No Access into the Building
Irrigation service contractors have long been tending properties where the water shut-off and/or controller are located inside a home or commercial building. This situation is often causing trouble. Either you don’t have access to the inside, and if you do you must take care not to track mud through the building. Now, because of Coronavirus, the owners may not want you to enter their building. So, let’s come up with a solution.
Irrigation Master Valve meets WIFI Controller
Something Old = Master Valves. Early landscape irrigation systems commonly included master valves. These master valves help limit water waste or damage due to mainline breaks, especially with the high failure rates of early plastic irrigation components. However, installing master valves fell away by the late 1980s.
Something New = WIFI Controllers. WIFI controllers have lead the way in the adoption of landscaping technology. Homeowners and contractors alike have learned about the many benefits WIFI controllers offer.
Mutual Benefits
A marriage of a master valve with a WIFI controller produces a beautiful wedding, … with mutual benefits. For the client, the benefits include reduced water cost, because the app adjusts watering based on highly accurate, internet-sourced local weather data. It also includes less time turning the sprinkler system on and off and less time monitoring the system. For landlords and rental properties, it saves them valuable time where they do not have to meet you onsite for a service call.
Remote Control Access
There are many benefits to you as a contractor as well. One of the main appeals is that you can access, monitor, and operate an irrigation system from your phone. You can view all sites that you are managing and can see everything about their system, including flow monitoring, schedules, faulty wiring, and changes. You can receive an alert on your phone if there is a broken pipe. You can control access to the system, see all the logs, and see who made changes. It saves you many hours of overhead hours if you don’t have to run to a customer site just to check on their system.
You can remotely handle many service issues and performing service work is less intrusive and much more efficient. Another benefit of combining the master valve with a WIFI controller: easy winterization. When you install a master valve inside the building (where it won’t freeze) and then use a WIFI controller to turn the water off for winterization, you save even more time and there is no need to access the building.
When you set the controller in OFF mode (or unplug it), you assure the controller will not start an irrigation cycle during the winter. Most controllers will allow you to do that from their app. Of course, a master valve gives you all the shut-off benefits. We want you to realize the additional benefits of remote access provided by an internet-enabled controller.
WIFI Irrigation Control Apps
A number of market brands provide WIFI access to their valves using their exclusive phone app. That means you need to install the app on your phone and learn how to use it. Other valves use a switch that is mounted by the backflow to close the valve.
Questions?
You may have some questions or know of limitations, such as:
- The Building Code does not allow you to install a master valve until after the backflow device. Yes, that may be the case.
- You’ll have to run a valve wire inside to the master valve. Yes, you do; this should not be a big stumbling block, but it can be difficult.
- How do you drain the pipe from the backflow to the master valve? Answer: The same way you do that now.
- What if the master valve fails? Answer: Install a valve that fails in the ‘Off’ position.
- How will service techs know there’s a master valve installed? Answer: They won’t, all they’ll know is water isn’t flowing if the master valve or controller has failed. You should hang a tag on the backflow device explaining where the master valve is.
- You may be concerned that a typical residential grade valve may fail. Answer: Use a commercial-grade valve.
Using a master valve with a WIFI controller may not be a workable solution for every project. Or, you may have other objections or considerations. If you do, leave us a comment and let’s see if we can find an answer.
You can check our line of WIFI controllers and order online the one that fits your commercial or residential project. If you are not sure which one to use, contact your nearest Wolf Creek branch and our staff will get you what you need.
Happily ever after.
