is now doing a majority of the business.

A donut is critical for without donuts, the lawnmowers would break or crack the sprinkler head...which would cause bigger problems (and costs).

Well, I have owned a home up north for over 25 years and yes, from time to time, "A" sprinkler head "may" have to to adjusted, not always raised, I think I can count on one hand all the times hubby did that to ours and we have sandy soil due to the "Pinelands", so similar soil. This is just 5 months and over 90%, so thinking this is not normal as why have someone do it if another 5 months goes and it does it again? One or two, sure, no problem, but 35 outta 39??? Something is wrong with that, and I get my grass push mowed, so no heavy ride on going over it. Oh well, will figure it out and post what I find out in the end, it will work out one way or the other, that's for sure.

I have since searched this website for irrigation recommendations and have found three I will try to see what they think and hire one to fix the problem. Will let ya know how it goes. I just love TOTV and all the helpful info here on this site. I will have to make it a point to post some positive experiences I have had with contractors I have used since we moved here in February. Got to return some of the info I have received so others can benefit too. Thanks for all your input. Much appreciated.

I had Don the Donunut man do all of my sprinklers about two years ago. Give him a call.

It may be that the downward pressure exerted by the flow of water out of the sprinkler head may be enough to gradually push the sprinkler head lower in the damp soil. Being that the soil is sandy makes me believe it could happen over time. Think of when you are holding a garden hose. If you let it loose, the back pressure causes the hose to move on its own.

I don't have a clue, but did call Chip from Action Irrigation this morning and have an appt. tomorrow to access the situation. Will keep you all posted. Thanks for all the input. I didn't have the donut guys number and thinking it may be a little more work involved, just don't know at this point.

Just thought I would give you all who were so helpful an update on what transpired with my irrigation sprinkler sinking issues. Had Chip from Action Irrigation come over and access and they really were not down too far, just needed some digging around all of the donuts and changed out 13 heads of 39 for more better coverage. He and his associate were awesome! Lawn looks great and my irrigation is now purring like a kitten again! Thank you all for all your input. I love TOTV! Any future issues, I will not hesitate to call Action Irrigation again. Prompt, courteous and gets the job done above and beyond. Very reasonable priced too.

DebbieB,

Glad that things worked out so well. Thanks for the update. That's great forum etiquette.

Your irrigation system needs a tune up every so often.....be it yearly or every other year. The longer you wait the higher the bill is likely to be for the heads go bad and its the heads that cost money.

Glad your problem is fixed...!

In my humble opinion, the sprinklers do not sink. The sod establishes roots and is higher than when initially installed. You can see this by the driveway and curb. This happened up north without donuts and without heavy mowers on the lawn. Cut-off risers are available at both big box stores for less than 40 cents each. Dig around the head to the depth of the elbow where the sprinkler head is attached. Unscrew the head and insert the riser, cut to the desired length, and re-install the sprinkler body. Recommend removing the sprinkler nozzle to flush out any sand, and to clean the screen. Install the nozzle and adjust as necessary. I raised 60 heads this spring, and they are still at the appropriate level.

sprinkler heads
 

I agree, risers are inexpensive.

Get a new landscaper. The soil around it is heaver than the donnut, and the donut would have to push the pipes dawn as well as the sprinker head. Putting on an extention will fix the problem and they are very easy to do. Just dig around them and remove the head and add the appropriate extention. They are hand tightened.

Easy
 

There most likely not sinking. As the grass gets established it gets thicker it raises higher, The problem is easy to fix. Go to home depot and buy extentions at differant lenghs. You can also buy ones that can be cut to any lenth you want at inch increments. The work is not too diercult. You dig down as far as the pipe the hole the same size as the donut. Remove the assembly thats attached to a tee or elbow and you can add the extention. The parts are all hand tight.

Chip Parrish, Action Irrigation
 

We've lived here several years and always had an acquaintance do our irrigation, but I had a major problem with my grass browning out and saw Chip being highly recommended on this board, so we called him. He did an excellent job, I had several sprinkler heads leaking and wasting water, and he just "knows what to do" - he's great, plus he is married to a Village realtor so they live here, are here for the duration and he backs his work 100%. Great guy.