How to Replace Lawn Sprinkler Valves
- 1). Locate the main water shutoff for the house, which is located under a rectangular, metal cover near the street. Turn the valve clockwise using a wrench.
- 2). Dig out the soil under the faulty sprinkler head until you locate the pipe that it is attached to under the soil. You will usually have to dig down 6 to 12 inches, but be careful not to damage any pipes as you dig.
- 3). Locate the solenoid valve in the bottom of the hole, which is the section of the pipe that has wires extending out of it. Grasp the black metal cylinder that has the wires attached to it and turn it counterclockwise to pull it out of the valve.
- 4). Locate the 7 or 8 screws on top of the valve cover and remove each screw with a screwdriver. Pull off the cover plate and set it and the screws in a safe place.
- 5). Lift out the metal coil and the black rubber diaphragm under it. The rubber diaphragm will also have a white seat gasket attached to it with a screw. Look in the bottom of the valve housing to see if there is s black rubber O-ring and remove it with your fingers. Take the parts to a hardware or irrigation supply store and purchase exact replacement parts for the valve.
- 6). Turn the water and the sprinkler system on for two minutes before turning them back off.
- 7). Insert a new O-ring into the bottom of the valve housing and then place the rubber diaphragm and seat gasket into the bottom of the valve housing. The white seat gasket should be facing down. Insert a new metal coil on top of the diaphragm.
- 8). Place the valve cover on top of the spring and press down until it sits flush on top of the valve housing. Reinsert the 7 or 8 screws in the cover using a screwdriver.
- 9). Insert the black solenoid cylinder, with the wires, into the remaining opening and turn it clockwise until it is secure. Turn the water and sprinkler system back on and test the new valve.