Top 8 Irrigation Upgrades

This timer is one of our favorites in a tech trend for irrigation products. It is controlled from your phone, uses weather algorithms to automatically adjust your scheduling based on weather patterns and has a full IFTTT (if this then that) compatibility to integrate seamlessly with the other tech gadgets in your home.

Just like the Rachio this is another smart controller that features a lot of the same capabilities as the Rachio. THe Rainmachine also has a nice display and interface to it and can be set up in 15 minutes.

Spruce has taken the smart controller up a notch and added a sensor that detects moisture in your soil. This information is relayed back to the controller and the controller adjusts based on the data provided by the soil sensor. On top of that, the Spruce controller interprets weather data to fully automate your irrigation needs based on the upcoming weather and the current moisture of your soil.

While technically not an upgrade, local city rebate programs are a great incentive to make upgrades to your irrigation system. In the City of Sacramento, a single-family residence or duplex can receive a rebate up to $400 for certain smart controllers and another $400 for irrigation upgrades such as a switch to drip or high efficiency nozzles.

For those who want to save some money without spending a ton more, you may consider a rain sensor. While the rain sensor won’t offer the same features as the newest smart controllers, it will help you avoid unnecessary watering based on rain and current weather.  

Drip irrigation is perforated tubing that is placed throughout the desired area. Water is pushed through the tube and emitted through the holes in the drip tubing. This is a slow and much more efficient watering system for planter areas because the water quickly saturates the soil without the same water waste as sprinklers. Converting to drip can be a large project based on the size of your yard. But it will lead to savings and qualifies for most rebate programs.

This is a quick and cheap upgrade that will sometimes be covered by rebate programs as well. The high efficiency nozzles reduce water runoff and increase your water efficiency by up to 30%.

Another fairly cheap and simple upgrade is a rain barrel. The barrel harvests rainwater that can be recycled for irrigation purposes. This particular is more stylish than most and has two spigots that can be used for hoses or filling pots.