No offense, but your irrigation system controller might not be “the sharpest tool in the shed”.
Does your yard get watered the same days of the week and with the same duration, no matter the change of season?
Does it keep chugging away through a rain shower, or on a day when the howling wind blows most of the water onto your driveway?
This little component may not be all that smart.
However, smart irrigation system controllers have changed the way we water.
Welcome to new irrigation technology and smart watering.
How smart? Here is a look at eight benefits of a smart irrigation system.
1. Smart Irrigation System Controllers Can Save a Lot of Water
You can save thousands of gallons of water a season with a smart irrigation controller when used correctly.
We can set up your irrigation controller to be super efficient, based on your property’s needs. Leave it alone, and it can save you thousands of gallons of water a season.
That means you could save money, too.
Mess around with your smart irrigation timer, or get carried away fiddling with your smart irrigation apps, or decide to water manually every day, all bets are off. Along with that savings.
Let it use its intelligence.
2. Smart Irrigation Systems Alert You to Problems
Another benefit to smart irrigation, a smart sprinkler system controller tells you if there’s an electrical issue in your system, a leak, or if anything is not quite right. And it tells you right away — before your grass has a chance to dry up and turn brown.
You can include your irrigation system company in the alerts, too. When one of our customers was away on vacation, his smart irrigation system alerted us that his power went out.
Not only did his lawn stay green, he called a neighbor to go check it out so his refrigerated food wouldn’t spoil.
3. Smart Irrigation Apps Allow Control from Anywhere
No more running out to the garage or down to the basement when you need to adjust your irrigation system.
Control a smart irrigation system using an app on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
If you’re at work, and decide you want to mow the lawn that night and want it to be dry, use your smart irrigation app to tell the system not to run that afternoon, all from your desk.
You can give us that remote access, too. So you don't have to be home for us to access your smart irrigation controller.
4. Smart Irrigation Timers Keep You Posted
With new irrigation technology, you’ll get handy notifications to keep you updated on what your smart irrigation system is up to.
You'll know when it turned on, and for how long. You’ll know if it skipped watering that morning because it rained. You’ll know which zones it watered.
It knows you like to be in the know.
5. Smart Irrigation Makes Decisions Based on the Weather
Sure, a regular rain sensor will turn your irrigation system off if it starts to rain. But that’s so yesterday.
A smart irrigation controller will skip watering if it rains or if rain is in the forecast. You wouldn’t want to water the lawn at 5 a.m. and then it starts raining a couple of hours later. It doesn’t need that much water and overwatering can lead to other problems.
A smart irrigation controller also knows to skip if it’s too windy, and the wind will just blow the water all over the place. Or if it’s too cold. No need for water if it’s 40 degrees.
The Rachio Pro Controller — the brand of smart irrigation controller we use — uses satellite, radar, and weather station data from more than a quarter-million sources to make sure your system doesn’t water during rain, wind, or snow.
6. It Waters Based on Your Plants and Conditions
A smart irrigation system takes into account what kinds of plants you have in your yard, and how much water they need.
Beyond that, it knows how much water is in the soil and how much water has evaporated.
What’s the soil type? Is there a slope?
Frankly, it knows more about your yard than you do.
7. Smart Irrigation Controllers Work with Your Other Smart Devices
The Rachio smart irrigation controller is compatible with smart home platforms like Nest, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and more.
Feel free to give Alexa one more chore.
8. It Customizes Zones for Your Yard
Maybe you have one sprinkler zone for established grass, another for shrubs, one for that patch of new grass seed you planted that needs more frequent watering.
Set up your smart irrigation timer to water different zones of your yard on different schedules.
Customizing zones saves water and pampers each area of your yard. One of the many benefits of a smart irrigation system.
Trust Your Irrigation in Eau Claire, WI and Minneapolis to RainMaster
You’re smart about water use, lawn care, and plant health. Shouldn’t your irrigation system be smart, too?
It’s one more tool in your quest to have a healthy, thriving lawn while saving time, water and money.
And you hardly have to do anything. Pretty smart of you.
Live near Eau Claire, WI or Minneapolis? We’d love to help you get started.
Are you ready for a vibrant, green lawn that not only looks great, but is healthy, right down to the roots? Get in touch with one of our experts today. Soon you’ll have a beautiful, worry-free property you’ll love.