Changing garden sprinklers?

If you need to replace a broken sprinkler, dig around to remove it, unscrew it and put a new one, if the riser goes to the head, wipe the threads and screw the riser back again.

Then, holding the sprinkler head, screw the riser in the underground pipe, if dirt falls into the hole of the pipe, suck out with a shop vacuum designed for solids and liquids.

If the head has sunk below ground level, remove it along with the riser and replace the latter by a longer one. If the riser does not come out with the head, put in an area of ½ inch ratchet wrench, then attach the ratchet to the extension and twist to loosen the riser. If it has a hexagonal cross section around a given depth use only the same size.

To relocate a sprinkler, and not have to dig a deep trench in the yard, you can install a plastic pipe extension that will allow relocating of a sprinkler. For this, buy a flexible plastic tube from a garden supply store of the length you need of ½ inch in diameter, two screw clamps, hose, and two elbows which serve the sprinkler system that has in use.

From the place of the head, cut and carefully lift a grass strip of the same length as the extension, to expose the soil. Then dig a narrow trench about 4in deep to the new location for the sprinkler.

Remove the sprinkler and riser, screw an elbow in the underground pipe opening at the other end of elbow extension plug plastic and secure with clamps. If necessary, use more space for the union, the extension to take place it will occupy the sprinkler and cut with a hacksaw. Place the other side at this end of the pipe holding it with the other clamp, and screw the head to the elbow, as appropriate, excavate or fill more dirt under the sprinkler to the correct height, and put the grass back into place.

If you run into trouble and you are in Dallas, call a sprinkler repair expert