Round Rock, Texas

Sprinkler and irrigation repair in Round Rock

A head that sprays the street, a zone that will not shut off, or a wet spot that never dries? Text me what you see. I’ll help you find a licensed irrigator.

Text Terry about sprinklers

OnHand Home is not an irrigator. I help you find one, and you get their business name before you agree to anything. There is no charge for my help. You pay the irrigator for the work.

What the work involves

A sprinkler system has a controller, valves, pipe, and heads. The controller tells a valve when to open. The valve sends water down the pipe to the heads in one zone. A fault in any of those parts shows up as a symptom in the yard.

An irrigator usually starts by running each zone and watching. They look for broken heads, geysers, low pressure, and zones that stay on or never start. They then trace the cause: a head, a valve, a pipe leak, a wire, or the controller.

Many repairs are small and quick, such as swapping a head or a nozzle. Others need digging, such as a cracked pipe or a stuck valve. Ask for the price of the diagnosis and the price of the fix as two separate numbers when you can.

In Texas, repairing an irrigation system is work that needs a state license. Check who is licensed before you let anyone open a valve box.

Why Round Rock homeowners call for sprinkler repair

A broken or crooked head, or one that sprays a fan of water into the street
A zone that runs all the time or will not turn off
A zone that never comes on
A soggy patch or sunken spot in the lawn
A water bill that jumped and no one used the water
Brown dry spots next to green grass, which can mean a missed or blocked head
A controller with a blank screen, an error, or a schedule you cannot change
Low pressure at the heads, or water bubbling out of the ground
A mower or a car that crushed a head or a pipe

Repair, upgrade, or replace?

Many calls end in a simple repair. These are the other paths.

Swap a head or a nozzle The fix for most spray problems. Ask whether the new part matches the zone, so coverage stays even.
Fix a leak or a valve A wet spot or a zone that will not shut off often points to a pipe or a valve. This needs digging and a repair to the line.
Upgrade the controller An old controller can run too long or at the wrong time. A newer one can adjust to weather. The City of Round Rock has a rebate for qualifying upgrades to an existing system. Check the City page first.
Rework a zone If the grass never gets even coverage, the layout may be wrong. An irrigator can add or move heads. A drip line suits beds better than spray heads.
Install a new system A new system is a bigger job with a permit. See the permit notes below.

What changes the price

Sprinkler repair is priced by what is broken and how deep it is. Ask what is included in the first visit.

Any service fee to come out and diagnose the problem
Number of broken heads, nozzles or risers
Whether the fault is in a valve, a wire or a buried pipe, which means digging
The size and age of the system, and how many zones there are
Controller repair or replacement
Backflow device repair, replacement or testing
Whether the lawn or beds need repair after digging
Whether parts are available for an older system

Questions to ask the irrigator

Use these to compare quotes side by side.

What is your TCEQ irrigator license number?TCEQ licenses the individual. You can look the number up in its public license search.
Is there a diagnostic fee, and does it apply to the repair?Find out before they start, so the first visit does not surprise you.
Will you tell me what you found before you fix it?Ask for the cause in plain words. It lets you compare quotes.
Do you replace like for like, or change the heads or nozzles?Mixed parts in one zone give uneven watering.
Will you check the backflow device while you are here?The backflow device protects the water supply. Ask about its condition and any testing.
Do you reset the controller schedule to the City watering days?Round Rock limits outdoor watering days and hours. A schedule that ignores them can cause a violation.
Who repairs the lawn after you dig?Ask whether filling the hole is included, and whether sod or reseeding is extra.

If water is running that you cannot stop

Turn off the irrigation supply at its shut-off valve or, if you cannot find it, at the main water shut-off. Turn the controller to off so it does not restart. Then text me. OnHand Home is not an emergency service, and I cannot promise how fast an irrigator can come.

Permits and the backflow device

The City of Round Rock says an Irrigation Permit is required to install a lawn irrigation system connected to City water. It says a permit is not required for repairs to the piping of an existing system, unless the backflow prevention device is replaced.

The City also lists an Irrigation permit on its standalone permits page and says a TCEQ backflow report must be left on site. Ask your irrigator whether your job needs a permit and who files it.

Round Rock and Texas notes

TCEQ says a person may not sell, design, install, maintain, alter, repair, service or inspect an irrigation system unless licensed. You can check a license in the TCEQ license search.
TCEQ says complaints about an unlicensed irrigator can be filed in Municipal and Justice of the Peace courts.
The City of Round Rock requires an Irrigation Permit for a new lawn irrigation system, and not for pipe repairs to an existing system unless the backflow device is replaced.
The City allows outdoor watering on your designated day or days, before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. under its year-round standards.

What happens after you text

You text meSay what is going on, add a photo if you can, and include your ZIP code. The message is already started for you, and you can change it.
I ask a question or twoI check the details an irrigator will need and confirm you are in our area. We are starting in Round Rock.
I look for an irrigatorI check who can take the job. You get the business name before you agree to anything. If I cannot find someone, I tell you.
They quote and do the workThe irrigator confirms the time and the price with you. You pay them for the work. I follow up afterward.

Tell me what is going on.

Text me a short description and your ZIP code. A photo helps.