July is Smart Irrigation Month!

July is Smart Irrigation Month, and a perfect time to reassess the efficiency of your lawn sprinkler system.  If you have been thinking about making some changes to your sprinklers because of alterations to your property or if your system is older and not equipped with some of the newest water saving features, you may be able to benefit from a full assessment from your sprinkler system service company.  Horizon Landscape Company is running a promotion this month in honor of Smart Irrigation Month, and no doubt, other irrigation companies are as well.

According to statistics provided by the NJ Watershed Ambassadors Program, each person uses about 100 gallons of water per day at home.  At least 50 percent of a household’s water usage goes into lawn watering.  Smart irrigation is not only a good economic choice, but a wise environmental one as well.

Putting smart irrigation into practice can mean as little as adjusting and raising heads to allow for plant growth or as much as installing one of the new Smart Controllers that are designed to analyze rainfall, temperature, humidity, soil types and amount of shade so that each area of your lawn and garden will receive the precise amount of water needed. Your irrigation professional can help you decide what options are right for you.

The most common water-saving upgrades are the use of rain sensors, weather monitors and the Smart Controllers I just mentioned.  These are all devices that have been tested and proven in areas of the country like Arizona, California and Florida where water conservation and rationing are an everyday event.  A homeowner can expect a minimum water savings of 20% and in some instances, savings of up to 60% have been reported using a properly programmed weather monitor or Smart Controller.  For the techies among you, you can access the US Dept. of the Interior’s Smart Controller Water Savings Summary here.

Here’s a little bit about each of these devices:

Rain sensors collect water and shut the sprinkler system off when a pre-determined amount of rain has fallen.  A small wafer-like disc swells and expands after it absorbs water, causing the sensor to send a signal to the timer to shut the system off.  The system will remain off until the sensor dries out.  This allows you to take advantage of natural rainfall and not waste your tap water.

Weather monitors provide the next step up in water savings.  Weather monitors are designed to calculate the rate of evapotranspiration on your property and automatically adjust your controller to the proper watering schedule for each zone daily.  Evapotranspiration (ET) is the term used to describe the loss of water from the soil both by evaporation and by transpiration from the plants growing there.

Smart Controllers are the most advanced water conservation products available.  They use weather data and your site-specific information to automatically determine when and how long to water.  Smart Controllers will take into account the different plant types in each zone, how much sun and shade each zone receives, what type of soil is in the zone, whether or not the area is sloped to anticipate run-off, and the rate of evapotranspiration.  Current weather information and other related data is downloaded to the controller daily via satellite, and your precise watering needs are calculated.  The Smart Controller then adjusts your irrigation system to apply the proper amount of water in each zone of your yard.

Smart irrigation systems offer these benefits:

• Save water – smart systems conserve water by applying only as much water as you need
• Save money – your annual water bill may be reduced by at least 20%, and you may also qualify for rebates from your local water provider for the purchase of specific smart controllers
• Plant health care – keep your lawn and landscape healthier by avoiding the problems cause by inadequate watering, too frequent watering or over-watering, which often results in disease or poor root systems.

Horizon Landscape is committed in many ways to smart irrigation.  We are a Water Sense Partner with the EPA, a certified NJ Irrigation Contractor (license #00150770), and certified as a Smart Technology professional by Rainbird and Toro, two of the leading companies in Smart Technology products.  To show our commitment to water conservation, we are offering a promotion for the month of July to residents within our service area.  Schedule a free sprinkler system assessment during the month of July, and we’ll give you 15% off the cost of any proposed adjustments or upgrades.

Horizon Smart Irrigation systems combine advanced technology, top-quality products and years of experience.  Our use of intelligent water management protects both our precious natural resources and your landscape investment, all the while promoting the health of your lawn and plants.  Horizon Smart Irrigation is another step toward “perfecting your place on earth”.