Underground Irrigation Leak Detection & Repair in the Fairfield Area
We investigate and repair irrigation leaks in supply pipes, sprinkler zones and valves. A wet patch, weak zone or higher bill is a reason to check the system, not proof of where the leak is. Meter checks, separate zone runs and testing of suspect pipe help narrow the work before digging; the repaired section is tested before backfilling.
Is it the main line, a lateral or a valve?
The meter tells you which half to search.
The main line runs from the meter to the valves and holds pressure all day. Each lateral runs from a valve to its heads and holds pressure only while that zone runs. So with every tap and zone off, a moving meter points to the main line, a valve that won’t close, or the house. A still meter sends the search to the zones, one at a time.
The simple version of the test: read the meter, use no water for two hours, read it again. If the reading moved, water is leaving the system.
Meter, everything off, 2 hours Moves
A Main line
Under pressure all day. The meter moves with everything off, and the wet patch doesn’t follow any zone’s schedule.
B Lateral
Under pressure only while its zone runs. The meter sits still when the system is off; the zone runs weak, heads don’t pop up fully, or one patch stays soggy.
C Valve seep
A valve that doesn’t fully close lets water into its zone all the time. It shows as a puddle at that zone’s lowest head, and the meter creeps.
D Low-head drainage
Not a broken pipe. After each run, the water left in the zone drains out of the lowest head, then stops. A check valve under the head holds it back.
With a check valve under the lowest head, the water is held back and the head stops draining.
Water in the pipe runs downhill, so the lowest head is where a zone drains out. A check valve under that head holds it back.
How do you narrow down an underground leak?
By testing the suspect sections before opening the ground.
Carlos and his crew work in this order:
The meter, everything off
Whether water leaves while nothing should run
Each zone on its own, watched
A weak zone, a soggy patch, a head that won’t pop up
A pressure hold on the capped section
Whether that section holds pressure
Open the suspect area
Access depends on the leak location and pipe condition
The repair
The damaged section cut out and replaced with new PVC and fittings. A seeping valve is rebuilt or replaced; we install Rain Bird anti-siphon valves
A second pressure hold, then backfill
The trench tamped and leveled, the meter read again, every head run
You get it in writing: what failed, where it was, and what was replaced. When a system has more patches than pipe, the answer is a rebuild, not another repair.
3-year warranty on qualifying irrigation and lighting systems.
…diagnosed and fixed a sprinkler issue we'd been dealing with
Andres Rodriguez, Google review, Feb 2026 (opens in a new tab)…checked our sprinklers and found a broken one we didn't know about
Jennifer Murphy, Google review, Mar 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Will my water provider adjust the bill after a leak?
City of Napa water customers can apply once every five years; Vacaville and Fairfield water customers can request an adjustment after repair. Choose your provider’s city.
Lit: the three towns we have leak answers for. Elsewhere, ask your provider.
City of Napa Water Division · Checked Sep 2026
Yes, once every five years.
An underground leak of more than 5,000 gallons can qualify for one bill adjustment per address in five years. Apply within 60 days of finding it. The city repairs leaks at or before the meter; leaks after it are yours to repair.
A leak 1/32 of an inch across, running for 14 days:
gallons
Napa’s line is 5,000 gallons, about 24 days of this leak.
- Napa, City of Napa Water Division: Yes, once every five years. An underground leak of more than 5,000 gallons can qualify for one bill adjustment per address in five years. Apply within 60 days of finding it. The city repairs leaks at or before the meter; leaks after it are yours to repair. Checked Sep 2026.
- Vacaville, City of Vacaville: You can ask, after the repair. Repair the leak first, then send the city a Water Loss Adjustment Request. A leak on your side of the meter is yours to repair. The Solano County Water Agency has a rebate on a smart home water monitor, so the next leak shows up on your phone. Checked Sep 2026.
- Fairfield, City of Fairfield: You can ask, on the city’s form. Leak adjustment requests go on the city’s online form: when the leak was found, when it was fixed, and the receipts. No other terms are posted. The Solano County Water Agency has a rebate on a smart home water monitor, so the next leak shows up on your phone. Checked Oct 2026.
Check the provider on your water bill first. A neighborhood name does not establish eligibility, and some properties use a different provider or a well. Provider rules are in Watering rules by city.
Finding leaks, drainage and meter questions
We narrow the search before opening the ground.
We check the meter with water use stopped, run zones separately and test suspect sections as needed. Those checks help distinguish a supply-side leak, a zone pipe problem or a seeping valve. Access and the pipe’s condition determine how much ground needs opening.
Brief drainage and a continuing leak are different clues.
Water left in a sloped zone can drain through the lowest head and then stop. Continuous flow may mean the valve is not sealing or still has power. We check when the flow starts and stops before recommending a head check valve or a valve repair.
Start with the water provider.
Vacaville: A leak on your side of the meter is yours to repair. Napa: The city repairs leaks at or before the meter; leaks after it are yours to repair. A neighborhood name does not establish the provider or who owns the damaged pipe. Ask the provider to confirm responsibility; this service covers irrigation leaks rather than household plumbing. Checked Sep 2026.
Where we take new bookings.
All our services are available in the neighborhoods below. Our workday starts in Fairfield. We aim to keep routes within about 15 miles, serving the neighborhoods listed here rather than every address in the surrounding cities or counties. Call with your neighborhood and location before arranging a visit.
- Fairfield
- Cordelia, Rockville, Green Valley, Rancho Solano, Mankas Corner
- Vacaville
- Elmira, Browns Valley
- Vallejo
- Hiddenbrooke
- Suisun Valley
- Suisun Valley
- Napa
- Silverado Country Club, Browns Valley, Alta Heights, East Napa
- American Canyon
- All of American Canyon
Tell us your neighborhood and the work you need when you call. We confirm the property is on our service route before arranging a visit. Check our service area.
Locate the leak. Repair the source.
Tell Carlos where you have noticed water and what happens when the sprinklers run.
Call for a quote(707) 329-8391
