Irrigation leak: what to check before requesting repair
You do not need to diagnose the system. A few observations about where water appears and when it flows can help route your request.
Quick Tips
If water is flowing now
If you can safely reach the irrigation shutoff or controller, stop the affected watering. Avoid flooded electrical equipment, open excavations, and regulated backflow components. If there is immediate property or public-safety danger, contact the appropriate emergency service or utility.
Where does the water appear?
Water at one sprinkler head, along exposed drip tubing, inside a valve box, and across a broad wet area can point to different service paths. Report the visible location and behavior; an onsite provider determines the actual cause.
What to include in a request
Note whether water continues after the system is turned off, which zone appears affected, whether the wet area is growing, and whether the supply can be shut off safely. A wide photo and a close-up are useful when available.
Check the timing without digging
If it is safe to observe, note whether the wet spot appears only while a zone runs or continues between scheduled runs. Record the controller setting and time you noticed it. Do not open a valve box, dig, or handle wiring to identify the cause.
Tell the provider what you already tried
If you paused the controller or closed an accessible irrigation shutoff, include when you did it and whether the flow changed. That history helps distinguish a continuing water supply from a scheduled watering problem; it does not establish a diagnosis.
Follow the service path that fits what you see.
A provider confirms the cause and final scope after reviewing the property. These links help you start in the right part of the intake.
Broken head, stuck riser, or spray-pattern issue.
Water along drip tubingExposed tubing, emitters, or localized drip leaks.
A zone won’t turn offWater keeps running after the zone should stop. Get help with a valve or zone issue.
A zone won’t turn onOne area stays dry when the system runs. The cause could be a valve or another part of the system; a provider can diagnose it. Get help with a valve or zone issue.
Pooling away from a headA suspected buried line leak or broader wet area.
Check coverage before sharing contact details.
Start with your ZIP and visible symptom. The planning range is not a quote; an independent provider confirms the diagnosis, price, and appointment.