An irrigation system diagnosis is a systematic inspection of every component in your irrigation system, including controllers, zones, heads, valves, pressure, and coverage. It involves a documented list of failures, inefficiencies, and required repairs, accompanied by photos. For rental properties, a diagnosis before summer demand peaks prevents the irrigation failures that show visible turf damage within 48-72 hours in markets like Phoenix and Dallas.
Quick Summary
- A diagnosis covers every component: controller settings, zone runs, head function, zone pressure, valve operation, backflow device, and coverage gaps
- The deliverable is a written report with prioritized repairs and photos from every zone, not just a verbal assessment
- The most valuable time to schedule is before summer demand peaks, not after an irrigation failure has already caused turf damage
- Same-cycle repairs are possible when parts are available, so diagnosis and repair often happen in a single visit
Need an irrigation diagnosis before summer?
We schedule within 48 hours, deliver a written report with photos, and complete same-cycle repairs where possible.
What an Irrigation System Diagnosis Is #
A diagnosis is a structured inspection of the full irrigation system that identifies failures, inefficiencies, and required repairs before they become turf damage or water waste. It is distinct from a repair visit. A repair visit fixes a known problem, but a diagnosis finds problems that are not yet visible or reported.
For property managers, a pre-season diagnosis functions as an audit. It confirms that the system is operating correctly before peak demand, surfaces problems that tenants would not recognize or report, and creates documentation to support any future repair decisions.
What a Complete Diagnosis Covers #
What We Check on Every Diagnosis
- ✓ Controller settings: Run times, scheduling, seasonal adjustment settings, battery backup
- ✓ Zone-by-zone manual run: Each zone activated and observed for duration, coverage, and anomalies
- ✓ Head function: Rotation on rotary heads, retraction on all heads, spray pattern integrity
- ✓ Head-to-head coverage: Each head should reach the next head in the zone. Gaps create dry strips
- ✓ Zone pressure: Low pressure indicates a supply line leak, broken head, or valve issue; high pressure causes misting and inefficiency
- ✓ Valve function: Each zone valve opens and closes fully; no partial failures or stuck valves
- ✓ Backflow device: Presence, condition, and code compliance of the backflow prevention device
- ✓ Wiring: Shorts, breaks, and corrosion in zone wiring that cause intermittent zone failures
- ✓ Supply line integrity: Surface signs of underground leaks including persistent wet patches and soil undermining
A diagnosis is only complete when every zone has been manually activated and observed. A desk review of the controller settings without running the zones misses most field failures.
What You Receive After the Diagnosis #
The deliverable is a written report, not a verbal summary. The report covers:
- Item-by-item findings. Every component inspected is listed with its condition: functioning correctly, requires attention, or failed. Findings that require immediate repair are flagged separately from low-urgency findings.
- Photo documentation. Photos from every zone and every flagged component. For property managers managing properties remotely, photos are the only way to verify conditions without being on-site.
- Prioritized repair list. Repairs ranked by urgency: immediate (system is non-functional or causing active damage), near-term (will cause problems before the end of the season), and maintenance (deferred until next service window).
- Quote for required repairs. Where repairs are identified, a quote is delivered within 48 hours. Same-cycle repairs are completed during the diagnosis visit when parts are available and the scope permits.
Key Insight
Across our Phoenix portfolio, pre-season diagnosis visits in May identify an average of 2-3 correctable issues per property that would have caused irrigation failures or turf damage during peak summer heat. A diagnosis visit in May typically costs less than a single emergency repair call in July.
When to Schedule an Irrigation System Diagnosis #
- Before summer demand peaks (May, all markets). The highest-value timing for a diagnosis is before June 1. Any system failure identified in May can be repaired before peak heat. A failure identified in July after turf damage has already occurred requires both repair and turf recovery.
- After an unexplained water bill increase. A water bill that is 25% or more above the prior billing period without a change in schedule or visible irrigation activity typically indicates a supply line leak or a stuck-open valve.
- After any irrigation failure or repair. A broken head replacement or valve repair triggers the adjacent zones to run. Failures rarely occur in isolation. A zone that requires repair is often adjacent to a zone approaching failure.
- At the property turnover. An irrigation system operated by a tenant for 12-24 months without professional inspections is at elevated risk of deferred damage. A turnover diagnosis documents the system state and identifies repairs before the next tenant takes occupancy.
- Before the winter shutdown in Denver and Seattle. Irrigation blowout before the first freeze prevents damage to the supply line and head from ice expansion. A diagnosis, combined with a blowout, confirms the system’s state before winterization.
How Our Irrigation Diagnosis Process Works #
How a diagnosis runs on our active markets:
1. Request submitted via our scheduling system. Property address, number of zones, and any known symptoms are collected at intake.
2. Technician assigned and scheduled within 48 hours. In Phoenix and Dallas, pre-season demand is highest in May. Scheduling before peak demand ensures availability.
3. Zone-by-zone inspection with photo documentation at every zone. Every head, valve, and component is checked and logged.
4. Report delivered with findings, photos, and prioritized repair list. The report is sent directly to the property manager, not just left on-site.
5. Repairs quoted within 48 hours for any flagged items. Same-cycle repairs completed where scope and parts permit.
Our irrigation diagnosis service covers all active markets. We handle irrigation repair on the same visit where possible. Property managers coordinating across multiple addresses use our single-point scheduling to confirm all systems are in place before summer demand peaks. For Phoenix-specific diagnosis, our Phoenix irrigation diagnosis service covers the full metro area.
Schedule your pre-summer irrigation diagnosis before June 1.
Written report with photos, prioritized repairs, and same-cycle fixes where possible. Over 100,000 jobs completed. Pay after completion.
Frequently Asked Questions #
How long does an irrigation system diagnosis take? #
A typical residential system with 4-8 zones takes 60-90 minutes for a full diagnosis. Larger systems with more zones take proportionally longer. The time includes manually activating each zone, walking each zone during the run, documenting all findings, and photographing every flagged component.
What is the difference between a diagnosis and a repair visit? #
A diagnosis is a structured inspection that identifies problems. A repair visit fixes a known, specific problem. If you know a head is broken or a valve is stuck, you need a repair. If you want to confirm the full system is functioning correctly before summer, you need a diagnosis. Repairs identified during a diagnosis can often be completed in the same visit.
How often should an irrigation system be diagnosed? #
Once per year, before summer demand peaks, is the standard for single-family rental properties. Properties in Phoenix and Dallas, where irrigation failures cause turf damage within 48 hours in summer, benefit from a May diagnosis every year. Properties in Denver and Seattle with less heat pressure can be extended to every 2-3 years if no symptoms are present.
Will the technician repair problems found during the diagnosis? #
Yes, when scope and parts permit. Head replacements and minor valve adjustments are typically completed in the same cycle. Supply line repairs and controller replacements require scheduling a separate repair visit. The diagnosis report clearly separates same-day-fixable items from items requiring a follow-up visit.
Know exactly what your irrigation system needs before summer starts.
Written report, photo documentation, prioritized repairs, and same-cycle fixes. We schedule within 48 hours across all active markets.
