Spray Nozzle Clogging and Wear: Causes and Fixes

A nozzle that clogs or wears changes flow, pattern and droplet size, often without anyone noticing until the process suffers.

Common symptoms

• Streaky or uneven pattern
• Pressure rising (clogging) or falling (wear) at the same pump setting
• Higher water use than expected
• Dripping after shut-off

Causes of clogging

• Debris, rust or scale in the supply
• Hard water depositing scale in fine orifices
• Solids in recirculated liquid

Fixes

• Install or upgrade line and nozzle strainers sized to the smallest passage
• Use softened or RO water for fine misting nozzles
• Choose large free-passage designs such as spiral nozzles for dirty liquids
• Flush headers after maintenance

Causes of wear

• Abrasive solids eroding the orifice
• Chemical attack on the wrong material
• Cleaning with hard tools that damage the orifice

Fixes

• Move to harder or chemically compatible materials
• Clean with soft brushes or soak, never with wires
• Replace nozzles on a schedule based on measured flow

Tell us the symptoms and your nozzle model; we will suggest the right replacement or upgrade.