Smart Irrigation Controllers: Are They Worth It?

The days of manually adjusting your sprinkler timer every season are over. Smart technology has revolutionized landscape maintenance.

If you're still using an old dial-based timer in your garage, you're likely wasting water and money. Smart irrigation controllers (like Rachio or Hunter Hydrawise) replace your old timer and connect to your home's Wi-Fi, giving you control from anywhere in the world. But are they worth the investment?

1. Weather Intelligence

The biggest advantage is "Predictive Watering." Smart controllers monitor local weather forecasts.

• Rain Skip: If rain is in the forecast, the system cancels the scheduled watering.
• Wind Skip: High winds blow water away before it hits the ground. The system waits for calm conditions.
• Freeze Skip: Prevents watering during freezing temperatures to protect your pipes and plants.

2. Control from Anywhere

Gone on vacation and forgot to turn off the sprinklers? No problem. Open the app on your phone and shut it down instantly. You can also run zones manually while walking around your yard to check for leaks, without running back and forth to the garage.

3. Water Savings = Money Savings

Studies show that smart controllers can save up to 50% of landscape water usage. In Phoenix, where water rates are rising, the controller often pays for itself in water bill savings within the first year.

4. Leak Detection

Some advanced models (when paired with a flow meter) can detect high flow rates indicative of a broken pipe. The system will automatically shut off that zone and send an alert to your phone, potentially saving you from a flooded yard and a massive bill.

If you're interested in leak detection, ask us about our smart controller installation packages.

Conclusion

For convenience, peace of mind, and environmental stewardship, a smart controller is absolutely worth it. It's the brain of your irrigation system—make sure yours is a smart one.