The 6 Best Smart Water Sensors of 2022
Table of Content
The usual solution is a device like the PQWT Underground Water Leak Detector that uses ultrasonic waves to “hear” the difference between damaged and undamaged pipe or changes in water-flow rate. Smart-home sensors can detect leaks, frozen pipes, and open doors so that small problems don’t turn into big expenses. Both the Monoprice Stitch Smart Water Leak/Flood Sensor and the Merkury Smart Wi-Fi Water & Leak Sensor lack enough features for us to recommend either one. They’re both cheap (under $20), they have the same design, they have identical-looking apps , and they both don’t provide a way for you to dismiss the alarm without physically drying the device off. At least the Merkury has a loud, 85 dB alarm (in contrast to the Stitch’s 67 dB) and delivers on its promise of offline notifications—although the alert took about 36 hours to come through in our tests. Soon we will start testing the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 2, which features a 4.2-foot water-sensing cable that you can expand up to 10 feet, as well as a 105 dB siren plus support for Alexa and IFTTT.
Leak detectors that incorporate automatic shutoff are typically expensive—usually around several hundred dollars—but could potentially prevent thousands of dollars in water damage, making the extra expense worthwhile. These units are especially valuable for vacation homes and rental properties where the owner frequently isn’t on-site and able to monitor for leaks personally. Although battery-powered detectors are convenient, the disadvantage is that the batteries can die and leave the area in which the detector is located vulnerable to undetected leaks. Fortunately, many battery-operated detectors have indicators that signal when battery life is low. However, most leak detectors can last for several years on a single set of batteries. Throughout our testing, the Proteus Aquo sensor gave us some of the best response times, firing off audible alerts within two seconds and text messages within four seconds.
Runner-up: Flo by Moen Smart Leak Detector
It’s designed to integrate with HomeKit and is even compatible with Siri, so you can use voice commands to check on the status of your sensor or find out the temperature, even if you’re not at home. Being part of the Apple family, it can also be accessed via your Apple TV or iPad. Bayside resident Michael McGrath has become incensed with building management after a rainstorm in early February caused a leak into his apartment from the roof. The condo board of the luxury Walker Tower has suffered another defeat in its attempt to eject the owner of the building’s penthouse.
When it comes to the best overall smart water sensor on the market, you can’t look past the Honeywell Lyric . With a brand name you can trust, humidity and temperature tracking, plus ease of use, it’s a top choice for many homeowners. However, if you prefer a product that offers the option of automatic shutoff, consider the LeakSmart Water Leak Detector . It integrates with most smart home systems, is very responsive, and allows you to turn off your water supply remotely. Most smart leak detectors plug directly into an outlet and come with a backup battery that keeps the device powered when utilities are down. Any good water leak detector helps catch small leaks before they cause significant damage.
Elexa Consumer Products Inc Guardian Leak Prevention Kit
This is a single-room solution, supplied with 6 feet of cable between the main unit and the sensor. This can be extended to a maximum of 100 feet, though wire and connectors must be sourced separately. D-Link said it typically “offer support based on the product life cycle, which can be 1-3 years after the discontinuation of the product.” We can confirm this policy, since the DCH-S1621KT is our third D-Link pick since 2016. The D-Link DCH-S160 and DCH-S161, both previous picks, have been discontinued. Finally, D-Link does not offer two-factor authentication, a mainstream security measure that lets the app confirm your identity when you attempt to use it.
It responds to potential danger quickly, it has a loud onboard siren, and it integrates with other smart devices. Some smart water sensors are designed to be plugged into a wall outlet and include a battery backup for when the power goes out. If you want to be able to set your water sensors in place and not have to worry about them for up to ten years, look for one with exceptional battery life.
How does leak detection work?
The Basement Watchdog doesn’t benefit from any kind of Wi-Fi integration, and the unit itself is somewhat utilitarian in appearance, but it nevertheless represents excellent value for money. None of our picks offer recycling, although both D-Link and Proteus say they offer incentives to previous and long-time customers. The battery-powered D-Link Water Sensor Pods can keep tabs on remote spots around a home. If you’re already using Apple’s HomeKit, then the Fibaro Flood Sensor may be for you.
You can opt to disable the siren or set it for a specific amount of time, as well as designate how often you want the system to keep sending alerts and whether you want notifications once the water is gone. Smart water-leak sensors are pretty low risk when it comes to concerns about being hacked, but we always prefer to use the highest form of security available. (And it’s not required.) Our other two picks currently don’t offer 2FA, a situation that we hope will change.
D-Link DCH-S1621KT Whole Home Smart Wi-Fi Water Leak Sensor Kit
Wirecutter long-term tests all of its picks, and that includes keeping track of hardware and software incidents. