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Lawn Care Plumbing garden

Did my landscaper screw up?

5 years ago

I've been replacing spray heads and risers in my lawn and garden. The risers were all attached to the main line with a couple of elbows to make them positionable. Great idea, but as I'm going around I'm noticing leaking -- sometimes extreme -- from these junctions and find that they almost all have one+ good rotation left to tighten them, and there was no teflon tape used. It's been over 15 years since the landscaping was done; did something break down over time; and how much leakage is "acceptable". I know our landscaper skimped on materials and tried to overcharge us in many ways, but was he just this incompetent?

Featured Answer

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

5 years ago

Only he knows if he was being dishonest, lazy, or incompetent.

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Comments (6)

Embothrium
5 years ago
Get somebody who knows irrigation to come and check your system, fix it before the leaking continues any longer
Peggy Chavez thanked Embothrium
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mishmosh
5 years ago
After 15 years, some tweaks to the system are definitely needed. Usually it's an ongoing process of tightening connections, replacing sprayheads, etc. I woudn't say the initial install was incompetent based on your findings.
Peggy Chavez thanked mishmosh
Bruce in Northern Virginia
5 years ago
If you priced sprinkler components you have found out how inexpensive they are, and yours are now 15 years old. They are also exposed to dirt, moisture, freezing, and other harsh conditions, so they take quite a beating. As my 22 year old system gets older, I usually expect to have to do some work on 1-2 heads and maybe one zone valve each year. My electric 8 zone controller finally gave out this year.

Bruce
Peggy Chavez
Original Author
5 years ago
The ells that position the risers are tightenable by a good two full turns. I wonder if I should use teflon tape in addition to tightening the fittings. I have to assume that any leakage is a bad idea, though my husband is shrugging it off.
Bruce in Northern Virginia
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I would say you are correct, since any leakage is not making it up the sprinkler head. You can also buy a little thicker teflon tape that give you a little more bite and may keep the L's in place. The package of thicker teflon tape I have is Oatey FASTape #30621 from HD.

Bruce

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