Brown spots in July: dry spot, lawn disease or a broken head?
Shape, pattern and location tell you if a brown spot is a dry spot, a broken head or a lawn disease. A repair call starts at $95.
Short answer: the shape and position of a brown spot usually tell you the cause. A spot in line with a sprinkler head, or a patch between two heads, is a watering problem. A round or irregular patch that spreads regardless of where the heads are can be a lawn disease or pests. Look at the pattern before you spend money on anything. Sprinkler repair on our price list starts at $95.
Start with the pattern
Stand at the edge of the yard and look at the whole lawn, then at the spot.
| Pattern | Most likely cause |
|---|---|
| Brown ring or semicircle around a head | The head is not turning, or the nozzle is clogged |
| Straight-edged strip | A blocked or broken head on one side |
| Patch directly between heads | Not enough overlap, so a coverage gap |
| Brown line along pavement | Heat reflecting off hard surfaces, or overspray runoff |
| Irregular patch, spreading in a few days | Lawn disease or insects |
| Brown along the whole zone | Zone not running, or a valve or wire problem |
The three-minute test for a watering problem
- Run the zone from the controller and stand beside the spot.
- Watch the heads nearest it. Does each one pop up, turn and spray the full pattern?
- Look for water that does not reach the grass. Blocked by a shrub that grew, a tilted head, or a nozzle clogged with grit.
- Do the catch-can check. Set a few shallow containers in the spot and run the zone. If some collect much less than others, coverage is uneven.
If any of these fail, it is a head or coverage problem, and the fix is mechanical.
When it looks like disease instead
Lawn diseases often show up in hot, humid weather, which is Georgia in July. Signs include:
- Patches that spread outward over days
- Grass blades with spots or a rotted look at the base
- A dull grey or dark border around the edge of a patch
- Patches that appear even though every head works
Disease is often tied to too much moisture, especially at night. For a diagnosis and treatment advice, UGA Extension county offices can look at a sample. We are an irrigation company, not a lawn care company, and we will tell you when the evidence points away from the sprinklers.
Heat stress and dormancy
Sometimes the spot is just stress. Grass on slopes, along pavement or in thin soil can brown in a heat wave while the rest holds. That is a good time to check the schedule and the clay beneath: soil that is hard and dry resists water and needs longer, slower runs. A schedule that waters deeply and less often gives roots a reason to go down.
Fixing the watering problems
- Clogged nozzle: remove, rinse, replace.
- Tilted or sunken head: reset level with the grass.
- Overgrown shrub: trim so spray reaches the lawn.
- Coverage gap: adjust the arc or radius, or add a head.
- Zone not running: this is a valve, wire or controller question, and valve replacement is $275 to $1,200 depending on type and size, while locating a buried valve starts at $185.
What we do not do
We do not treat the lawn, and we do not recommend lawn products. We look at where the water goes. If the zone is delivering water evenly and the spot is still dying, we will say so and send you toward your lawn care provider or the county Extension office. That honesty saves you the cost of a repair you did not need.
When to call us
Call when a zone is not running, when a head will not pop up or turn, or when brown patches keep returning in the same place after you have cleaned and adjusted. In the heat, we can often be out the same day. See our irrigation page for what we handle and the pricing page for numbers. You can also request a quote.
FAQ
How do I tell if a brown spot is from a broken sprinkler head? Look at the pattern. A spot lined up with a head, or a gap between two heads, usually points to a head or coverage problem. Run the zone and watch.
Can too much water cause brown spots? Yes. Constantly wet turf can develop disease and thin out, so brown does not always mean dry.
Will a brown spot come back by itself? Dormant or stressed grass may recover when the weather eases. Grass killed by disease or a lack of water usually needs reseeding.
What does a sprinkler repair cost? Repairs start at $95 on our price list. The minimum service call is also $95.
Prices from our price list. Updated October 2026.