Smart irrigation is not only convenient and cost-effective, but it’s also simply the right thing to do.
With the world’s population approaching 8 billion, water is becoming more and more scarce. Up to 70% of world’s water consumption is used for irrigation. Up to half of the water we spend on irrigation is wasted due to inefficient irrigation methods.
With smart irrigation, you’ll be doing a favour to yourself AND to the world.
How Smart irrigation works
Smart irrigation system collects information from sensors and sends predefined user orders to actuators, that make the water sprinkler to go off. The data is collected by moisture sensors. A user defines the moisture and the temperature range. When the threshold is reached an action is performed (i.e. start/stop irrigating when moisture is at a certain level). The irrigation controller can also make sure that the water is actually flowing, that the pipes are not clogged or leaking, etc. The user can control the system easily via a smartphone app. Based on weather information and sensor data, the controller can determine on its own when it's the best time to irrigate, how long to irrigate and how much water to use.
The 6 main features of Smart irrigation
Remote Control
One of the biggest decisions when choosing a controller is how you are going to control it. Do you want to control your irrigation remotely via a smartphone app, or would you rather control it directly on the device with buttons? The latter might be useful for people that are not comfortable with using smartphone apps.
Set up separate irrigation zones for plants that have different needs
Each irrigation valve irrigates its own area. The area irrigated by one valve is one irrigation zone. You can personalize each irrigation zone and water the soil as much as the plants there need it.
Irrigation scheduling
Scheduling is a very useful feature, as it gives you peace of mind - even when you’re on vacation. When connected to a moisture sensor, it can automatically shorten or prolong irrigation times to make sure your plants are not thirsty or drowning in water.
Get notified
Notifications are useful and convenient. You can get notified when the irrigation starts, when it’s completed, if there are any errors, some smart controller even notify you if there is a leakage in the system, etc.
Advanced smart irrigation programming capabilities
Some irrigation systems can go one step further and take into account the weather and the local environment. Smart scheduling is a great idea that could optimize irrigation even further, but with current technology can be quite quirky. One feature that works well is turning off the irrigation when it rains.
Interoperability
As of now, most smart irrigation controllers cannot connect to your smart home gateway and other smart devices in your home. It is definitely the next step for most smart irrigation units and we can expect to see more smart home gateway support in the future. The ones that support it definitely have an advantage.
Lower consumption = Lower cost + Environmental responsibility
There is no dispute that smart irrigation saves water compared to “dumb” irrigation systems. Controlled studies show that smart irrigation systems save between 20% and 50% of water.
Most irrigation systems are made for large commercial areas in mind, not small gardeners. Although, thanks to innovative smart home brands, it has gotten significantly easier for small private properties to set up their own smart irrigation. The system can be controlled through an intuitive smartphone app and what’s even better - it connects to your favourite Z-Wave hub and smart devices.
Upgrading to smart irrigation is neither complicated nor costly. If you’re not sure how to set it up you can hire a professional to do it for you. In the long term the cost of smart devices and their set-up will pay for themselves by lower water bills as a result of lower water consumption. Once you set up the system, programming and scheduling irrigation via a smartphone app shouldn’t be a challenge. The use of the app is quite straightforward and besides that, it’s smart enough to work properly without constant manual modifications. Don’t let the small initial setup hassle stop you from years of savings and convenience.
In conclusion, making your watering system smart is a smart thing to do. Your main benefits will be:
- Remotely control sprinkler system via a smartphone app
- Set us schedules to water your garden automatically
- Add sensors (rain, soil wetness, etc.) to know better what your plants need
- Get notifications and prevent errors like leakages
- Save water - environment-friendly solution
- Lower water bills
- Use voice control to control the watering system
Learn more about the benefits and features of smart irrigation at: https://qubino.com/smart-irrigation/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=mailchimp&utm_campaign=Qubino_Blog_B2B_partners_Smart%20Irrigation&utm_source=Qubino+partners_Qubino+OEM_Qubino+partner+resellers&utm_campaign=6cc47096f8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_07_29_12_58&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c192462576-6cc47096f8-220799505
