Field notes
What to look for before you book.
Practical irrigation writing for Greater Houston. Each note links to the repair and the city it belongs to. Start from the repair list or the city list.
June 20, 2026
Swing-joint leaks that mimic a broken head
Water at the head is not always the head. On a rebuilt Bellaire lot the swing joint is often the piece the new bed edging pushed sideways. A typical call sounds like this. In Mulberry Manor, in April, before the turf
June 18, 2026
The filter under the nozzle is part of the spray pattern
Sediment in one nozzle, over and over, means the lateral is carrying grit. Cleaning is step one. Finding the grit is step two. A typical call sounds like this. In West Pearland, a week after a short Gulf freeze, someone
June 17, 2026
Common-wire problems on older Houston clocks
Several zones failing together often share a wire path, not a sudden desire to break four valves in one week. A typical call sounds like this. In Windrose, in October, with last summer’s program still loaded, someone
June 16, 2026
Master valve failures look like a dead system
When every station is silent, the master valve or the supply is ahead of any zone valve. One loud zone elsewhere on the property proves the supply. A typical call sounds like this. In Towne Lake, in July, when the
June 14, 2026
Check the solenoid before you buy a new valve
A solenoid can be electrically open and the valve mechanically fine. Replacing the body first is how a one-part repair becomes a manifold. A typical call sounds like this. In Cinco Ranch, in April, before the turf hides
June 13, 2026
Rotor arcs that drift after a season of clay movement
A rotor that watered the lawn in April can be watering the sidewalk by August because the head tilted, not because the gears forgot the arc. A typical call sounds like this. In Riverstone, a week after a short Gulf
June 12, 2026
When a multi-station controller will not start any zone
If no station runs, stop swapping heads. Power, the transformer, the rain sensor loop, and a master valve are the short list. A typical call sounds like this. In West Houston, in October, with last summer’s program
June 10, 2026
December shutoff habits before a Gulf cold snap
Insulating a backflow device is not the same as draining it, and neither step is universal. Read the assembly you actually have. A typical call sounds like this. In Westbury, in July, when the temptation is to add
June 9, 2026
November rain sensors that stayed bypassed all year
A sensor switched to bypass in July is why the system ran through the first cold front. Put it back in the circuit and watch one storm. A typical call sounds like this. In Gleannloch Farms, in April, before the turf
June 8, 2026
October leaf litter on spray heads
A spray head under an oak will water a circle of leaves and nothing past them. Cleaning the nozzle is the whole repair until the next wind. A typical call sounds like this. In Bear Branch, a week after a short Gulf
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