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Irrigation Repair

Irrigation leak detection

Irrigation leak detection is how we track down a hidden underground leak in your sprinkler system before it wrecks your water bill or your yard. Local & insured across the Triangle — searching “irrigation leak detection near me”? You found us.

10+ yrs serving the Triangle
Local insured & accountable
100% satisfaction guarantee
12-mo workmanship warranty

Trusted irrigation leak detection across the Triangle

Irrigation leak detection is how we track down a hidden underground leak in your sprinkler system before it wrecks your water bill or your yard. Cary Sprinklers does this work across the Triangle, and owner Adam stands behind every diagnosis so nothing gets guessed at. The goal is simple: find exactly where the water is escaping, then dig in one spot instead of tearing up the whole lawn.

Our clay soil makes leaks sneaky. Water from a mainline seep or a valve stuck barely open travels sideways underground and rarely bubbles up where the break actually is, so a section of the yard can stay soggy fifteen feet from the real problem. Cary’s reclaimed purple-pipe water adds grit that chews through nozzles and valve seats faster, which is often what starts a slow leak in the first place. Add in backflow rules that shift from town to town, and accurate irrigation leak detection matters more here than most homeowners expect.

We handle irrigation leak detection for homeowners in Cary, Raleigh, Apex, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina and throughout Wake County — part of our irrigation repair service.

Cary Sprinklers technician locating and repairing a sprinkler leak in a landscape bed in Cary, NC

Common irrigation leak detection problems we fix

Diagnosed right and fixed with genuine Hunter, Rain Bird & Toro parts.

Mainline seep

A cracked mainline or loose fitting can leak the whole time your system is pressurized, even between watering days. We isolate the mainline and confirm the loss before anyone touches a shovel.

Valve stuck open

A worn solenoid or a bit of purple-pipe grit under the diaphragm keeps a valve barely cracked, so one zone weeps around the clock. Irrigation leak detection here means pressure-testing zone by zone until the guilty valve shows itself.

Cracked lateral line

Freeze damage or a careless shovel splits a poly or PVC lateral, and the water follows the clay sideways instead of surfacing. We narrow it to the zone, then locate the break so the dig is small.

Leaking heads and nozzles

Rotors and spray heads that no longer seal at the base bleed water down into the soil every cycle. We check seals, wiper caps, and precip rates to catch the ones losing water underground.

Backflow and manifold leaks

A weeping RPZ, a hairline crack in a manifold, or a bad union near the backflow can mimic a buried leak. We rule these out early since they’re above ground and often the real culprit.

Fitting and joint failures

Glued joints and barbed fittings work loose over years of pressure swings and clay movement. Precise irrigation leak detection pins the exact fitting so we repair it instead of replacing good pipe.

Signs you need irrigation leak detection

  • Water bill jumped with no change in habits
  • A patch of lawn stays wet or spongy between waterings
  • One zone has weak pressure or heads that barely pop up
  • You hear water running when the controller is off
  • Moss, mushrooms, or sunken soil over a buried line

How the work happens, step by step

No mystery, no runaround — here’s the order we work in.

Meter check

We start at the water meter to confirm the system is actually losing water and roughly how much. That tells us we’re chasing a real leak and not a scheduling or pressure quirk.

Zone-by-zone pressure test

We run and isolate each zone, watching pressure and flow to see which one won’t hold. This separates a mainline problem from a single lateral or valve.

Soil-moisture inspection

We read the ground across the suspect zone, since clay carries water sideways and the wet spot is rarely over the break. This keeps us from digging in the wrong place.

Precise locate and repair

Once we’ve narrowed it down, we pinpoint the leak so excavation stays small and your landscaping stays intact. We fix it with genuine parts and pressure-test the zone before we leave.

