Is your sprinkler system more than 5 years old? Irrigation system technology is ever changing. By getting “smart” and more efficient investing in a system upgrade can improve your watering effectiveness, reduce water waste and, in turn, save you money.
Smart controller
Technology is continually helping us to be more water aware. There is a good chance that a 5+ year old controller does not have the latest in “smart” technology. “Smart” controllers along with sensors can determine how much water your lawn and landscape need on a daily basis. As the cost (both environmentally and from our pocket book) of water usage increases, the use of rain sensors and in-ground moisture sensors are well worth the investment.
The newer “smart” products use technology which is able to get water to your landscape in the most efficient and economical way possible. Making use of the controller’s ability to offer multiple cycles also allows a homeowner to modify and modernize their water methods by adapting to the seasons and implementing cycle & soak watering.
Adapt to the Seasons
Staying up to date means more than just the products that are used. As seasons change, so should your system’s schedule. Each season means different temperatures and precipitation that will affect your landscape. By adjusting your watering schedules to correspond with the seasonal changes you can ensure that your landscape is never over or under-watered.
Modern controllers offer a seasonal adjustment to water at 75% or even just 25% of your summer schedule. This allows you to easily adjust your watering schedules without reprogramming your timer.
Cycle & Soak Watering Method
Our tough clay soils present unique challenges when it comes to lawn irrigation. When it’s raining heavily, the clay soil will hold onto too much water, suffocating roots and spurring fungal diseases. When the rain stops and the clay soil dries out, it can turn into a hard brick that is unable to properly absorb your irrigation water.
Have you noticed that while you are watering that at some point the water starts to run down the driveway – you have a “water runoff problem”. The problem may come from sloping landscape, improperly working sprinkler heads and/or hard and compacted soil that is unable to absorb all the water in one dose.
Water runoff can be a costly problem. Firstly, it is a huge waste! The excess water simply runs off into the street and down the storm drains. Secondly, it takes a lot of the nutrients and fertilizers with it.
Changing to a 2 – 3 cycle watering method for each zone will help your lawn absorb more of the water that has been provided. Of course, none of us have time to do this manually each time we water. A modern irrigation controller will have the ability to use multiple cycles with separate start times to automate two or three watering cycles the same day.
High efficiency sprinkler heads
The evolution of irrigation technology reduces water waste and helps improve lawns and landscapes. These technology improvements have not been limited to controllers. Sprinkler heads are a key component to your system’s efficiency and effectiveness.
Fixed spray nozzles are some of the most common types of sprinkler heads, but they put out water faster than our clay soil can absorb it.
Making the change to the cycle – soak watering method can help but making a change from spray heads to high-efficiency rotary heads can make a huge impact.
Rotary heads send out larger, heavier water droplets that fall to the ground rather than getting blown away by the wind. The high efficiency sprinkler heads deliver multiple rotating streams of water. Proper use requires them to run longer, but because they don’t put out as much water they use the same or less water than spray heads. The biggest advantage is that you’re getting water where it needs to go at a much slower rate so the ground has time to absorb it.
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