Sprinkler Repair questions from Collin County homeowners

Most repair visits run $120 to $350 including the diagnostic and common parts such as heads, nozzles and solenoids. Valve rebuilds start around $150. Mainline breaks and controller replacements get a written number on site.

Most calls in Plano are scheduled within two to four business days. A zone that is stuck on and flooding gets moved to the front of the line, and we will walk you through shutting the water off at the backflow when you call.

Nine times out of ten it is a failed solenoid, a corroded wire splice in the valve box, or a cut wire from landscaping or fence work. The tech meters each zone at the controller and at the valve to pinpoint it instead of replacing parts by guesswork.

Debris under the valve diaphragm or a worn diaphragm is holding the valve partly open. It wastes a lot of water fast. Shut the system off at the backflow preventer until we arrive.

Not usually. We need access to the controller, the backflow and the yard. Many customers leave the garage or gate open and we text photos and the invoice when the work is done.

Frisco, Allen and Wylie require irrigation backflow assemblies to be tested every year by a TCEQ-licensed Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester registered with the city, and Plano, Richardson, Murphy, Sachse and McKinney require a licensed tester to test the assembly and file the report with the city when it is installed or repaired or when the city sends a notice. The test confirms the device that keeps irrigation water out of the drinking water supply is working. A certified tester has to perform it and file the report.

The rule to follow is the city watering schedule: no more than twice a week from April through October in Plano, Allen, Wylie and Murphy, once a week in winter in Plano, Allen and Wylie, two assigned days a week year-round in Richardson, never between 10am and 6pm, with Frisco banning lawn sprinklers from November through March. We program every controller we touch to comply, and smart controllers adjust automatically.

Texas requires a TCEQ Licensed Irrigator or Irrigation Technician on site whenever an irrigation system is installed or repaired, and only a TCEQ-licensed Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester may test a backflow assembly. The license number goes on the invoice.

If your controller is more than ten years old or has no rain sensor, yes. A smart controller typically saves 20 to 30 percent on irrigation water and makes seasonal adjustments for you. Allen pays $75 toward a qualifying smart irrigation controller and $25 toward a rain and freeze sensor retrofit, Plano and McKinney have offered sensor and controller rebates in past years, and Frisco offers free sprinkler check-ups instead; ask and we will check the current program.

Full blow-out winterization is rarely necessary in North Texas, but the first freeze usually arrives in mid to late November and backflow preventers should be insulated or drained before it. Frisco requires sprinklers off from November through March and Allen bans running them below 32F, so a fall visit is the time to reset the controller.