Keeping your lawn healthy in the summer requires a staggering amount of water (and cash when utility bills roll in). If you're lucky enough to have a sprinkler system, new lawn care technology can help keep your lawn green and save you money.
Let's take a look at smart sprinkler controllers and see if they're the right solution for you.
If you have any type of home irrigation system, you are probably familiar with sprinkler controllers. They come in all shapes and sizes and are often located in a garage or other out of the way place.
All electrical cables from the different parts of the system converge on the controller. You can set up watering schedules to determine when the sprinklers are on and how long each zone is active.
Most controllers look like an old-school VCR with a plethora of buttons, dials, and a calculator-like display. That's not exactly what I'd call well-designed or user-friendly for anyone used to a smartphone or tablet.
Due to the design, some homeowners don't know how to adjust their system when needed or how to easily change the watering schedule due to changing seasons or different weather conditions.
Both overwatering and underwatering a lawn can cause problems. Without enough water, grass can easily dry out and die, leaving a big yellow patch of dirt in your yard, which isn't exactly a big help to your property value.
On the other hand, too much water in the lawn makes it the perfect place for weeds, insects, and fungi to thrive. And in some parts of the country, overwatering can cause basic problems that can cost thousands of dollars to fix.
Due to water scarcity, there are also watering restrictions in many places that only allow homeowners to water on certain days and times of the week.
Total control of your lawn has many benefits, but for most people, typical technology is not an ideal solution.
Given this, it might come as no surprise that smart home technology has moved into the humble device.
The best way to think of a smart sprinkler controller is like an Ecobee3 smart thermostat. Why the Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat should be your first HomeKit device. Why the Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat should be your first HomeKit device if you're an Apple device user. Looking to start building a HomeKit-compatible system, the Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat is a great place to start. Read more for irrigation. Acting as the brain of the sprinkler system, a smart controller offers a host of advantages over a non-connected model.
Although the market is still young, one of the best smart sprinkler controllers is from Rachio.
There are two models of the second generation device. An eight-zone controller is $199, while a controller for up to 16 different zones is $249. The best way to determine which model you'll need is to take a look at your current controller and the number of zones.
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Once you've determined which model to install, it's time to tackle the most important installation issue:receiving a strong and fast Wi-Fi signal at the controller location.
In most cases, a controller can be found on the edge of a house, such as in a garage or elsewhere. Typically, that's not a location where you've been using a wireless device for a long period of time.
Whether you can get a strong Wi-Fi signal there depends on your home setup and network equipment.
A quick and inexpensive way to improve network range is to install a Wi-Fi extender. The best Wi-Fi extenders:which one is right for you? The Best Wi-Fi Extenders:Which One Is Right For You? What are the best Wi-Fi extenders out there? We've rounded up three of the best performing, cheapest and best value wi-fi extenders for 2016. But which one is right for you? Read More If you have more to spend and are looking to turbocharge a home wireless network, take a look at a new class of mesh Wi-Fi systems including Eero, Google WiFi, or Orbi Google Wifi vs. Eero vs. Orbi:Which is the best? Google Wifi vs. Eero vs. Orbi:Which is the best? In this article, you will learn more about the new breed of home Wi-Fi system and learn more about three of the most talked about mesh Wi-Fi products on the market, Eero, Google Wifi,… Read More .
After trusting the Wi-Fi signal on the controller, it's time to install. At a minimum, you will need a Phillips screwdriver and maybe a drill and hammer for drywall installation. Before removing the old controller, it is very important to take a picture of the existing wiring from a few angles. This will serve as a reference when installing Rachio.
After removing the old controller from the wall, you'll replace it with the Rachio using the four included anchors and screws. You will need to place the host cables in the same location as they were with the old controller. That's where the photo of the setup above will come in handy.
For me, the entire installation process took less than 30 minutes. You can have a professional install the driver if necessary (this is specifically recommended if the Rachio is outdoors). However, anyone with basic home improvement skills should be able to get the job done without a problem.
Once the controller is ready to use, use the Android or iOS app to finish the installation process. The first important task is to identify and configure each zone. You can customize a name for each zone and then optionally answer a series of questions about the zone.
It will tell the app exactly what is growing in the area (for example, fresh seasonal grass or annuals), the type of soil, the amount of sun the area receives, the slope, and the type of sprinkler nozzle. If you're into moonshine as a soil scientist, there are even more settings to tweak in the Advanced section.
Especially if you have a large yard, that process can take some time, but it is vitally important for the system to properly irrigate the yard with the minimum amount of water.
Once that's complete, it's time to create a watering schedule. There are a few options to select. Collecting water at a fixed interval or on fixed days will not save as much water, but it does allow more predictability for irrigation. If saving water is a top priority, there are two different flextime types:daily and monthly versions.
The flexible monthly options adjust each month based on the local weather, while the daily option will adjust based on the given soil moisture.
Speaking of weather, another important feature that you will need to customize using the app is selecting a weather station. The Rachio will use the weather information as part of its weather intelligence function.
Using a rain and freeze sensor, unconnected controllers will not water if rainy or cold conditions are detected at the time of watering. The Rachio takes this functionality a step further by examining future forecasts to determine if your lawn needs water.
For example, with the Rain Skip feature, if my Rachio forecasts a certain amount of rain in the next 24 hours, it won't activate.
Similar features will activate when a freeze is detected and if the ground is determined to have sufficient moisture. The Season Change will also adjust the water times each month based on the local weather.
With all four functions active, you can really set the Rachio up and never have to worry about watering your lawn again. And so far this year, according to the app, I've personally saved nearly 30,000 gallons of water. Eventually, the controller will pay for itself with lower water bills.
Since Rachio is a smart home device, it works well with a host of products, including the Amazon Echo Creative Uses for Amazon Echo line 7 and Alexa 7 Creative Uses for Amazon Echo and Alexa. You've seen the ads starring Alec Baldwin. but he still isn't sure what the Amazon Echo does or if he needs one in his home. We're about to find out. Read More Here are ten of our favorites to get you started. Read more.
While you can start a water cycle with just an Alexa voice command, the functionality of the Nest is definitely unique. If Nest Protect detects smoke, the Rachio will cycle through each zone to help moisten the ground around your home. That could help any fire spread to adjoining property.
My only problem with Rachio is small. There is no display of any kind on the controller. You can manually run irrigation cycles from the controller, but there is no other information to view.
I like to use the app, and my controller is usually stuck behind a parked car. But for some users, this limitation could be a problem. However, there are other controllers on the market, including the similar RainMaster which features a screen.
RainMachine Touch HD-12, Cloud Agnostic, The Forecast Sprinkler, Wi-Fi Irrigation Controller, 6.5 Inch, Compatible with Alexa RainMachine Touch HD-12, Cloud Agnostic, The Forecast Sprinkler, Irrigation Controller Wi-Fi, 6.5 inches Compatible with Alexa Buy now on Amazon
While it does take a bit of work to install, a smart sprinkler controller keeps your lawn green while saving an important natural resource. Plus, it can quickly and easily pay for itself in lower utility bills. That's a winning combination.
Have you ever considered a smart sprinkler controller? Let us know in the comments.
