Irrigation systems are a must for Atlanta landscapes. They take the guesswork out of irrigation schedules and help your turf and plants get the right amount of water.
But do you want to make your system even more efficient?
To take your commercial landscape’s system to another level, consider adding cost-efficient upgrade components.
Here’s a look at the options, benefits, and costs of upgrading your commercial irrigation system.
What Are the Best Irrigation Add-Ons?
You can incorporate a range of system upgrades on your property, such as smart controllers, soil moisture sensors, and rain shutoff devices.
Smart controllers are weather-based irrigation controllers that decide when to water your landscape using input from weather sensors. Coupled with various sensors, the controller can measure precipitation, humidity, wind, solar radiation, and other factors that determine the amount of evaporation.
Soil monitor sensors help keep your irrigation system from overwatering by calculating the moisture level in the ground.
The rain shutoff device prevents your system from running while it’s raining outside.
It’s relatively quick to install all of the upgrades — depending on the number of zones on the property — and won’t disrupt your site or tenants.
How Can Irrigation System Upgrades Benefit Your Commercial Landscape?
Adding upgrades to your current irrigation system can be a cost-effective way to make your site more sustainable and cut costs.
Adding a smart controller is like having a brain for your irrigation system. The controller can be programmed with all of your site’s specifics, such as your allowed watering days, soil type for each zone, and zip code. As a result, a smart controller can save you anywhere from 30 to 70 percent water usage.
According to Rain Bird, soil monitor sensors can lead to a water savings of 40 percent or more. That means the sensors can pay for themselves in less than a year.
There’s nothing worse than seeing an irrigation system running while it’s raining, and rain shutoff devices can help prevent that. These devices keep you from wasting water and make up their cost that way.
What Does it Cost to Upgrade Your Irrigation System?
Conserving natural resources and making your landscape more efficient are definite benefits, but those only really matter if your irrigation system upgrades are worth the cost, right?
Upgrades are pretty cost-efficient, considering the savings they will rack up for you during the months and years after installation.
Depending on the features and manufacturer, a smart controller can run anywhere from $300 to more than $700. But, of course, you also have to factor in labor costs to install the controller.
Soil monitor sensors start at about $100 per unit and can go up to more than $1,000 from there. You’ll need sensors for each zone and soil type to get proper readings.
Rain shutoff devices are reasonably inexpensive and typically cost around $300.
Are There Cons to Using Soil Sensors?
Each landscape is unique, so talk with your landscape contractor about which upgrades will benefit it the most.
The soil needs to be evaluated for texture, depth, and other characteristics to ensure soil moisture sensors work correctly. The sensors should be placed in areas that represent the root zone.
If there is a wide range of soil features, that will require more sensors and increase the cost. So, that’s something you should consider when talking with your contractor about possible upgrades.
How Do I Start Saving Money and Water Today?
Turn to an experienced landscape contractor who can enhance your irrigation system to make it more efficient.
HighGrove Partners offers a full range of water management services, including installation, maintenance, and upgrades. Our team can add upgrades like rain sensors, advanced head nozzles, soil moisture sensors, retrofits, advanced controllers, and more.
We are dedicated to being good stewards of the environment and helping our commercial clients use water efficiently. Learn more about how to save money and water on your site with our free water management e-book.
Ready to upgrade your irrigation system? Give us a call at 678-298-0550 or contact us online.
Last modified: January 18, 2023
