Irrigation emergencies

Find your shutoff before you need it. Take five minutes this week to locate the irrigation isolation valve, photograph it, and confirm it actually turns. A stuck valve discovered at midnight while water pours across the driveway is a much worse afternoon.

A zone that won't stop is usually a valve stuck open, often from debris in the diaphragm, or a controller stuck in a manual state. Turning off the controller only helps if the controller is the problem. The isolation valve is the reliable stop.

Water near a foundation matters more than water on the lawn. Redirect what you can away from the house, and take photos and video before cleanup if there's any chance of a claim or a dispute with a contractor whose recent work is involved.

One safety point people skip: irrigation systems are wired, usually with low-voltage control wire, and controllers plug into household power. If a controller or valve box is submerged, kill power to the controller at the breaker before anyone puts their hands in a flooded box. And never dig blind to find a leak — call 811 first so buried utilities are located.

How to choose

Know the isolation valve now

Locate it, test it, photograph it, and show everyone in the house. This is the single most useful five minutes in irrigation ownership.

The controller is not a shutoff

A failed valve keeps flowing whatever the controller says. Close the water, then troubleshoot.

Kill power before touching a flooded box

Controllers are mains-powered. Shut the breaker before reaching into water.

Call 811 before any digging

Free utility locating. Digging for a leak without it risks hitting gas, power or communications lines.

Photograph before cleanup

If a recent repair or install caused this, dated photos are what turn a dispute into a straightforward fix.