SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

Ask them to pressure test the mainline. If they don't know how or won't, then tell them you're hiring a professional at their expense.
Pressure testing the mainline will tell you with 100% certainty if there is a leak in any portion of your mainline and valves.

thanks for the response. yeah, new house, they come out when i call but it seems nothing gets done and i am at work. i think that the only valve that shuts the sprinklers off is the main house valve. I don't see another one anywhere.

The home builder told you it's normal? Is this a new home? He's just avoiding doing warranty work. He doesn't want to work for free. If he refuses to fix the problem hire a guy then hand the bill to the builder.

If you want to do it yourself find the valve that shuts off the water to the whole sprinkler system. That on/off thing is your solenoid and has nothing to do with turning the water OFF.

If you can't find the shut off valve then turn your entire water supply off overnight or when you don't need it. Bail the water out of the boxes first. The next day when you turn it back on watch very carefully where for the leak. You'll probably wind up digging one of the boxes up. Careful of cutting the wires.

thanks for the reply. i will look into the bleed screws, if i can find them. the valve just has arrows on it saying turn this way for OFF and this way for ON. i have them all OFF for now.

Not normal to have water there.

Check that the bleed screws are off and the solenoids are off of manual operation.

If the system was winterized last Fall these could have been left open.

Don't just turn the controller to off. Shut the valve that supplies the sprinkler system. Let everything drain and dry out. Then turn the supply valve back on, and look for leaks.

3 out of 6 of my valve boxes are flooded. i took out the water, waited a day or two and checked again and water filled up again. the main controller was off. the home builder said that it was normal but the ground around the box is wet too and if it is normal why are the other 3 dry? he told me to turn all of the valves off and wait a few days to see what it looks like. i did that, turned all of the valves off and i thought the main controller was off too but it wasn't and this morning i noticed a zone was working. another question, how can a zone be watering if the valve is off? i have a rainbird with DV valves.

thanks,

wayne