Head won’t pop up
- Grass or soil over the top. Lawns grow over heads over time. Trim back around the head.
- Low pressure on the zone. If every head on the zone is weak, look for a leak on that zone, a valve that isn’t opening fully, or a partly closed supply. Too many heads on one zone can do it too.
- Debris inside. Sand or dirt in the head, or a clogged nozzle or filter screen, can keep it from rising.
- Broken riser or head. If water bubbles out around the base, the riser or the head may be cracked.
Head won’t go back down
Dirt packed around the stem, a worn wiper seal, or a weak spring can leave a head stuck up, where mowers and feet break it. Clean around it and push it down gently. If it keeps sticking, replace the head.
Rotor won’t rotate
- A clogged nozzle or filter screen
- Debris in the gear drive
- Pressure too low for the rotor to turn
- The arc set wrong after an adjustment
- A worn-out gear drive, which means a new head
When you replace a head, match the type and nozzle to the other heads on that zone. Mixing spray heads and rotors on one zone waters some areas far more than others.
Leaking at the head
A head that leaks while the zone runs usually has a bad seal or a cracked body. If the lowest head on a zone leaks after the zone shuts off, it’s often water draining out of the pipe; if it leaks all the time, see valve won’t shut off.
When to call us
If several heads on a zone act up, it’s usually a pressure or valve problem, not the heads. Our free 21-point inspection checks head height, alignment, nozzles, coverage, and pressure on every zone. See sprinkler repair and our Sprinkler Care Membership, which includes head and nozzle adjustments at every quarterly visit.
Safety first: if you can’t stop the water, close the shutoff valve for the irrigation system, or the main shutoff to the house. Before you dig anywhere, call 811 to have buried utility lines marked.
Written by ACRE Landscape Co., Fresno & Clovis. Updated October 26, 2026.