Stop and Waste Repair, Replacement & Installation

SALT LAKE CITY SPRINKLER PROS ARE STOP & WASTE EXPERTS

OUR STOP AND WASTE SERVICES

What is the Stop and Waste Valve?

The stop and waste valve is a connection made with the water main pipe leading to your home that regulates the supply of water to your irrigation system and provides a mechanism for the irrigation system to drain residual water in its pipes when the stop and waste valve is shut off.  The stop and waste valve is a critical component of any irrigation or sprinkler system and ensures the ability to vacate water from the system during winter months, protecting sprinkler pipes from cracking due to trapped frozen water.  Having a properly functioning stop and waste valve is critical to maintaining the lifespan of your sprinkler system, and minimizing future repairs.

An integral part of the stop and waste valve mechanism is a drain pad, located under the valve, that serves as a drainage point for water coming out of the sprinkler system when the valve is turned off.

A quality stop & waste valve should last 20-30 years, but your mileage may vary considerably based on the quality of valve installed and how well it is maintained.

Below Are Signs Your Stop and Waste Valve May Be Nearing End of Life:

Water In Access Tube: If you notice that water flows continuously from the access tube used to access the valve shut off with the t-bar valve key, this indicates a failed stop waste valve.  As mentioned above, water appearing temporarily at the time the valve is shut off is not a cause for concern, but continuous water, even in small amounts, indicates a failed valve. 

Difficult To Turn On/Off: Failing stop waste valves can become difficult to turn on or off.  This can be a more difficult symptom to assess, since the ease of twisting different valves varies considerably by quality/brand,etc. 

If you have noticed any of these signs with your stop & waste valve, please give us a call.  We will be happy to inspect and recommend appropriate an repair or replacement.

What’s involved with replacing a stop and waste

The stop and waste valve should be located several feet underground, below the freeze line, near the water main line leading to your property.  To install or replace a stop and waste valve, we follow the following steps:

• We dig down to the main water line. 
• Installation of a new stop and waste valve requires cutting into the water main line and installing a pipe that comes out perpendicular to the main water pipe, often referred to as a “compression T”.  The stop & waste valve is then attached to this pipe.  Water to your irrigation system will run from the stop & waste valve, toward the sprinkler valves in the green boxes in your yard.
• Beneath the stop and waste valve, we lay a gravel bed to facilitate drainage
• Installing or replacing a stop and waste valve entails 
• Our Process - What Sets Us Apart For Installing A New Stop & Waste 

A quality installation of a stop & waste valve is critical.  Because the valve is buried underground and requires significant effort (and digging to access), you want it done right the first time and you want it to last.  We’ve seen too many instances of poor quality stop & waste installations we’ve been called in to fix.  We take extra steps many of our competitors don’t to ensure you have a stop & waste that will go the distance.  Below are some of the things we do that set us apart:

• We always use only commercial grade parts from manufacturers whose parts are tried and tested and have earned our confidence. 
• We find a wider knob on top makes the stop & waste easier to operate and less susceptible to damage during operation 
• We add a brass elbow just after the stop & waste valve for added stability, to route the flow of water upward towards the level of the regular sprinkler valves.  Our experience is that the PVC elbows installed by others are susceptible to snapping when torque is applied to the T-bar while turning the stop & waste on or off. 
• Also, we lay a gravel bed directly below the valve as a drain field and to keep dirt away. 

A quality stop & waste valve installation should last 20-30 years or longer.  Trust Salt Lake City Sprinkler Repair & Installation Pros to get the job done right.