HOW TO CHOOSE AN IRRIGATION CONTROLLER

If you have a sprinkler system in place, you have an irrigation controller.  This is an essential component of all sprinkler systems, allowing you to set your system to come on at the same time, for the same cycle, each day.

Timing is everything.

Irrigation controllers are the brains of the operation.  They’re mechanisms which signal irrigation valves to do their thing.  They regulate the water’s outflow.

With an irrigation controller, you can create a schedule for watering, according to local climate and weather conditions.  Choosing from days of the week and times of day, you can also program your irrigation controller to water for a certain amount of time.

There are several types of these devices.  They can be completely automatic, partially so, or mechanical.  Requiring very little maintenance, homeowners sometimes wish to upgrade them, or add features.  These are very easy things to accomplish with these devices.

To be honest, the most important thing about an irrigation controller is the settings.  There are models preferred by some.  Waterscape, a Royal Irrigation Company, uses controllers from Hunter Industries, Rainbird and Toro, because of their durability and quality.  But these components are basically the same, across the board, in terms of function.

Indoor/outdoor, to meet your needs.

An average-sized home needs anywhere from 2 – 9 controller stations, in charge of watering correlating zones of your outdoor areas.  Choose a timer with the capacity for more stations than you need, in case you need to expand, adding more zones.

You can choose from indoor and outdoor models.  An indoor timer can be plugged right into the wall, in a location that’s convenient, accessible and well-sheltered.  Outdoor timers require wiring, unless they’ve been adapted to make plugging them in possible.

The Hunter ICC model is one of the best irrigation controllers for our money.  Often, these are adapted with a three prong plug and power cord, so they can be used as indoor timers.

How to choose an irrigation controller depends a lot on your home’s outdoor areas.  There are many on the market, with a variety of features, but as we’ve said, our favorite is the Hunter ICC.  Raintree and Toro also manufacture excellent examples of this sprinkler system component.

Wetscape, a Royal Irrigation Company.

Wetscape and Royal joined forces in 2016, becoming Central New Jersey’s irrigation and sprinkler system powerhouse.

Whether you’re thinking about installing a sprinkler system, or have one in need of maintenance or replacement, we’re the regional experts who bring you the very best in leading edge technology to keep your lawn and garden beautiful.

We’re also landscape lighting professionals, who can help you make the most of your outdoor areas by lighting up the night.

At Wetscape, a Royal Irrigation Company, we believe in the highest level of customer service and quality.  That’s why we work with only the best suppliers in the market, as mentioned earlier in this post.  We treat our clients like family.  We treat their homes like our own.

Contact us to talk about your sprinkler system needs.