How Do Irrigation Valves Work? Everything You Need to Know

From commercial farming to hobbyist gardeners, an irrigation system ensures consistent watering across your property. You can save time and money in the long term with a system that waters your plants automatically instead of using an old-school hose and sprayer.  

Are you considering a drip irrigation system for your garden or updating the sprinkler in your yard? Before you jump straight into it, it’s important to get to know the important features of irrigation systems, including the irrigation valve. 

Without a properly operating irrigation valve, sections of your once-luxurious lawn could start to look barren, with brown spots or bare patches. If you notice the water isn’t emitting in certain zones of your drip irrigation systems, it could indicate an issue with the irrigation valve, among other problems. Read on to understand how irrigation valves work and their part in the sprinkler system as a whole. 

What Is an Irrigation Valve?

In a sprinkler system, the irrigation or sprinkler valve is where water is released into emitters when pressure builds up in the system. 

Most drip systems will have a master valve and irrigation valves, which can make it confusing to distinguish between the two. The master valve is where water enters the irrigation system. You can turn this on and off manually or sometimes set a timer. 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. 

How Do Irrigation Valves Work?

We’ll have to touch on basic hydraulics and water pressure to understand how a sprinkler valve works. 

When the sprinkler system is off, or there’s no water running through it, the irrigation valve is closed. But, when the system is turned on and water flows through it, it creates pressure on the center of the irrigation valve, also known as its diaphragm. 

As the pressure builds, the diaphragm lifts, allowing water to enter the upper chamber. The pressure continues to build, pushing that water in the chamber out into the spring-loaded valve, allowing it to pass into the rest of the system. 

Sprinkler valves can be activated in multiple ways. You can: 

• Manually open an irrigation valve by turning the solenoid 

• Manually open an irrigation valve by loosening the bleed screw

• Electrically activate the solenoid from the controller  

Usually, you’ll find the irrigation valve housed in an irrigation valve box on the property. It could be slightly underground, with the box covering the system, or it may sit above the soil in the box. 

Benefits of Irrigation Valve Systems

They may take more set up than the classic garden hose, but a properly working irrigation system comes with many benefits for gardeners. 

• Water-efficient. Irrigation valve systems deliver water straight to the beds, meaning less water use overall.

• Wallet-friendly. You’ll save money on your water bills, as drip irrigation systems typically use less water.  

• Set it and forget it. Most irrigation valve systems can be operated electronically on a schedule, so they can run without intervention, saving you time.

Disadvantages of Irrigation Valve Systems

It comes with many advantages, but irrigation systems do have their fair share of drawbacks.

• Price tag. The cost of a drip irrigation system is more than a garden hose or above-ground sprinkler. 

• Ongoing maintenance. While drip irrigation systems are hands-off on a day-to-day basis, you’ll need to regularly check in on it to ensure there are no leaks or breaks. In some cases, you might hire a professional to service and repair the system.