Step-ladder, flashlight and ability to squeeze one’s head between floor joists to operate this controller

Of course you wouldn’t.  It would be a little inconvenient to put on your robe and slippers and trot out there in the drizzle to crank up the heat a few degrees.

The same  logic applies to the irrigation controller location. It should be installed where one can see zones working, or at least within the fewest amount of footsteps. It helps to have the display reach the eye level of an average adult human.

The best location is an exterior wall of the house or garage near an outdoor outlet, that’s inconspicuous. This way service calls and emergencies can be handled by the tech, and no appointments need arranging.  The next best place is a garage or shed with accessibility with hidden key, code, or door opener.

Many ‘glue-it-yourselfers’  think  they need to install the controller somewhere hidden out of  some deep shame I’m guessing. I heard the request made once during a bid that the controller be put in the basement storage room. Why?, I asked. So the homeowner could control the system without going outside and getting cold and wet.

Ahem.

The only time we play with our systems is when it’s warm and nice out.  That’s the whole point. We use the system when its HOT and DRY. If the concern is shutting off the controller when it’s raining, get a rain sensor.  The more you insulate yourself from your system, the greater the likelihood you aren’t seeing signs of trouble that can cost you big money going undetected.

There’s nothing I love more than a system where none of the valve boxes are located and I have to check out the zones from the controller hidden deep inside the home. I inspect the zone for coverage, breaks, clogs, etc. Then to the porch, remove the muddy boots, trot down the carpeted stairs through various hazards of children’s toys and stacks of National Geographics, squeeze into narrow closets, crawlspaces, etc. to reach the controller and advance the station. Repeat this process several times and your service call costs you an extra hour of useless labor.

A recent example of a controller (the green box on the wall) hidden deep within the furthest darkest reach of a basement. Joy.