Whenever Andrew Kirlin is called to bid on a commercial or residential irrigation project, he first looks at the controller. Upgrading the clock is his first step in maximizing water savings and reducing the number of callbacks to the site.
So, when his Windsor, Colorado-based company, Mountain Man Landscapes, was called to an older house with a 40-year-old irrigation system, he started in the garage. To his surprise, he found a 1970s dial-turn clock hanging on the wall. Unsurprisingly, the homeowners didn’t know how to operate it, and Kirlin couldn’t find an instruction manual or YouTube videos.
“Smart clocks are all I really sell when it comes to clocks,” he says. Kirlin founded his company in 2013 and currently operates four crews with 16 employees. The full-service landscape and irrigation company installs plant material, hardscapes and irrigation on various project types ranging from xeriscapes to new construction to high-end yards and patios.
“When I explain to clients that they can control their system halfway across the state and that it helps conserve water, it’s usually a pretty easy sell,” he says.
While the controller was the first component Kirlin looked at upon arriving at the property, it was only one piece of a larger job designed to improve water efficiency on the residential property. Here, he shares how he helps customers save water, save money and see better results with smart irrigation practices.
Getting up to date
According to Kirlin, the existing irrigation system used 380 gallons each cycle. His goal was to provide more effective coverage of the lawn and landscaping areas while reducing the property’s water usage. By eliminating four zones, installing drip lines and ensuring head-to-head coverage, water usage per cycle is now almost half the rate, totaling 200 gallons per cycle.
How did he accomplish these water savings?
He replaced the ancient dial-turn controller with a weather-based smart controller, which adjusts the irrigation schedule based on local weather conditions. In Kirlin’s experience, smart controllers are more effective at controlling the irrigation system during weather events than rain sensors.
“I don’t have a lot of luck with rain sensors,” he says. “I’ll show up on commercial jobs in a downpour, and the sprinklers are all on. Sometimes, every once in a while, [with a smart controller] ‘when weather lies,’ the system is not running. But it usually works pretty well. The controller doesn’t shut the system off if it is projected to rain, only if the weather says it’s raining right now.”
The next steps of the project included abandoning the existing system. The previously installed drip system had been buried. Over the years, tree roots grew through the tubing, rendering it inoperable. Kirlin’s team installed a new drip system (the company does not bury drip tubing) to avoid the same damage from occurring.
The company took the same approach with the existing sprinkler system. Kirlin generally finds it less time-consuming and more cost-effective to treat a property like this as a new installation rather than renovate the previously installed system. On properties like this one where tree roots are a problem, Kirlin typically uses poly pipe rather than PVC to maneuver around the roots more easily.
“The sprinklers were ancient, like the clock was,” he says. “Some heads worked, and some didn’t. With the tree root problems, it was much easier and more cost-effective to install a new system than finding and fixing all the potential leaks. The zone coverage of the existing system was also off, so by putting in a new system, we could save them time and money in the long run.”
Selling smart clocks
Kirlin doesn’t offer clock options. His sales pitch focuses on switching out an existing controller for a smart controller or when possible, adding the smart controller module to an existing clock. In his pitch to clients, he explains how easy and user-friendly the clock is and emphasizes the water savings, which translates to cost savings. He says that 99% of the time this approach sells clients on the controller upgrade and the entire irrigation and landscape package he is proposing.
“Depending on the clock, it could be an extra $300-$400, but they are usually OK when I tell them how much water they are going to save and the convenience of using it,” he says.
After evaluating a site and considering the number of zones, he emails clients a cost comparison. In the analysis, he includes the expense of upgrading the clock and calculates the dollar value in long-term water savings.
“That usually flips the light for them,” he says. “I also have a lot of references I share with them if they are hesitating.”
In situations where he finds a client is still skeptical, he offers a plant or shrub for free as a last-ditch effort. He also offers a guarantee that the plant material will remain healthy and alive. That promise and the future water savings win over even the hardest-to-convince customers, he says.
Smart controllers require users to download an app connected to GPS-based weather services. Kirlin has clients download the app, and his foreman does the same. That way, if there is an issue, his company can respond and diagnose a potential issue before driving to the site.
