Your irrigation system keeps your landscape thriving through the hot St. Louis summers. However, your irrigation system doesn't know when it rains. Without a rain sensor, your controller sticks to its predetermined schedule—watering on the same days each week, regardless of what fell from the sky over the weekend, distressing plants, wasting water and contributing to higher bills.
Rain sensors are straightforward devices that detect rainfall and communicate with your irrigation controller. When the sensor detects moisture—typically 0.25 to 0.75 inches of rain, depending on your settings—it sends a signal that temporarily suspends your scheduled watering. Once the soil dries out sufficiently, the sensor resets and allows your system to resume its normal cycle.
Plants that receive constant water don't have a reason to develop deep roots, and without a solid root system, they suffer as soon as there is a dry spell. Consistently wet soil creates an environment that harbors fungus, root rot, and other plant pathogens. At the same time, excess water washes away nutrients your plants need, forcing them to work harder to stay healthy. This constant saturation also prevents proper soil aeration, suffocating roots and soil microbes. Lawns weakened by overwatering become susceptible to weeds, pests, and stress from heat or drought.
"My system already has a smart controller—I don't need a sensor."
While smart controllers optimize scheduling based on weather forecasts and soil conditions, they can't detect actual rainfall the way a sensor can.
"I can just manually adjust my controller when it rains."
In theory, yes. In practice however, property owners forget, get busy, or don't realize just how much rain fell. A sensor never forgets or misses a rainfall event.
If your irrigation system doesn't have a rain sensor, now is the perfect time to add one. Let our technicians evaluate your current setup and discuss how a rain sensor can improve your landscape's health while reducing waste.
Contact Dowco today to learn more about rain sensors and how they can work with your existing irrigation system. We'll help you create a smarter, more efficient landscape that thrives through every season.
Serving Chesterfield, St. Louis County, and surrounding areas with expert irrigation solutions.