Irrigation systems are a necessity these days with the inconsistency of rain and the prolonged heat over the summer months.
However, do irrigation systems actually help save water? And what if you don’t have an irrigation device? Well luckily there are still ways you can maintain your lawn while saving water. There are many other questions that also need to be asked.
Therefore, this article will explain a few different irrigation systems, the types and uses of smart technologies, and several tips to help save you the most amount of money.
Different System Types
There are two main methods of getting water to plants, trees, and/or your lawn: spray head systems and drip feed systems. The third option, using rain barrels or a rain collection system, can be used in conjunction with the other two methods or as a potentially cheaper initial cost, do it yourself irrigation system.
A spray head system uses pumps, piping, and some form of nozzle or head that raises from near the ground to disperse water, thus making it more efficient than a traditional garden hose and more time friendly than a watering can. If you’re unsure of how much water your lawn needs, check out our grass watering guide for more help.
This system can also be customized with the introduction of smart technologies. A drip feed system involves a spigot or pump, running tubing on the surface of the ground, which is then usually covered with mulch or pine straw, and putting button drips into the tubing.
The individual button drips allow for the precise gallon amount of water necessary for each individual plant, shrub, or tree.
This system is especially effective with gardens or flowers and bushes that are somewhat in a row.
Lastly, a rain collection system can be used to supplement the previous two systems to cheapen the overall cost of the water or it can be used by itself depending on the amount of rain and the size of the barrel or collection unit you have.
Each of these irrigation systems will save you money on your monthly water bill.
Introducing Smart Technologies
All three methods of irrigation are more efficient when coupled with various smart technologies. Many of these smart technologies can be combined to make your irrigation system as efficient and economical as possible.
Our first technology is a rain sensor. A rain sensor collects data on rainfall and allows the irrigation system to shut off when it is raining or if it has rained recently thus preventing oversaturation as well as the wasting of water.
An irrigation weather system is a step up from the more basic rain sensor. It includes a rain sensor as well as high wind and freezing temperature sensors. These additional sensors prevent water from being wasted when the high winds would scatter it and from damaging plants if the temperatures are too low for watering.
Our third technology is called an evapotranspiration (ET) controller. These advanced sensors measure the amount of evaporation from soil as well as the transpiration from plants by utilizing local weather information.
The ET controller then uses the data to adjust when the irrigation system is on and for how long.
A soil moisture sensor, our fourth smart technology that helps save water, must be placed in the root zone of the plants that will need watered and away from any drip lines or spray heads as well as anything else that might interfere with accurate readings.
This type of sensor estimates volumetric water content, which is how much water is in a given area of soil.
The irrigation system will turn on once a user-specified volumetric water content percentage is reached thereby ensuring plants will receive water when they actually need it.
Our last smart technology is the timing device. The timing device allows a user to designate when the irrigation system will be on and for how long. It can also be used to designate or differentiate between zones of watering.
The shadier areas of the lawn or garden will not need to be watered for as long as the areas are in direct sun.
All of these smart technologies help irrigation systems save money and also be more efficient in getting plants or lawns the water necessary to thrive.
Final Helpful Tips
Once you have an irrigation system picked out and have looked at smart technologies it is time for a few tips to help you confidently move forward.
Our first tip to help you save even more money is to invest in regular and preventative maintenance. Pipes break, nozzles and heads can be damaged, and even the water pressure could increase or decrease causing the irrigation system to not function correctly.
Checking the system regularly will prevent more serious problems from developing.
A second tip is to read the instructions for every smart technology and for the irrigation system to make sure everything is installed correctly the first time.
Any errors in installation could not only make the system inefficient but could also result in broken equipment and more expenses.
Third, it’s important to keep up with any news related to water restrictions or guidelines for your area. It is possible for states, counties, or cities to require specific smart technologies as part of your irrigation system.
In addition, droughts or disasters might limit the gallons of water allowed for use in watering lawns or gardens.
Finally, if this is all overwhelming, hire a pro to evaluate your lawn or garden space specifically with irrigation in mind and have them install the entire system to your specifications.
Let Gecko Green Answer Your Questions
Gecko Green does not do irrigation services, but they do have experts to evaluate your lawn or garden space.
And, they are able to answer questions about lawn watering requirements to help you choose the best system for your space and needs.
Don’t hesitate to give them a call and begin your journey to saving money every month with an efficient irrigation system with smart technologies.
