Question
I have a ticking noise coming from the control box outside of my house.  It can be heard in my guest room inside.  What is this and can I fix it. Thank you.

Answer
It is hard to say exactly what the problem is, but I will take a guess that you have an older style controller that has mechanical wheels that turn and attached triggers that trip to turn the sprinklers on and off. There could be something loose inside the box, but more likely is that one of the gears that drives the wheels is stuck or the dial is stuck.  Try moving the dial manually to loosen it up.  You can try to clean the controller by using some canned air and a very soft brush, but dont spray any liquid inside.  If nothing seems to help, consider replacing the controller.