How Do Smart Sprinklers Work?

Water is precious — that’s something we’re learning more and more each day, especially as our knowledge of the environment continues to grow and evolve. There are a lot of homeowners out there who are looking for better ways to use and conserve water — not only to protect this vital resource for future generations, but also to cut down on costs.

When there’s a draught in a place like Arizona or Southern California, what’s the first thing people are forced to limit or stop entirely? You guessed it — watering the lawn. Other uses for water are more important to homes and neighborhoods, and if something has to go, it’s probably going to be the grass.

In fact, it’s really amazing how much water is wasted every year due to sloppy or lazy lawn-watering practices — not just in desert States, but everywhere in the country. It’s similar to carpooling: If we all did our part, the overall situation would be so much better.

What if there was a way to make better use of your sprinkler systems? What if you could save water while actually improving the health of your grass, plants and shrubs? Smart sprinklers hold this promise — and it isn’t just a gimmick. Countless Americans are already making use of smart sprinklers to manage their watering efforts, and the results are truly exciting.

So how does a smart sprinkler system actually work?

Well, if you’ve used “traditional” sprinkler timers in the past, you’re already familiar with the wiring process that allows the timer to “talk” to various sprinklers and activate or deactivate them according to the chosen watering schedule. The first thing you’ll do when installing a smart sprinkler system is to replace this traditional timer with your new smart controller, using all the same wiring.

Once that process is finished, and the smart controller is correctly installed, it’s very easy to start using your system. There are two main differences between smart sprinkler controllers and traditional sprinkler timers:

1) The smart system has far more capabilities, from learning your watering patterns to reading the current weather conditions and reacting accordingly.

2) The smart system is connected to your home WiFi network, and can be controlled using any ordinary device — such as a smart phone, tablet or laptop.

It’s a relatively simple transition to make, and the benefits are extensive. There’s no more worrying whether you left the sprinklers on — or forgot to turn them on. Wherever you are the world, you can instantly monitor and adjust all of your sprinklers, or any combination thereof. The control and convenience of this technology is unprecedented in the history of lawn care. You can also see exactly how much water you’re using on a weekly, monthly or annual basis in order to have a crystal clear idea of your conservation efforts.

But what if I need help with installation?

Installation (or even choosing) a smart sprinkler system isn’t for everyone. Navigating the world of smart devices can be intimidating. That’s why home automation specialists exist. These are experts who can do everything from helping you choose the right sprinkler system to making sure it’s installed correctly, whether you’re replacing a traditional timer or starting from scratch. If you’re on the fence about a smart sprinkler system, get in touch with a home automation specialist for sound advice on how to move forward.