Sprinkler system repair and questions

[tworley]

We moved into a 1980s home in Dec of 2021. It was winter so we had no idea what kind of shape the sprinkler system was in. Fired it up Spring of 22 and found many broken lines, sprinkler heads underneath the existing deck, other heads have been landscaped over. The second valve box in the front yard (which receives no water because the line is severed somewhere) was buried under a foot of soil and also had flat stone pavers and walkway placed over it. My guess is the system froze years ago and the POs never fixed it.

I got a few quotes which range between $5-6k. So...no. I can buy parts way cheaper and can sweat my own copper lines and have the tools.

The existing vacuum breaker is on the south side of the house with the backyard valve box 40' away. When I fired it up last year, I had no leaks between the breaker or the box. What I'd like to do is put in new valves, trench a couple of new lines for the 500-600 sq. foot backyard lawn with a couple of soaker lines for landscaping. 2-3 zones.

Now, to pipe water to my front yard, I have a few options.

1) Trenching in a new line completely around the house through the backyard (150' run) (west/north/east). This seems like an excessive length and I worry about pressure. However, that is how it was done originally. This would also require removing a lot of flat stone pavers which encompass the entire northwest, north and northeast side of the house while going under a fence.

2) Pipe in a new vacuum breaker on the north side of the house. This would only be a 15-20' run vs 150'. This would be easy to do as well since my crawlspace is on this side of the house and the water line originates in this area. As I mentioned, I can sweat my own lines. Similar to the backyard, this would be 2-3 zones for a 650~ sq. ft. lawn with another soaker hose for landscaping.

3) Abandon the south side vacuum breaker completely. Pipe in a new breaker on the north side of the house. Remove and trench underneath the stone pavers.

Which option would be better? Honestly, I think putting in a second vacuum breaker would be easier, but is it better? Can to vacuum breakers be installed without any detriments? Or should I basically start fresh on the other side of the house?

 

[InOmaha]

Our system uses copper down to the valve box (about 2 ft from the house) and PVC everywhere else. If it doesn't leak to the valve box you can trench PVC from the valves.

My front yard zones loop around the house. They don't have an issue with pressure.

 

[tworley]

Our system uses copper down to the valve box (about 2 ft from the house) and PVC everywhere else. If it doesn't leak to the valve box you can trench PVC from the valves.

My front yard zones loop around the house. They don't have an issue with pressure.

I'll only be using copper from the existing interior valve (which needs replaced) to the existing vacuum breaker. I'd like to tidy it up a bit and put a drain in between. Everything from there will be 3/4" poly tubing. In my experience, the PVC breaks to often.

 

[InOmaha]

I bet mine is the same tubing and I got PVC stuck in my head.

 

[tworley]

So I have been working on this on and off. Its been interesting...

Replaced the interior valve which feeds the vacuum breaker. That revealed a failing PRV valve to the house. Replaced that, and then my vacuum breaker bonnet fell apart. Replaced that only to find a crack at the top of the VB body. Ended up replacing the entire vacuum breaker Finally turned the system on again to find out what exactly goes where and the general horrible state of things. Absolutely no water to anything. The backyard manifold has a 1" line going to it, and a 3/4" line that daylights nearby which I thought fed the front yard manifold. Began digging to see what is happening and where the "T" is at. Ended up finding an inline valve about 6" below the ground surface and covered with 4-6" landscaping rock. Turned that on, and I now have water to the front yard manifold. The valve leaks of course and the 3/4" line is still empty, so need to address that.

Started turning on the front yard valves (they leak), and would hear/see bubbling in the yard and started digging. Repeated that process and ended up finding 5 sprinkler heads well below the ground surface and found 4 where the 90° fitting had broken away. The manifold leaks horribly as well and my box was pretty much filled with water once I got done adjusting and tuning the new sprinkler heads. However, everything is sorta kinda working. I was admiring my work and watching the lawn being watered when all the sudden I lost all pressure again. Water began daylighting near the sidewalk. So...another break I need to repair (or maybe head?). Its progress though!

 

[Mike_H]

I had a system installed about 4 years ago. They ran the feed line all the way around the house. I have 7 zones in a 0.25 acre lot, so pressure isn't an issue, as long as you break it down properly. I will say, every year at start-up, its a bit of a maintenance headache, but the parts are cheap and it is SO much better than dragging a hose around.

 

[tworley]

I had a system installed about 4 years ago. They ran the feed line all the way around the house. I have 7 zones in a 0.25 acre lot, so pressure isn't an issue, as long as you break it down properly. I will say, every year at start-up, its a bit of a maintenance headache, but the parts are cheap and it is SO much better than dragging a hose around.

