Lake Travis - Westlake Edition | May 2026

Real estate

Dive into home automation systems and smart irrigation with Smarter Homes

reducing water waste,” Sandford said. Sandford connected with Community Impact to talk about the home automation process and further details for implementing smart irrigation systems. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. How can homeowners use technology to monitor or control their water usage? Homeowners can use apps and third-party auto- mation systems to monitor usage, control schedules and receive alerts. In advanced deployments, irrigation ties into ow monitoring, leak detection and shut-o valves, allowing real-time visibility, anomaly detection and automated responses to prevent waste or property damage. How can people optimize their water usage by taking into consideration environmental factors, such as rain? Smart irrigation systems ... will skip cycles during rain, modify run times based on temperature and

Peter Sandford, owner of Smarter Homes, brings decades of experience in Austin to the home technology industry. The West Lake Hills business was established in 2006, oering expertise on home automation systems to locals. In a nutshell Sandford specializes in designing systems for lighting, motorized shades, security and more, with a focus on reliability, longevity and easy usage, he said. Zooming in One of his areas of interest is smart irrigation systems, which use connected controllers, sensors and live data to automate watering schedules. The system takes into account environmental factors, including weather, soil moisture and temperature to adjust watering needs. “When integrated into a smart home, irrigation becomes dynamic, improving eciency and

Peter Sandford has been in the technology sphere since he was a teenager.

PHOTOS COURTESY SMARTER HOMES

START A CONVERSATION WITH US TODAY 512.601.8692 | GRANDLIVING.COM LUMINATIONS ® Memory Care

Compassionate & Crafted Care

Purposeful Living Activities

Safe, Home-Like Environment

ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY # 312581

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM