In all lawn irrigation systems, a repair or replacement of a valve is quite common. An irrigation system is divided into different zones, each leading to sprinkler heads located in various areas of the lawn. Each of these zones is controlled by a particular valve that gets signals from a central controller. The problem is that the constant on and off cycles of these valves lead to wear and tear, so it’s inevitable that you’ll have to request a repair or a replacement of one or more valves.
Here’s another thing you should know. It’s often difficult to find the sprinkler valves because valve locations can change depending on the size of your yard and the design of the system. In a lot of areas, the source water for the irrigation system doesn’t come from the house. There are local jurisdictions that require a reduced pressure zone assembly or RPZ valve on the source water. In such cases, the valves will be located outside.
In this post, Extreme Irrigation & Lawn shares how you can find lawn sprinkler irrigation valves:
Finding Irrigation Valves That Are Above-Ground
Above-ground irrigation valves are often installed close to the water source, so you should start by checking around the perimeter of the garage or the house. You should look behind shrubbery that may be concealing the sprinkler valves. Typically, the zone valves will be found near the vacuum breaker, which is required in many irrigation systems.
Finding Irrigation Valves That Are Buried
Newer irrigation systems usually have the valves installed in valve boxes that are then set into the earth. These boxes are often easily visible. For smaller yards, there may be a single valve box found near the spot where the irrigation pipes enter the ground coming from the water source. However, there may be remote valve boxes found at the start of every irrigation zone for larger yards. Here are some tips on how to locate below-ground valves:
Start by looking for any exposed valve boxes. In most cases, the valves will be inside green or black plastic boxes with removable covers to expose the valves. As time passes, though, these boxes can get covered with dirt and grass, and after many years, they can disappear.
You should also check the sprinkler documentation that came with the system. This should include a diagram that illustrates the location of the valves. Alternatively, you might want to check with the local permits department to see if they still have the irrigation blueprint in their records.
The cheapest way to locate buried irrigation valves is by probing the soil using a thin rod. You can usually estimate the location of the valve. Just probe the ground until you locate a valve box. Of course, this will only work if your valves are protected by valve boxes.
You can also rent tools like a chatter locator or a valve locator that works like a metal detector which makes it easier to determine where valves are.
Conclusion
These are some of the ways you can locate your lawn sprinkler irrigation valves. To avoid having to go through all the trouble looking for the valves next time, you might want to consider drawing up a sprinkler system diagram. After all, it might take a few years before you’ll need an irrigation system repair or a valve replacement again. It’s possible that by then, you won’t know where the valves are again. It’s better to have a map for it next time.
Extreme Irrigation & Lawn provides reliable sprinkler system installation and repair services in Tulsa. Contact our team of trained professionals today for a valve replacement, repair, or any other sprinkler system service you might need!