8 Not-So-Underground Tricks for Finding Sprinkler Irrigation Valves in a Flash

Watching your garden or landscaping flourish can be simultaneously relaxing and fulfilling, even if it just means literally watching the grass grow. What’s not so relaxing is trying to find a missing sprinkler irrigation valve tucked in some unknown underground locale. Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks that can help you find irrigation valves quickly and easily. 

1. Look Closely for Dark Fixtures

It’s uncommon, but it does happen: You may be able to physically see the irrigation valves sticking up and out of your lawn or landscaping. Look for a small dark fixture coming out of the ground close to the source pipe (which should be next to your house).

2. Look for a Valve Box

Many sprinkler irrigation valves are installed with protective valve boxes around them, the tops of which may be flush with the ground’s surface. The valve box is often green or otherwise naturally colored to blend in with the surroundings, but it may still be visible if you’re looking closely.

Pay attention to where you’re stepping, too. The valve box can change the feel of the ground underfoot.

3. Review the Owner’s Manual

Maybe someone else installed your irrigation system—or maybe you did, but you forgot exactly how it’s laid out. Either way, if you still have the owner’s manual on hand, it’ll offer a helpful outline that could give you hints on where your valves are.

Any schematic you see likely won’t be a one-for-one map of your yard unless you’re a think-ahead genius. However, it could give you hints as to the whereabouts of the valve box.

4. Check the Permits

Installing a sprinkler system often requires permits. So, if you can’t find the owner’s manual (or a digital copy online), check the permit on file with your local government. Many cities have online portals you can access permits through, but if not, you can contact one of the following in your city:

• A permit services department 

• A building department

• A department of records

• A planning department 

• A department of building and safety

• An information services department

5. Think Twice Before Probing

You may have heard that one of the most inexpensive and simple ways of finding missing irrigation valves is to simply probe the soil with something long and thin, like a screwdriver. While it’s true that this is a cost-effective method for finding buried sprinkler valves, it can become an expensive one very quickly if you end up accidentally causing damage.

When they’re not protected by valve boxes, sprinkler valves are quite delicate little machines. Even relatively gentle poking motions could damage the solenoid, irrigation pipes, or valve wires. That’s why we recommend avoiding this method unless you’re 100% sure your valves are housed in protective valve boxes. (Even then, you could damage them and cause a sprinkler valve leak.)

6. Grab a Metal Detector

Remember your long-lost dream of finding buried treasure on the beach? If you happen to have a metal detector lying around in the back of your closet, now is a great time to put it to use. They might not be as shiny as gold, but finding your hidden irrigation valves can be almost as exciting.

Of course, metal detectors aren’t specially programmed to find irrigation valves specifically, so you may have a few false starts, which could yield their own exciting surprises. Plenty of homeowners have found lost jewelry and coins on their property.

7. Try a Chatterbox Locator

If you can invest a little bit of overhead cash, there’s a gadget on the market that’s built specifically for the problem you’re facing. It’s called a chatterbox locator, and it can turn your irrigation valve scavenger hunt from a nightmarish search into a five-minute chore.

To use a chatterbox locator, head to your irrigation system controller. You should be able to see the wires providing power to each valve, which may be numbered or named. 

To locate an individual valve, carefully remove the wire from the valve you’re looking for, clamp the correct alligator clip to that wire, and clamp the other one to the field wire coming from the box itself. When you activate the zone, the solenoid coil will make a “chattering” or clicking noise, and all you’ll need to do is follow your ears. 

8. Call a Pro

If all else fails—or even if you simply just want to skip the footwork—you can always call a sprinkler repair pro near you. These professionals deal with missing irrigation valves day in and day out, so they can get the lay of your irrigation system fast. Plus, they can perform any repairs or diagnostics that you didn’t know you needed.