Sprinkler System Longevity

Hello Craig,

I saw your website on irrigation repair. I wondered about a few items, like "replacing rotors, repair leaks", "Replacing rotors, nozzles" etc... my landscaping company is all over the place on prices. And, they've been frequently finding things to repair - the system was put in 2003, so would you say that I'm at a breaking down point for rotors and such? What should I expect in terms of the old system wearing out? Is there a certain number of years to expect for rotors and such?

So, I thought I'd try to take a little control of the situation. How much expertise would I need to be able to replace rotors and repair leaks on a system. These sprayers rotate about 180 degrees and spray about I'd guess... 30 feet. I wanted to hear a bit from you about the DVD and your site to help me make a join or not decision.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
William, Phoenix Arizona

Hi William. A good quality rotor should last at least 10 years, although many last 20 years. By "good quality" I'm referring to 3/4" inlet rotors. Even some of the most reputable irrigation manufactures make some rather flimsy (in my opinion)1/2" inlet "mini rotors" that don't seem to last.

The same longevity mentioned above applies to the valves and the controller as well as the pipe and fittings.

Of course other factors can come in to play.

A "clean" installation that included flushing the system well before pressurization helps preserve the life span of the equipment.

Water quality can also affect the longevity of the sprinkler system. If you are on a well or lake pump, a sand filter should be installed. If you have re-claim water you should put in a re-claim filter (see the post below.)

As to the issue of leaks, again the quality of the installation matters.Poorly glued (solvent weld) pipe and fittings will be a problem forever.

All sprinkler systems require maintenance as even the best products need "tweaking" from time to time.

As to whether you need my DVD and membership site to repair leaks and replace rotors, the short answer is: no. Many homeowners do their own small sprinkler repair jobs oblivious to the existence of my website :)!

However, if you are "not handy" and would like to save yourself a lot of frustration and multiple trips to the hardware store, the DVD and accompanying manuals and power points will definitely shorten your learning curve.