Table of Contents
- What Is a Smart Water Leak Detector?
- How Does a Smart Water Leak Detector Work?
- Are Water Leak Sensors Worth It?
- Can Water Leak Detectors Find Leaks in Pipes and Other Items?
- Do Water Leak Detectors Automatically Shut Off Valves?
- How Much Is a Water Leak Detector?
It’s no surprise that water damage from pipe leaks can ruin and destroy your customers' homes or businesses. For four straight years (2015 to 2019), water damage has been the second most common cause of insurance claims and the second most expensive, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
This is exactly why innovations in smart water leak detectors are so groundbreaking.
Utilities have been innovating in the leak technology realm, creating products like leak detectors, smart water-quality monitors, seismic-resilient pipes, and real-time data sensors. This has allowed for a swift response to water loss and climate conditions by providing data, in real time, that allows for more informed decision making.
Leaks in plumbing can be challenging to detect, but this smart technology has proven pivotal in precise detection. With easier discovery, you can repair and replace faulty pipes much quicker, aiding in better resource management and water conservation.
Poor water management can cause damage to your business’s infrastructure. It can ruin community spaces and facilities, emphasizing the need to educate those who make decisions about maintaining water infrastructure in those spaces.
The Federal Energy Management Program uses smart water leak technology to detect and repair water leaks. These smart detectors are providing more data collection, and the use of the data guides product innovation, helping to expand use from single facilities to entire distribution lines. This technology is commercially available—making it a huge asset for your business and your customers.
With this technology more widely available, it’s become a great asset for small business owners. So, we’re breaking down the most frequently asked questions and providing tips and tricks you should know for using these innovative water leak detectors for your customers, just in case the unexpected happens.
FAQs on Smart Water Leak Detectors
What Is a Smart Water Leak Detector?
Smart water leak detectors have changed the way we approach solving and preventing severe water damage. When placed near areas of concern, such as water heaters or toilets, these battery-powered devices send a notification through SMS or email letting you know that water has been detected. By detecting a leak early, you’re able to address it before it gets out of hand, avoiding excess moisture, broken pipes, or even floods.
How Does a Smart Water Leak Detector Work?
There’s a metal sensor terminal on the detector that is placed against the floor. When water—even just a few drops—comes into contact with these sensors, an alarm sounds, and a notification, email, or text message is pushed to your phone to alert you.
Other advanced detector models can be installed inline, going a step further by collecting data as the water flows through the device. It gathers information about water pressure, temperature, and flow rate so that it can use these metrics as a baseline. When a fluctuation in these metrics happens, the detector will notify you, as it could be a concern such as a broken pipe. Because water temperature that is too cold could lead to a burst pipe, it will also inform you if the temperature is too cold or if there’s a slow drip in your system.
Using the collected data, daily, weekly, and monthly reports are at your fingertips. You can see how much water each fixture uses, such as a sink or toilet, and tests throughout the day will inform you of changes in pressure or flow. Some will even automatically shut off the water supply for you.
Are Water Leak Sensors Worth It?
Considering the severe damage a water leak can cause and the low investment cost of a water leak sensor, they are absolutely worth it.
Whether you’re serving customers in commercial, industrial, or residential settings, a water leak that goes unnoticed can ruin structural integrity, destroy drywall, and cause dangerous mold growth. Water leak sensors also help conserve water, so your customers gain peace of mind in protecting their assets and avoiding expensive repairs.
Can Water Leak Detectors Find Leaks in Pipes and Other Items?
Yes, that’s what they’re made for. When placed near a potential risk area—under kitchen sinks, bathrooms, water heater closets, etc.—the smart detector will alert you to potential risks.
By outfitting your customers’ homes with them, you’ll help them know immediately when water begins to drip. This way, they can get a head start on fixing the situation by calling you before repairs get out of hand.
If you assist customers in areas where frozen pipes are frequent, or where there’s high humidity, there are also water sensors that monitor environmental conditions!
Do Water Leak Detectors Automatically Shut Off Valves?
Some models do, yes! When installed inline, these detectors can monitor flow rate and pressure. When a measurement is outside of the norm, the leak detector will shut off the water supply quickly, potentially saving your customers upwards of thousands of dollars in repairs.
How Much Is a Water Leak Detector?
Prices range from $50 to over $500 depending on the features you’re after. For example, more affordable models may lack WiFi and use other methods to communicate problems, but if you want one that automatically shuts off the water valve, you’re looking at a higher price tag.
No matter the features you need for your specific business and customer needs, Zoro.com has smart water leak detectors that will fit any budget, and help your customers save hundreds of dollars in the long term.
Avoiding water damage and the chaos that follows is made simpler with smart water leak detectors. Before your next job, download our infographic to help inform your customers, and remember to shop Zoro.com for all of your smart water leak detector needs!
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Product Compliance and Suitability
The product statements contained in this guide are intended for general informational purposes only. Such product statements do not constitute a product recommendation or representation as to the appropriateness, accuracy, completeness, correctness, or currentness of the information provided. Information provided in this guide does not replace the use by you of any manufacturer instructions, technical product manual, or other professional resource or adviser available to you. Always read, understand, and follow all manufacturer instructions.