We have an underground sprinkler system and need all the non-obvious causes of a leak at the location of a sprinkler head. We've already replaced the sprinkler head twice. Pipes and fittings directly associated with the sprinkler do not show signs of being cracked. It is the sprinkler head itself that is constantly oozing water.
The underground shut-off valve is downhill at the front of our property (about a 1/3 acre lot). Underground station valves are at the opposite end, at the rear of the back yard. This sprinkler is in the front yard and is the most uphill one of its station. I don't have a good knowledge of how supply is routed but am wondering if it is just releasing pressure perhaps? Any ideas appreciated. It's for some reason worse the last few days. Thanks!

 

If the zone is on a hill...... the water will drain out of the lowest head..... possibly for several hours.

Doesn't make a lot of sense. Water drains to the lowest point. A head at the top wouldn't leak.

 

Dig out area around suspect head and remove suspect head. Plug or cap the T /elbow where the suspect head was attached. Turn on that zone and check for leaks in the tubing and fittings supplying the suspect head. If leaks , replace/repair leaking item. If no leaks, the sprinkler head is leaking. Replace.

 

Maybe the station valve is not totally closing for the line (or I guess it’s called a zone not line) that sprinkler head is on, and for some reason water continually oozes from just that one particular sprinkler head. I don’t have experience with sprinkler systems, but couldn’t you cap off that sprinkler head and see if the oozing moves to another head?

OK – I just saw beelzebob’s post and I think I must have a misconception of how these systems operate. How can the sprinkler head continually ooze water if the zone valve properly shuts the water off to that zone? I guess continually is the key word here.

 

If the valve doesn't completely shut off..... you can get a trickle of water in the system.
Water flows downhill so it will come out at the lowest head.

Even if the valve does shut off completely..... you can get water trickling out of the lowest point for several hours.