“The module in the clock operates on Wi-Fi, not Bluetooth connections, but as long as the phone is connected to Wi-Fi, you have access anywhere you have service,” he says. “Most people have the grasp of using an iPhone or Android, so using the app is as simple as using a TV remote.”
Because Mountain Man Landscapes offers a warranty on its projects, having the app on the job foreman’s phone allows the company to address an issue remotely or when a client isn’t home and access to a controller is unavailable. Using a smart controller also allows for high-precision scheduling to the minute and to the gallon of water put down on an area.
“The big key for me is that in a year, I want to hand this off to the homeowners so they can control their property and know how to make changes.”
– Andrew Kirlin, Mountain Man Landscapes
“Because we can control it from an app that connects right to the weather we can get really precise without worrying about a rain sensor,” he says. “The big key for me is that in a year, I want to hand this off to the homeowners so they can control their property and know how to make changes.”
Kirlin prefers weather-based controllers, which self-adjust and require little intervention when programmed correctly. But sensor-based controllers are another option. These controllers rely on soil moisture sensors placed below ground in the landscape’s root zones to determine whether and for how long to water. Systems with a sensor-based controller can be scheduled to run based on soil moisture and the landscape’s specific water needs.
Design with savings in mind
Much of Colorado is comprised of farmland, so the state has established a tiered water system that determines how much water homeowners and commercial property owners can use for irrigation. Temperatures also tend to spike in June and July, which can quickly burn up grassy areas. During the design phase of a project with irrigation and plant material, Kirlin considers these factors.
On the residential job described above, he designed and installed sprinklers so that water was applied in heads zoned out in 10-foot to 15-foot half circles to achieve a spray radius that would provide precise coverage.
“I can control how many gallons per minute shoot out of the head, and by knowing that I can establish down to the minute how much water is needed,” he says. “So, once summer comes, I can add a couple more gallons without making big changes to how much time it takes to water. I’m making it easier to put a little more water on and saving about 10% on water.”
All projects, including this residential project, include drip, Kirlin says. He likes using drip because it allows control over how many gallons are used based on the size of the plant.
In some situations, spray heads provide too much or inaccurate coverage for what’s needed, he says. “We use emitters because you can go from one gallon to four or five gallons and directly target the plant. That way I don’t have to overspray plants that don’t require that much water.”
On the plant side, Kirlin chooses plant material that is more native to Colorado. In his designs, he strives to achieve a mountain theme, and prefers using plants that do not require as much water and hardier varieties that can tolerate harsher winter conditions. Among other plants, he frequently uses mugo pines and little princess spirea. He also likes hydrangeas, which are somewhat native to the state and that look good even when not blooming.
Test-driving smart irrigation
The irrigation industry is experiencing a surge of technological development. Now more than ever, contractors have access to irrigation products that use advanced sensors, Wi-Fi and app-based capability to automatically adjust watering schedules, communicate problems and save water. These products can give consumers more data and power to control irrigation systems.
Now more than ever, contractors have access to irrigation products that use advanced sensors, Wi-Fi and app-based capability to automatically adjust watering schedules, communicate problems and save water
At the same time, it can feel overwhelming to sort through all the new products introduced to the market. Finding the time and the site to try something new can be challenging. To bridge this gap, Kirlin and a friend who is also a contractor compare notes.
“Companies are always coming out with new stuff,” he says. “My buddy and I go to each other’s jobs and look at the sprinkler heads and clocks to see if we can tweak anything. If one of us tries a new product or finds something works better, we let each other know.”
Smart technology can help customers save water and control their irrigation systems. But it’s only “smart” when the system is operating correctly. So, it’s equally important to remind customers that irrigation systems need regular maintenance to keep them working efficiently year after year.
Damage from lawn equipment or improper winterization can cause leaks and other serious problems that can cause a significant amount of wasted water.
Remind clients to schedule routine maintenance with your team at the beginning of each season to ensure the systems are functioning correctly, maximizing their water savings and keeping their lawns and gardens healthy.
“Helping with water conservation and helping our clients save money by using less water is important to me,” Kirlin says. “It also makes me happy because we have fewer callbacks and happier clients, which helps improve the business overall.”
