Owning an irrigation system comes with a new set of responsibilities. Understanding common repairs, including how to change your irrigation valve, keeps your yard looking healthy and prolongs the life of your sprinkler system.
Here’s how to diagnose if your irrigation valve has an issue and how to swap out the valve yourself. Don’t hesitate to hire a sprinkler repair professional if you need assistance with this task.
Before you dive into this DIY project, learn more about the system to avoid costly mistakes. An irrigation valve regulates the water in your sprinkler system, ensuring water is released and distributed across it evenly. Without it, your system would likely flood your lawn or garden beds. The irrigation valve runs on a timely, consistent schedule and flow.
The irrigation, or sprinkler valve, is where water is released into emitters when pressure builds up. Most drip irrigation systems will have two types of valves: master and irrigation.
The master valve is where water enters the irrigation system. You can turn this on and off manually or sometimes set a timer to control it. When on, the master valve distributes water across the sprinkler system to the irrigation valves.
The irrigation valve shut-off location is on each node. That’s where water is distributed to the lawn or garden beds.
You may have to change the entire irrigation valve if it’s not an issue with your water source or a broken solenoid valve.
Shut Off the Water
Before you disconnect anything in the sprinkler system, turn off the water supply connected to the system. This ensures you won’t be drenched when you finish the project.
Remove Wiring
Pro tip: Before disconnecting the wiring, take a picture of the system. That way, you can refer to the photos for reassembly.
Remove the wire caps and disconnect the wires connected to the irrigation valve. This could be anywhere between two to four wires connecting it to the system.
Remove the Old Valve
Cut the pipes connecting it to the system to remove the entire irrigation valve. Cut off the valve just after the PVC adapters are connected to the system. You’ll still be able to connect the new valve with new pipes and adapters.
Prep the New Valve
Before installing the new valve, connect it to adapters (similar to the ones you just cut). Install the “male” PVC adapters to the valve using Teflon tape to ensure a snug fit.
Replace the Old Valve
Lower the new valve into the system, attaching it on both sides using PVC glue. Swipe the glue along the insides of the adapters attached to the new valve, then attach them to the irrigation system pipes.
Once you apply the glue, take care to work quickly; it sets fast!
Reconnect the Valve
With the new valve in place, it’s time to reconnect the wiring. Refer to the photos you took before disassembling the valve and copy the connections to ensure everything is in the right spot.
Test It
Photo: Susan Vineyard / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
With the new valve installed, it’s time to check your handy work. Turn the water back on slowly to test the system and check for leaks.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
While swapping out an irrigation valve is a doable DIY project, don’t hesitate to hire a local sprinkler repair professional if you want to ensure the job is done accurately and efficiently. Instead of replacing it entirely, you can sometimes repair a faulty irrigation valve.
Try turning the water off and disassembling the irrigation valve. There could be a clog around the valve, which is leading to the water pressure issues. It’s one of several common sprinkler issues you can troubleshoot yourself. If a clog or debris has damaged the valve, you must replace the entire thing. But, in some cases, clearing small clogs may repair the valve issue.
Double-check that the water source of the sprinkler is “on” and fully open. Simply turning up the valve to release higher pressure into the system could be the culprit for the low water pressure. If your sprinkler valve still isn’t turning on, it could be the solenoid valve.
Replacing the Solenoid Valve
The solenoid valve is the electronic component of the irrigation valve, which mechanically turns water flow on and off. If you can manually turn on the irrigation valve and it works, then the issue lies with the solenoid valve, which can be replaced without replacing the entire valve.
Replacing a solenoid valve is fairly simple. First, take note of your system make and model. You can order a replacement valve with this information online or directly from a home improvement store.
Once you’re ready to replace the part, start by turning off the system’s water. Then, detach the wire connectors leading to the solenoid and turn the valve counterclockwise to remove it from the sprinkler valve. Insert the replacement solenoid and reconnect the wires, finishing it off with wire connectors.
How Much Does It Cost to Change an Irrigation Valve?
An irrigation valve can cost between $15 to $150, and you can expect to pay a sprinkler repair professional between $50 to $100 an hour for labor.
Frequently Asked Questions
With proper care, the irrigation should last as long as the system, between 10 to 15 years. However, this requires maintenance and upkeep of the system, including winterizing the components each year, cleaning sprinkler heads and filters, and keeping an eye out for cracked or broken pipes. Make it a point to walk your property every few weeks to ensure everything looks good.
You may have a broken solenoid valve if the irrigation valve isn’t opening on schedule or the valve doesn’t open at all. A broken solenoid valve can be replaced without replacing the entire irrigation valve. Instead, you simply purchase a new solenoid valve and install it into the existing irrigation valve.
Drip irrigations can be anywhere between four to 12 inches deep. In four-season climates, it’s likely that the system is buried under the frost line. The frost line is where the solid freezes in the winter. If your pipe is buried above the freeze line, it’ll freeze and thaw with the weather, making it more likely to crack and break.
Emma is an award-winning writer, editor, and journalist with a knack for tackling tricky topics around home improvement and finance. When she’s not writing about DIY, she’s living it—slowly updating her 100-year-old home. You can find more of her work on HomeLight, SoFi, Trustpilot, and Apartment Therapy.
Emma is an award-winning writer, editor, and journalist with a knack for tackling tricky topics around home improvement and finance. When she’s not writing about DIY, she’s living it—slowly updating her 100-year-old home. You can find more of her work on HomeLight, SoFi, Trustpilot, and Apartment Therapy.
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