I’m here to tell you that smart sprinkler controller belong in the no-brainer category of smart home upgrades. Seriously. Smart sprinklers might not be anywhere near the top of your list when you think of connected devices, but if you have an in-ground sprinkler system, you need one. Here are six reasons why.
Reasons to use a smart sprinkler controller
App controls
This part is obvious. Like most connected devices, you can control the smart sprinklers controller from an app. The Smart sprinkler is designed to replace the sprinkler controller in existing ground-based sprinkler systems. Some can be screwed onto a regular faucet, and I’m a big fan of faucet timers, but you’ll get the most out of smart sprinklers if they power an existing watering system in your yard. Replacing an existing controller is usually easy.
Then you just use the app to connect your new smart sprinkler to Wi-Fi and you’re good to go.
Applications using smart sprinkler controller are particularly intuitive. You can set a schedule, view a watering calendar, and turn the sprinkler on or off with the push of a button.
All of these app-enabled features are a significant upgrade from walking to the shed and fussing with the tedious buttons and knobs of old-school controllers.
Weather awareness
The app’s an even bigger upgrade when it’s raining. Instead of heading out into the elements yourself to reach your shed and flip off your sprinkler, or deciding you don’t want to bother and letting the water go to waste, you can quickly shut them off with the app. With the best smart sprinklers, you won’t even have to do that.
Most smart sprinklers monitor the weather for you, so they’ll automatically be on top of the fact that it’s raining and you won’t see your sprinklers start running in the first place. They’re generally aware of rain in the forecast, and they’ll adapt your watering schedule accordingly.
Smarter than you
You might want to listen to your smart sprinkler’s advice, even if you do traditionally like to set your sprinkler schedule. Smart sprinklers use a variety of metrics to determine how fast the water will evaporate from your soil given the info you tell it about your yard. They can break up watering times into smaller segments automatically to help the water soak in and reduce run-off. They can automatically calculate how to fit all of this in before sunrise and adapt the schedule as that time changes over the course of a season.
Water savings
All of the smarts, scheduling, and weather awareness add up to the biggest reason to upgrade to a smart sprinkler — it’ll save water and in turn save you money on your water bill.