The best time to check an irrigation system in Moreton Bay is late winter or early spring, before the dry, windy weeks that usually come before the storm season. Most faults, like broken sprinklers, leaks and blocked drippers, are easy to spot if you run each zone and watch it.
Here's a simple check you can do yourself in about half an hour, and the signs that mean it's time to call someone in.
1. Run every zone and watch it
Use the controller's manual or test mode to run each zone for a few minutes, one at a time. Walk the area while it runs. You're looking for sprinklers that don't pop up, spray in the wrong direction, spray onto paths and walls, or mist instead of spraying properly.
- Sprinklers that don't pop up or stay stuck down
- Heads knocked sideways or broken by mowers and foot traffic
- Water spraying onto paths, driveways, walls or windows
- Fine mist instead of droplets, which usually means pressure is too high
- Weak spray, which can mean a leak, a blockage or low pressure
- Gaps in coverage where parts of the lawn or bed stay dry
2. Look for leaks
With the zone running, look for water bubbling up from the ground, soggy patches, or water running down paths away from any sprinkler. After the zone turns off, check that water stops flowing. A valve that doesn't close properly can leak water all day.
If you have a water meter, note the reading when nothing is running and check it again an hour later. If it has moved, something is leaking, either in the irrigation or elsewhere in the plumbing.
3. Check drip lines in garden beds
Drip irrigation is hidden under mulch, so problems are easy to miss. Pull the mulch back in a few spots along each line while it's running and check the drippers are wetting the soil. Look for split or disconnected lines, and for roots or silt blocking drippers. Many drip systems have a filter near the valve that needs cleaning out once or twice a year.
4. Set the controller for the season
A controller set once and left alone wastes water in the wet season and under-waters in the dry. Adjust run times as the seasons change, and water early in the morning so less is lost to evaporation and leaves dry during the day.
| Season in Moreton Bay | What to do with the controller |
|---|---|
| Late winter to spring (Aug–Nov) | Usually the driest time. Increase watering, especially for lawns and new plantings |
| Summer wet season (Dec–Mar) | Reduce watering, and make sure the rain sensor or rain delay is working |
| Autumn (Apr–May) | Reduce further as temperatures drop |
| Winter (Jun–Jul) | Minimal watering. Many established gardens need little or none |
On heavy clay soil or sloping blocks, split each watering into two or three shorter cycles with a break between them, so the water soaks in instead of running off.
5. Test the rain sensor
A rain sensor stops the system watering during and after rain. If you have one, check it works: most can be tested by pressing the test button or wetting the sensor while a zone is running. If you don't have one, it's usually a cheap addition and one of the easiest ways to save water in our wet season.
When to call someone in
- A zone won't turn on or won't turn off
- You find an underground leak or a leaking valve box
- Large dry areas keep appearing even after adjusting run times
- The controller is faulty, or you'd like a Wi-Fi controller
- You're adding new gardens or turf and need extra zones
Any work on the mains water connection or backflow prevention device must be done by a licensed plumber.
Questions we get asked
How long should I run my sprinklers?
It depends on the sprinkler type, soil and season. As a guide, water deeply and less often, and split long run times into shorter cycles on clay soils or slopes so the water soaks in.
Do I need to water in the wet season?
Often very little. During the summer wet season many established gardens need little or no irrigation, which is why a rain sensor and seasonal adjustments matter.
Want us to check it for you?
We inspect, repair and reprogram irrigation across Brendale and Moreton Bay, and install new zones for new gardens and turf.
- Irrigation: Irrigation inspections, repairs, controller programming and new installs for lawns, gardens and commercial landscapes.
- Garden Maintenance: Weeding, pruning, mulching and general garden care on a regular schedule, so beds stay neat through every season.
- Lawn Mowing: Regular mowing, edging and whipper-snipping for homes, body corporates and commercial sites, on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly schedule.