Clogged misting nozzle: why it happens and how to clear it

Why nozzles clog

A nozzle forces water through an extremely narrow orifice in order to break it into very small droplets. The smaller that orifice, the finer the fog, and in exactly the same proportion, the more prone it is to clogging.

There are two sources of clogging:

• Limescale. Minerals dissolved in the water are left behind at the mouth of the orifice once the water evaporates. In hard water areas this is the most common cause by far.
• Sediment and particles. Sand, rust and pipe debris in the mains supply. A filter catches these; in systems with no filter, or a filter that has filled up, they go straight to the nozzle.

Water hardness varies a great deal by region, and it is worth finding out what yours is before deciding on filtration. Where the water is hard, filtration is not an optional extra.

How to spot it

Run the system and look up at the line from underneath. What to look for:

• Some nozzles not spraying at all, or spraying very weakly.
• The spray cone is not symmetrical and leans to one side.
• The system cools less well than it used to.
• One section of the line works while another stays weak.
• The system has started wetting surfaces, which is usually a sign of pressure loss.

Clearing a clogged nozzle

You can carry out the steps below yourself. The one rule: before touching the system, stop it and make sure the pressure in the line has dropped completely.

1. Stop the system and shut off the water.
2. Remove the blocked nozzles. Collect them in a container so you do not lose the small parts.
3. Dip them briefly in descaler. Mix white vinegar or a descaler with water and immerse the nozzles. Do not leave them soaking: descaler eats into the threads within 15–20 seconds and renders the part unusable. If a brief dip does not clear it, replace the nozzle.
4. Rinse thoroughly. Never try to open the orifice with a pin; it permanently ruins the inside of the nozzle.
5. Check the filter. If a nozzle has clogged, the filter is probably full too. Replace the cartridge.
6. Flush the line with the nozzles off. With the nozzles removed, run the system briefly to push the debris inside the line out.
7. Refit the nozzles and check the spray pattern.

A nozzle that still will not give a proper pattern after cleaning has a worn orifice and needs replacing. The nozzle is the most economical component of the system.

Making sure it does not happen again

• Do not neglect the filter. The cartridge is the cheapest protection the system has.
• Add softening if your water is hard. Limescale is in solution, so it passes straight through a mechanical filter; only softening holds it back.
• Remove the nozzles at the end of the season. Cleaning them and storing them dry means the system starts next year as it did on the first day.
• Check the line regularly. One failed nozzle is easy to deal with; an entire line clogging costs you the season.

Ask us to do it

You can also leave all of this to us. Our maintenance and service work covers cleaning the line, changing filters and replacing worn nozzles. We provide this regardless of which company installed the system.

We are based in Ankara and provide service across Türkiye. Call 0507 492 02 04 or raise a request through the contact form.