In Central Florida, keeping your lawn and landscaping green isn’t just about looks; it’s about protecting one of the biggest investments in your home. Between our long, hot summers, sandy soil, and unpredictable bursts of rain, your irrigation system works hard year-round.
But like any system, sprinklers and irrigation setups need maintenance and occasional repairs. Catching problems early can save you money, prevent damage, and help you conserve water, something we all should be mindful of here in Florida.
If you’ve been wondering whether your sprinklers are working as they should, here are the top signs your irrigation system needs repair and what to do about them.
Hessenauer Sprinkler Repair and Irrigation has been serving Orlando, Longwood, Apopka, Lake Mary, Maitland, Winter Park, Oviedo, Wekiva Springs, Dr. Phillips, Baldwin Park, and surrounding Central Florida communities for decades.
One of the most common signs your irrigation system needs repair is uneven watering. You might notice that some spots in your yard are thick, green, and thriving, while others look brown, dry, or thin.
What causes uneven watering?
💡 Tip: Walk your yard once a month while the sprinklers are running. Look for heads that spray in the wrong direction, dribble instead of mist, or aren’t reaching far enough.
Low water pressure can turn your powerful sprinkler system into a weak mist that barely reaches your plants. In Central Florida, this can be especially damaging during the dry spring months before the rainy season starts.
Common reasons for low pressure:
📍 Local Note: In Lake Mary and Longwood, older irrigation pumps often lose efficiency over time. If your pump is more than 10 years old, it might need servicing or replacement.
Why it matters: Low water pressure means your lawn isn’t getting enough water to stay healthy, which can quickly lead to brown spots.
Leaks in an irrigation system are silent water wasters. They can drive up your water bill, damage your lawn, and even weaken your home’s foundation if the leak is close to the structure.
Signs you might have a leak:
💧 Water Conservation Reminder: The St. Johns River Water Management District reports that fixing irrigation leaks can save hundreds of gallons per week.
If your sprinklers are turning on at strange times, or not at all, your irrigation controller might be the problem.
Causes of timing problems:
Solution: Upgrading to a smart irrigation controller can save water and keep your lawn healthy. Many modern systems adjust watering schedules automatically based on rainfall and temperature, a huge benefit in Orlando’s unpredictable weather.
A sudden spike in your water bill is one of the clearest top signs your irrigation system needs repair.
In neighborhoods like Winter Park and Maitland, where many homes have mature landscaping, hidden leaks or inefficient watering can waste thousands of gallons per month.
A professional inspection from Hessenauer Sprinkler Repair can pinpoint the problem before it gets worse.
Pop-up sprinkler heads are designed to stay out of sight when not in use. When they don’t retract, they can:
Why does it happen:
In Oviedo and Baldwin Park, we see this problem often in neighborhoods with heavy foot traffic and active families.
Your plants will tell you if something’s wrong; you just need to listen.
Signs of overwatering:
Signs of underwatering:
📍 Local Challenge: In Central Florida, our rainy season can make overwatering easy to overlook. That’s why seasonal adjustments to your system are key.
Water flowing down the driveway or pooling on sidewalks isn’t just wasteful; it can also violate local watering ordinances.
Common causes:
In older Winter Park neighborhoods, older irrigation designs often create runoff issues. Modern spray patterns and shorter cycle times can fix this.
If your irrigation system is over 15 years old, it’s probably costing you money in wasted water.
Benefits of upgrading:
Hessenauer can install new heads, valves, and controllers that work better in Central Florida’s sandy soil and high-heat conditions.
When fungus spreads or bare patches appear despite your best lawn care efforts, the problem may not be your grass; it may be your sprinklers.
An irrigation inspection can determine whether poor coverage, overwatering, or a leak is to blame.
Waiting to repair your irrigation system can lead to:
Plus, with water restrictions in place in many parts of Central Florida, wasting water isn’t just bad for your wallet; it can get you fined.
At Hessenauer Sprinkler Repair and Irrigation, we’ve been helping Central Florida homeowners keep their lawns green and healthy for years. Our services include:
If you’ve noticed any of these top signs your irrigation system needs repair, don’t wait until it becomes a bigger problem.
Call Hessenauer Sprinkler Repair and Irrigation today or contact us online to schedule your inspection. We’ll get your system back to peak performance so your lawn stays lush, green, and healthy all year long.
