Most brands of sprinkler heads share something in common. They have one or more plastic splines on the internal cavity which permits you to adjust the direction of spray made by the riser.

These splines are actually more awesome than you think because they allow for removing the head from its fitting without having to turn to a shovel.

Step 1: How It Works

1. I use a large pair of Channellock pliers to remove the sprinkler head cap and riser to expose the cavity and the splines. I then insert the appropriate sized removal tool as far down into the head as it will go just by pushing with my bare hand. I insert the tool so that the end with the hole is protruding from the head.

2. Next I insert a screwdriver into the hole in the tool and twist it in a counterclockwise fashion. I back the sprinkler head out slowly, here again, to reduce the possibility of doing any more damage.

3. At this point I use a flashlight to inspect the hole in the ground and see if any dirt has gotten into the T-fitting in the water line. If it is minimal, I just take a small wire “bottle brush” and clean out the threads in the connector. If a lot of dirt has caved into the connector, then I turn on the water valve to that line and flush out the dirt.

4. Normally if the old nipple is in good condition, I remove it, clean it off, and attach it to the replacement sprinkler head before inserting the removal tool into the splines of the new head. When I insert the new head into the ground, I use the screwdriver to twist the head back onto the T-fitting in the water pipe.

5. And finally, I re-insert the riser, adjust the nozzle to make sure that it is pointing in the proper direction. and screw the cap onto the head.

If you follow these rules you’ll find that changing your sprinkler heads, while still not exactly the most fun thing ever, will become much less of a hassle. 

Check out Instructables to learn more about changing your sprinkler heads without digging.