How to Move Sprinkler Lines to Make Your Irrigation System More Effective

It’s easiest to start laying pipe near where it will connect to the sprinkler valves, so locate your sprinkler valve box and mark it with a flag, stake, or other marker. The valve box is usually buried mostly or completely underground in a container with a black, plastic base and a green lid.

Next, shut off the water supply to your sprinkler system to prevent water from spraying out while you work. You can find the irrigation shut-off valve location in a few different places. It may be located near your water heater, outside in a protective box near your water meter or well, or even hidden inside an artificial rock protective cover somewhere in your yard. The irrigation shut-off valve may also be inside the valve box that you marked in step one.

Once you’ve found the valve, turn it until it stops to shut off the water to the sprinkler system. The handle will be perpendicular to the pipe when it is off.

Using a shovel, begin carefully digging out the soil around the existing line. As you get closer to the line, you can switch to a trowel to carefully remove soil without accidentally piercing the line and causing a leak. Make the trench for the entire length of the line, from where it connects at the valve box to the final sprinkler head at the end of the line.

Use pipe cutters to cut the length of the water line every few feet to make removal easier. Pull out the old pipes one section at a time. When removing the sprinkler heads, be sure to carefully twist them off counterclockwise to avoid damaging the threads, since you’ll need to reinstall them again on the rerouted line.

With the pipes removed from the former line’s location, you can now cap where the old line connected to the valves. Clean the remaining pipe, and apply PVC cement to a pipe end cap. Then, hold the end cap in place in the old pipe for about 30 seconds to allow it to adhere.

Now, lay out your irrigation pipes next to the location of the new pipes, where you placed your markers. Make sure they are off to the side enough that you have space to dig, but having them close by will make for easier installation.

Following along the new sprinkler line location you outlined, and after receiving the green light from your municipality and the 811 hotline, use the shovel to carefully dig the trench for your new pipes. They should sit between four and 12 inches deep, so dig according to your preferred depth.

Starting near the valve box where the new line will connect to the existing sprinkler system, begin installing the pipes in the trench. Use PVC cement to attach pipes as you go. You'll use PVC elbows to make these connections if you need to turn a corner along the line.

Work your way along the line until it’s time to attach risers and sprinkler heads, two important parts of a sprinkler system that serve as the end of the sprinkler line. Connect a tee fitting to the sprinkler line, then thread the riser to the tee fitting. Finally, screw on the sprinkler head to the riser.

Before you cover the newly laid pipes, you should test that the sprinklers work as expected. That way, you can easily make adjustments if needed. Go back to the water shut-off valve and turn it until it is parallel to the pipes. If the sprinkler system is turned off, go to the controller and power it on. 

Let the sprinklers run and inspect the area where you removed the old line for any leaks. Check that the sprinkler heads' new location gives your lawn adequate watering coverage.

Wait about 15 minutes or up to two hours to give the PVC cement time to dry. If the rerouted sprinkler line works as you intended, go ahead and cover the pipes with the soil. Make sure to fill in the trench where the former line was removed at this stage, too. The fresh soil may not be the most aesthetically pleasing, so consider laying sod or planting grass seed to make your lawn look like new again.