Although a water sprinkler does a pretty good job of keeping your lawn lush, a smart water sprinkler offers you more convenience in maintaining your lawn in great shape. It also helps conserve water and saves money on your water bill. In this post, we take you through the benefits of a smart sprinkler system, and how Rachio, a cool smart watering app, delivers them all.
As a lawn owner, you're now in the habit of setting your watering schedules by weather. If you work from home, you also have the flexibility to adjust schedules based on the day-to-day weather. If the place you stay has experienced vagaries of weather, you may have found yourself spending more time at your sprinkler's controller. A smart water system removes the burden of adjusting watering times based on season and the weather outside.
So, if the weather forecast predicts rains, the smart sprinkler system will halt the watering schedule for that day or adjust it based on the amount of rain that fell. Rachio, for example, offers weather intelligence, skipping watering when a visit from the rain gods is expected. This is but one way in which it helps save water.
The smart sprinkler system also skips watering when high winds are predicted. You can harness wind power in other ways too. Position your sprinkler heads to face up so that they spray slightly backwards into the wind. The wind will then scatter the water back onto the lawn. The sprinklers facing down can be adjusted the opposite way so that it sprays slightly downward. If the high wind is likely to blow water beyond the lawn area, the water won't go to waste.
In addition, Rachio skips watering when the temperature is at or below the pre-set threshold when the schedule starts, updates schedule durations every month based on seasonal weather changes, and determines if your yard has enough water to last until the next watering. It can even adjust schedules based on the weather right outside your door! This advanced feature called Weather Intelligence Plus combines data from national weather stations and thousands of personal weather stations, radar data, and satellite data to forecast the weather that's accurate to the location of your controller.
As much as 50% of the water used outdoors is lost as a result of evaporation, wind, and runoff due to ineffective irrigation methods and systems. Sprinkler controllers with a WaterSense label save nearly 7,600 gallons of water annually. Smart sprinkler systems further tackle waste wastage. In addition to the weather, they may take yard data like vegetation, the type of soil in your yard, and the degree of slope in your yard, to ensure optimal use of water. You have the opportunity to conserve water in many ways while ensuring that your lawn is well watered.
With a smart sprinkler system, not only can you water your yard to your own terms but do it from anywhere. You simply have to make the changes you want on the smart sprinkler app you will have downloaded on your smartphone.
Away on vacation and want to check in on your yard? You can see if your watering schedule is on track on your phone. Set up a sprinkler in the summer for the kids to play in? Use the timer functionality or turn it off from afar.
Another use case is if you use your sprinklers to top off your pool water during the summers when the water evaporates faster than expected.
Rachio lets you easily control your sprinkler system from your smartphone. You can activate the timer for pool water top ups and fun times splashing around in your yard. If you're out of town to escape the sweltering heat and feel like your lawn might need some extra water, adjust watering to satiate your lawn as desired.
Sprinkler systems can suffer from some common issues that affect the health and beauty of your lawn. Among them is the dreaded leak or crack in the pipes running under your yard. If your yard floods or develops a large water bubble overnight, you're likely dealing with a broken pipe. With a smart water sprinkler, you don't have to wait for the telltale signs to appear before you take action. It can detect a leak or break in your pipe and send you alerts or turn off irrigation.
The ability to detect problems with your sprinkler system as soon as they occur means you can carry out timely repairs. You save more money on repairs and maintenance in the long run. Your lawn won't have to suffer silently.
Seen a sprinkler system watering the sidewalk and hardscapes instead of the yard? It's a huge drain on water and a hallmark of an inefficient irrigation system. If you observe a bit more, you're likely to see dry spots in the landscape from water not reaching where it should. A smart water sprinkler tackles this problem and helps maintain a well-watered lawn.
Smart sprinklers will water where your vegetation is and keep overspraying in check. Your hardscape installations like fountains and fire pits won't bear the continual brunt and crack or lose their sheen before their time. Your vegetation will remain adequately and evenly soaked, growing healthily, looking lush, and attracting envy!
Your smart sprinkler system can be up and running quickly, and in as less as 30 minutes when you use Rachio. It will work with any sprinkler controller, which is also true for Rachio. The set-up is a DIY job involving three simple steps. With your old controller out and Rachio in place, all you'll need from there on is an internet-connected smartphone and you're good to go.
Rachio connects to a few other smart home products, including Amazon Alexa, giving you more control over how you want to adjust your watering schedule. It's worth a look if you've been thinking of creating a smart yard.
Just moved into your new house and need some advice on your existing system, or do you have any questions on which systems are more cost-efficient. Contact us today.
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