Irrigation system not working: what to check first
Most irrigation faults are one of a handful of things, and you can usually narrow it down in twenty minutes without tools. A whole zone dead points at a valve, a cable or a filter. One dry patch points at an emitter or a split line. A soaring water bill with nothing visible points at a leak on the pressure side. Knowing which of those you have makes the repair quote far more accurate.
Key takeaways
- A dead zone is usually a solenoid, a cut cable or a blocked filter rather than a failed pump.
- A wet patch that never dries is usually a split line under a surface laid after the pipe went in.
- A bill that has doubled with no visible change usually means a buried leak before the valves.
- What makes repairs expensive is the search, so any record of where the pipework runs is worth money.
Start with the controller
Check that it has power, that the date and time are right and that the programme has not been wiped by a power cut, which is common here in autumn. Then run each zone manually from the controller. That single test separates a programming problem from a hardware one, and it is the first thing anybody you call will ask you to do.
Work through the symptoms
| What you see | Most likely cause |
|---|---|
| One zone does not run at all | Solenoid, valve or the cable to it |
| Every zone is weak | Blocked filter, low mains pressure or a pump fault |
| One dry patch inside a working zone | Blocked or detached emitter, or a chewed line |
| A permanently wet patch | Split line, often under paving laid over it |
| Water bill up, garden unchanged | Leak on the pressure side, before the valves |
| System runs but never stops | Valve stuck open, or a controller in manual |
| Nothing at all after a storm | Power, controller memory or a tripped circuit |
The Mallorca specific ones
- Hard water. Limescale blocks emitters and filters faster here than in softer water regions, and a filter that has never been cleaned is a common find.
- Summer mains pressure. In some villages it drops in August, so a system that works in May struggles in the month it is needed.
- Sun damage. Exposed drip line degrades in strong light and splits along its length rather than at one point.
- Cistern and well systems. If the source is stored water, an empty cistern looks exactly like a pump failure from the garden.
What to write down before calling anyone
Which zones work and which do not, whether the controller display is lit, when the problem started, and whether anything was dug or paved recently. If you have photographs from when the trenches were open, or any plan of the pipework, say so. That is the difference between a contractor finding a fault in an hour and spending an afternoon looking for it.
When is repair not worth it?
Valves, solenoids and controllers are routine replacements and always worth repairing. Perished pipe across a whole garden is the point where replacing the network usually costs less than chasing it, especially if the layout no longer matches the planting. A company that only ever proposes replacement is worth a second opinion, and so is one that keeps patching.
How the matching works
We do not repair irrigation. Describe the symptom and we pass it to vetted irrigation companies on Mallorca covering your area, who quote you directly. Request free quotes and compare how each proposes to find the fault.
Why has one irrigation zone stopped working?
Usually the solenoid valve for that zone, the cable running to it, or a blocked filter. Running each zone manually from the controller is the quickest way to confirm it.
How do I find a leak in a buried irrigation line?
Look for the patch that stays wet when the system is off, and check the meter with everything closed. Beyond that it is a search, which is why a plan of the pipework is worth keeping.
Can a controller lose its programme?
Yes, particularly after a power cut, and it is a common cause of a garden that suddenly stops being watered. Check the time and date before assuming a hardware fault.
Is it worth replacing an old system?
If the pipe itself has perished across the garden, usually yes. If it is valves and a controller, repair is normally the cheaper answer.
Where to start
Run every zone manually and note what happens on each. That list is what a repair quote is built from. Send it through, or read what an irrigation system costs if replacement is on the table. The irrigation guide for Mallorca sets out how a system should have been zoned in the first place.
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