My previous house the system was pretty darn flawless. In the 7 years there, I replaced the vacuum breaker once, I think two heads and repaired one mainline break.

This one is different, but the neighbors all seemed excited saying "I've lived here for 20 years and never knew this house had a sprinkler system!"

Agree--dragging a hose is burdensome. I travel often and my wife is usually too busy with work to care for the lawn. Once this is all set, it'll be real beneficial to the lawn and us.

 

[Mike_H]

My previous house the system was pretty darn flawless. In the 7 years there, I replaced the vacuum breaker once, I think two heads and repaired one mainline break.

This one is different, but the neighbors all seemed excited saying "I've lived here for 20 years and never knew this house had a sprinkler system!"

Agree--dragging a hose is burdensome. I travel often and my wife is usually too busy with work to care for the lawn. Once this is all set, it'll be real beneficial to the lawn and us.

Location plays a factor...the heads I've been working on are the ones near the road and I don't have curbs...Other than that, getting everything dialed in seems to be a bit fiddly every year. Seems like my throw and rotation degrees always change a little (I'm guessing the heads move a little bit over the winter).

 

[Apparition]

My previous house the system was pretty darn flawless. In the 7 years there, I replaced the vacuum breaker once, I think two heads and repaired one mainline break.

This one is different, but the neighbors all seemed excited saying "I've lived here for 20 years and never knew this house had a sprinkler system!"

Agree--dragging a hose is burdensome. I travel often and my wife is usually too busy with work to care for the lawn. Once this is all set, it'll be real beneficial to the lawn and us.

Working on mine tonight. 8 zones and I have one that won’t shut off. First year I've had any issues at startup.

Never messed with them before so I had to do some learning.

Have one head that needs replaced that is behind our house, elevated and next to a foundation wall. Something snapped the top off and I can’t figure out what could have done it.

 

[JMT]

Working on mine tonight. 8 zones and I have one that won’t shut off. First year I've had any issues at startup.

Never messed with them before so I had to do some learning.

Have one head that needs replaced that is behind our house, elevated and next to a foundation wall. Something snapped the top off and I can’t figure out what could have done it.

This was the first year we had issues with our system too. I'd turn on the water in the basement and every zone wanted to bleed water. At least now it's all fixed. Hang in there @tworley. Yard, yard, yard!

 

[tworley]

This was the first year we had issues with our system too. I'd turn on the water in the basement and every zone wanted to bleed water. At least now it's all fixed. Hang in there @tworley. Yard, yard, yard!

Hanging by a thread

June is going to be rebuilding the 2, 3-valve manifolds for front and back. Replacing the inline valve (or maybe removing it? I honestly dont see a need for it). And then placing sod in the back yard. Right now its just a dirt patch

 

[NDSpeed]

I'll have to check back on this.

Really hate that the previous owners walked away with $440k in profit and left us a huge headache

 

[NDSpeed]

Sure we don't have ANY leaks

 

[JMT]

Hanging by a thread

June is going to be rebuilding the 2, 3-valve manifolds for front and back. Replacing the inline valve (or maybe removing it? I honestly dont see a need for it). And then placing sod in the back yard. Right now its just a dirt patch

You've been really busy with the house. Intense.

 

[tworley]

You've been really busy with the house. Intense.

Man, it has been nonstop. We're the third owners, and the family we bought from only lived in the house two years. I've been told by some of the neighbors within the cul de-sac that when the original owners husband died, she just couldn't take care of the property anymore and the house went neglected for years. When we moved in, the only updates were fresh paint on the outside, a garage door and opener, and windows.

Since Dec of 21, we've
-had the hideous popcorn ceiling removed (best money spent),
-repainted the entire interior,
-all new carpet throughout,
-restained the ceiling beams,
-currently restaining the stair railings,
-replaced all electrical outlets and switches,
-installed the garage subpanel,
-installed a radon system,
-installed a sump pump,
-replaced the dining room, kitchen and bathroom light fixtures,
-replaced a vanity in one of the bathrooms,
-Vac'd the duct system
-and got rid of a squirrel in the attic.

My wife has a month by month list that we have been trying to tackle.

 

[NDSpeed]

Man, it has been nonstop. We're the third owners, and the family we bought from only lived in the house two years. I've been told by some of the neighbors within the cul de-sac that when the original owners husband died, she just couldn't take care of the property anymore and the house went neglected for years. When we moved in, the only updates were fresh paint on the outside, a garage door and opener, and windows.

