How to Replace an In-Ground Sprinkler Head

We've all driven past an area being watered with automatic sprinklers only to see one sprinkler spouting out a fountain of water rather than delivering a nice spray. The cause is likely a broken sprinkler head, and it's relatively easy to fix.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small shovel
• Replacement sprinkler head

1. Determine which sprinkler head is at fault. Sometimes it's in an obscure place, and the only symptom is low water pressure for other sprinkler heads. Once you've identified the culprit, purchase the correct replacement head.

2. Dig out a small section of grass and dirt around the sprinkler head to expose the entire piece. You need to dig only about 6 inches or so. Anything deeper than that will expose the sprinkler lines.

3. Twist the top off the sprinkler head, which allows you to see the rest of the sprinkler head's components. You may have to gently pull on the head or, if the entire component housing is broken, unscrew the component housing and lift it up out of the ground.

4. Pull the broken head out of the component housing, unless it's missing, in which case you need to have previously identified what type of spray head you need for the specific area.

5. Install the new sprinkler head by dropping it into the component housing and screwing the top back on. Turn on the sprinkler system to make sure the head sprays properly. If everything is working properly, shovel the dirt and sod back into place.

Tips & Warnings

• When picking out the replacement parts, make note of how the current head needs to spray and look for the replacement part that conforms exactly to the pattern you need.