Reviews

What our Triangle neighbors say

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Shahar Moscovits profile picture
Shahar Moscovits
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I’m so glad I found Cary Sprinklers! Adam, the owner, is incredibly friendly, honest, and straightforward. He found several problems with our sprinkler system and was able to fix them for a very reasonable price. We had other companies come out who tried to upsell us on repairs costing thousands of dollars, so the difference was unbelievable. I have some experience in this field myself, so I know how to evaluate vendors and recognize when someone is being honest and when they’re simply trying to sell you more work. Adam was clearly focused on actually solving the problems rather than taking advantage of us. He saved us a tremendous amount of money, and we really appreciate it. Thank you so much, Adam, for your honesty, professionalism, and excellent work. Highly recommended!
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cyndy White profile picture
cyndy White
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This is the second time we have used Cary Sprinklers, and both times involved dirty digging and repairing complex leaks. The first was an underground valve leak and they put the dirt and our sod back as if it was their own home. The site around our second job by our backflow was also filled in nicely. Adam the owner, Matt the estimator, and Colby the irrigation magician were all great to work with. We think our irrigation in our box came apart when TOC main busted and the extreme pressure of 200+ psi was too much. Matt did a thorough job looking at our issue, answering all my questions about the possible TOC main break playing a part, and giving quote for the time he felt it would take. Keep in mind, this is the type of small business where you need to be flexible on the time of arrival since prior jobs may put them behind. With this said, the crew will spend all the time needed to repair the issue you have at your home and not rush to make things just good enough. They want to make sure the repair is done to your satisfaction. I texted Adam several times and he had a prompt response time. He was also prompt via email with a post work invoice question. We recommend supporting Cary Sprinklers for the reasons above and because this is a small business growing roots in our community.
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Matt Pickens profile picture
Matt Pickens
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Very fast service and Colby was very professional. Highly recommend using Cary Sprinklers.
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Lynne profile picture
Lynne
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Fantastic company! I highly recommend Cary Sprinklers. They did a great job!
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James Cleary profile picture
James Cleary
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Cary Sprinkler was easy to get an appointment online, they kept me informed every step of the way. The technician was on time, knowledgeable and personable. Would use again and recommend.
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Beth K Mandell/Lerner profile picture
Beth K Mandell/Lerner
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Adam and Gerald showed up right on time and kept me updated with texts the night before and the day of with their ETA. I needed a new zone added for part of the yard that wasn’t getting enough water anymore, and they did a great job. Fair pricing, excellent communication, and very professional — I’m really happy with the result.
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Kate Wotton profile picture
Kate Wotton
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5 stars — Highly recommend Cary Sprinklers! We hired Cary Sprinklers to expand our existing irrigation system by extending one zone and adding a completely new zone. From the beginning, they were professional, knowledgeable, and very easy to work with. What really impressed us was the equipment and efficiency. They used a Toro Dingo to trench the new lines, which allowed them to get the work done quickly and professionally while keeping the disruption to our yard to a minimum. The crew clearly knew what they were doing, and the installation was done right. Adam took the time to explain what we needed and why, and the communication throughout the project was excellent. The new zones give us much better coverage of the property, and everything is working exactly as it should. We couldn’t be happier with the finished system. The whole process was smooth, and the work exceeded our expectations. We would definitely use Cary Sprinklers again.
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Beth Turkish profile picture
Beth Turkish
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Cary Sprinklers is amazing. Adam is professional, capable, and wonderful to do business with. We called him because we had trouble with our timer app and controller. It wasn’t a brand that he usually works with, but he figured it out and fixed it anyway. Additionally, his team did an amazing job removing this massive root to get a broken sprinkler out of the ground and replace it and even under budget! I’ve done business with a few sprinkler companies in my lifetime, and these guys are the best!! They are honest, reliable, and very detail oriented. You will not be sorry if you call Cary Sprinklers.
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John Donellan profile picture
John Donellan
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Adam came out and made adjustments to several unfamiliar sprinkler heads that had been causing some lawn coverage issues. He worked quickly & efficiently to correct the issues to my satisfaction. A very good experience!
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Why homeowners choose us

01

No rotating crews

Adam stands behind every leak we chase, and the same accountable local team sees it through, so the person reading the meter is the person who fixes the leak. That continuity is why irrigation leak detection here doesn’t turn into guesswork or a bigger job than it needs to be.

02

We dig once, not everywhere

Minimal, controlled excavation is the whole point of locating a leak precisely first. Your beds, sod, and roots stay put because we open one small spot instead of trenching the yard.

03

Honest diagnosis, backed in writing

We repair before we replace and give you upfront pricing before any work starts. Every job is covered by our satisfaction guarantee and a 12-month workmanship warranty.

Irrigation leak detection in Cary, Raleigh & the whole Triangle

We provide irrigation leak detection across the Triangle. Choose your town for local details: Cary · Raleigh · Apex · Morrisville · Holly Springs · Fuquay-Varina.

Related services we handle on the same visit: sprinkler pipe repair · main line break repair · low sprinkler pressure repair.

Irrigation leak detection FAQ

How much does irrigation leak detection cost?

We give upfront pricing after we see the system, and the estimate is free. You’ll know the number before we start, and we won’t quote a dollar amount over the phone that we can’t stand behind on site.

Can you find a leak without digging up my whole yard?

Yes, that’s the point of doing it right. We use the meter, zone pressure tests, and soil readings to narrow the leak to one spot, so the actual digging is small and your landscaping is protected.

My water bill spiked but the lawn looks fine. Is that a leak?

Often it is. A mainline seep or a valve stuck barely open runs underground with almost nothing showing on the surface, and in our clay the water spreads sideways instead of pooling. A meter check will confirm whether the system is losing water.

Do you search for irrigation leak detection near me in my town?

If you searched irrigation leak detection near me anywhere in Cary, Raleigh, Apex, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, or the rest of Wake County, you’re in our area. We work the whole Triangle and know how the local soil and reclaimed water affect these systems.

Will you replace the whole line or just fix the leak?

We repair before we replace whenever the pipe and fittings are still sound. Genuine Hunter, Rain Bird, Toro, Irritrol, and Rachio parts go in where needed, and we only recommend a larger repair when the line truly warrants it.

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