Improve your Gardens with New Irrigation Techniques

New irrigation controller technologies are allowing managers (owners, contractors, and maintenance personnel) unprecedented control over their systems.

While it is estimated that more than 20 million American homes have irrigation systems installed, many are outdated. For irrigation contractors, this means that the controller replacement market is quite large.

Wi-Fi-enabled controllers are relatively new to the market, and in many ways an extension of the smart home trend. Products available from Hunter, Rain Bird, Toro and Rachio offer a variety of solutions for contractors where they can install owner-managed systems or manage these systems themselves as part of their service offering.

The benefits of replacing older controller models with new Wi-Fi enabled models are clear:

Refined Programming:

Enhanced and remote programming options give users unprecedented control over their system which allows them to monitor and adjust their systems via their smart phone, laptop or tablet.

Smart Water Application:

Smart technology saves water, up to 50%, and also saves money by making predictive automatic watering adjustments. These settings can be based on local weather events and forecasts that can be automatically transmitted from local weather stations to individual controllers. Contractors and homeowners can also use on-site rain and humidity sensors that will further improve the efficiency of the systems.

Easy Solution Problems:

For some models, troubleshooting a system is made much easier by providing flow monitoring, which can alert the user to broken pipes and damaged sprinklers. It can also provide information on electrical currents to help detect broken or damaged wires and solenoids.

The opportunity and benefits are clear. Offering controller replacement services to your customers can be profitable in terms of installation revenue but also from a management and efficiency standpoint. So what do you need to know to get started?

When to Recommend a System Update

Any system that does not include the smart technology mentioned above is a good candidate for replacement. To get Wi-Fi connectivity, most controllers have to be completely replaced. By focusing on the water savings that can be achieved with proper installation and usage, most homeowners can recoup the cost of the controller in a relatively short period of time.

How to Sell the Benefits

For homeowners planning to manage their own systems, the benefits are simple. A Wi-Fi enabled controller allows them to manage their system from virtually anywhere and offers advanced automation features that save water and money with less effort. For homeowners with contractor-managed services, it offers the same time savings as the opportunity for more accurate troubleshooting and fewer costly site visits by your landscape contractor.

Technical knowledge

The good news is that, like all controllers, Wi-Fi enabled products come with detailed instructions for installation, programming, and management. Like other technological advances like smartphones, the systems are intuitive and relatively easy to install. But if you need help finding the right product or advice on comparing features, SiteOne staff are always here to help.

Contact your local SiteOne representative for more information on business opportunities in irrigation controller replacement. You can find your local SiteOne store at SiteOne.com.