Since Dec of 21, we've
-had the hideous popcorn ceiling removed (best money spent),
-repainted the entire interior,
-all new carpet throughout,
-restained the ceiling beams,
-currently restaining the stair railings,
-replaced all electrical outlets and switches,
-installed the garage subpanel,
-installed a radon system,
-installed a sump pump,
-replaced the dining room, kitchen and bathroom light fixtures,
-replaced a vanity in one of the bathrooms,
-Vac'd the duct system
-and got rid of a squirrel in the attic.

My wife has a month by month list that we have been trying to tackle.

Ours was just neglect. Bought at the height of the bubble. Thinking we would be in CO for some time. Wife wants out.

New A/C and furnance.
Painted the whole interior since every room was diarrhea brown..
All new Carpets
Steam brushed the tiles.
Septic system caught on fire
Wiring in basement was shorted open
Vac'd the hvac system

Is the short list.
$65k so far.

Exterior is rotting away.
Concrete needs to be leveled

And I just found out I have to run new power from the meter on the street to the panel on the house.

And they walked away with a $440k payday. Realtor says don't be mad that they got the windfall.

I'm just mad they neglected it for the five years they lived there.

Who ever gets the house from us. Will have all new guts.

 

[tworley]

And they walked away with a $440k payday. Realtor says don't be mad that they got the windfall.

I'm just mad they neglected it for the five years they lived there.

Who ever gets the house from us. Will have all new guts.

Sellers market for sure. It's really unfortunate

 

[tworley]

Well, repaired the sidewalk leak. Another 90° fitting that was broke, I think it was just packed with 20 years of clay and didn't leak at first.

Here's the inline valve I found and dug up this last week.

Here's the front manifold box that was also covered with 6" of dirt and stone pavers placed over the top. I only by chance found this last year when I saw the smallest wire coming out of the ground

But even with the valve and manifold leaks, I can at least water my lawn easier until I get the controller and valves replaced

 

[tworley]

Updates. This morning I found one more line break. This one in the flower bed you can see in the previous photo. I was noticing that the sprinklers were having a hard time popping up and when they did, the pressure wasn't great unless I manually opened up the inline valve a little more. So, I'll try and get that one fixed tonight. I could put another sprinkler head there or a manifold and use it to water the flower bed with shrub setup.

The backyard has been a nightmare. Of the 12 sprinkler heads:
3 actually work.
1 is located directly underneath the deck, so that does no good.
3 have had stone pavers placed over the top.
1 was a main line break (1") from a tree root.
2 are broke at the swing.
1 has had a raised flower bed built over the top and was also broke at the swing.
1 was buried under about 6" of soil (surprisingly still worked)

Getting tired of digging these damn things up.

Several of these have been moved. Several have been replaced with 1/4" manifolds to water landscaping that I hope to do this next month. Yesterday I tilled up my dirt patch, threw down compost/manure, peat moss, and mycorrhizae to add nutrients and break up the heavy clays. I also thew down some tall fescue which hopefully I am not too late in the year. A bag of fescue to cover 2500 square feet was only $30, compared to $450 for sod. My yard is only about 450 square feet. Hopefully I start to see the grass germinate in the next week or so.

 

[Bobohunter1776]

Updates. This morning I found one more line break. This one in the flower bed you can see in the previous photo. I was noticing that the sprinklers were having a hard time popping up and when they did, the pressure wasn't great unless I manually opened up the inline valve a little more. So, I'll try and get that one fixed tonight. I could put another sprinkler head there or a manifold and use it to water the flower bed with shrub setup.

The backyard has been a nightmare. Of the 12 sprinkler heads:
3 actually work.
1 is located directly underneath the deck, so that does no good.
3 have had stone pavers placed over the top.
1 was a main line break (1") from a tree root.
2 are broke at the swing.
1 has had a raised flower bed built over the top and was also broke at the swing.
1 was buried under about 6" of soil (surprisingly still worked)

Getting tired of digging these damn things up.

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Several of these have been moved. Several have been replaced with 1/4" manifolds to water landscaping that I hope to do this next month. Yesterday I tilled up my dirt patch, threw down compost/manure, peat moss, and mycorrhizae to add nutrients and break up the heavy clays. I also thew down some tall fescue which hopefully I am not too late in the year. A bag of fescue to cover 2500 square feet was only $30, compared to $450 for sod. My yard is only about 450 square feet. Hopefully I start to see the grass germinate in the next week or so.

Have you been having trouble finding leaks with how wet it's been? We have a dozen or so spots that we've been trying to figure out if they're leaks or just ground water all season. We've also only had to water a handful of times though. Although we definitely knew when we had a whole head pop off a swing arm and shoot a geyser 20 feet into the air directly in front of the clubhouse. 150 psi is a lot of pressure.

I think the fescue should come in fine, although it might be getting too hot. Definitely update if it does germinate.