# Are all irrigation valves inside a box?



## thatbigbox (Nov 17, 2020)

Hey everyone,

I moved into this house about a year ago and i have never seen any plastic cover to a box that led to my irrigation valves.

I'm hoping the plastic covers and box simply got overgrown with grass BUT is it possible that my irrigation valves are literally buried in the ground with no access point via a plastic cover and box? Is this something people used to actually do?


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## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

It would likely make good sense to have all of your valves located and the control wire paths mapped. You can rent a wire locator (here's one option https://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/armada-tech-rental-wire-and-valve-locator-pro-700-rental ) or pay a pro to do it for you. There's some learning curve with using a locator and finding all the valves so depending on how much patience you have for DIY, might be a lot easier in the long run to just hire a pro for that.

Yes, rarely but sometimes an installer will just bury valves in the ground. Obviously not a good way to do things but it happens. When you locate your valves, then you'll know how it was done at your place.


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

have you tried following the wires from the controller out, to see if that leads to any clues? Maybe they ran them to a crawlspace (??). Anything is possible, esp here in the south.


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## quintafresnos (Mar 3, 2021)

LOL. This describes what I've found too. Yes, it's quite possible the valves and wires are just buried in the soil. I traced the conduit from the controller into the soil under the deck, which is full of spiders, not great, and began digging with a garden trowel. At one point I got an electric shock. Finally, I uncovered three valves and a network of wires and pipes. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.


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## JimFromLawnGuyland (Jan 15, 2020)

Prob just covered with mulch? Alot of times it's just outside where the pipe comes from the house. Possible to have secondary cables elsewhere though so I would count them.


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