What to do when the water is off (or the panel is locked) at a sprinkler service call

Updated 2026-10-08

Short answer: ask two questions before the truck leaves, "is the water on?" and "can we reach the controller?", then decide in writing, before the season starts, what a wasted trip costs and who may waive it. A technician at the door should not be inventing the policy.

Before dispatch

Confirm the day before. A text or call the day before (24 to 48 hours is a common working default) with the window and two questions: the water supply is on, and the controller, panel or gate will be accessible.
State the fee when you book, so it is not a surprise at the door. Put it in your booking confirmation.
Ask for access details. Gate code, dogs, where the controller is, who to call.

At the door

Check the two things: water on, panel accessible. Do not guess.
If either is "no," try the customer by phone, and wait a short, fixed time. Decide that time in advance.
If you cannot proceed, note exactly what was missing, and photograph a shut valve or locked gate.
Do not turn a customer's main water on yourself unless your company policy says you may.
Tell the customer what happens next: a reschedule date, and whether a fee applies.

After the visit

One person (office, not the technician) decides: waive the visit, or charge the fee, with a note why. A consistent approver is what stops the same situation getting different treatment.
Keep the notes. A customer who disputes the fee will ask what you saw.
Track repeats. A property that is never ready is a customer to fix at booking time.

The faster way, honestly scoped

Sprinklerly builds this in as a readiness check. On arrival the technician records whether the water is on and the panel is accessible. Anything other than yes on either routes the job to an office reviewer, who can waive the visit or note a fee, with required notes explaining why (Pro plan and above). It is a record and an approval step: Sprinklerly does not charge the customer for you. Sprinklerly is free during early access for contractors who sign up by December 31, 2026 (no credit card). Planned prices at general availability are $79, $149 and $249 per month, locked in for early-access accounts.

Start free Free during early access for sign-ups by December 31, 2026, no credit card required.

Common questions

Can I charge for a wasted sprinkler service trip?

That is up to your own policy and local rules. Put the fee in writing at booking and have one person approve any waiver.

What should I record when I cannot access the controller?

What was missing, the time you arrived and waited, who you called, and a photo of the locked gate or shut valve.

Sprinklerly is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any utility, agency, manufacturer or publisher linked on this page. Names are used only to identify the sources. Rules for backflow testing, licensing and insurance differ by state, utility and customer, so confirm with your own authority; this page is practical guidance, not legal advice. The Sprinklerly features described are those currently shipped in the product.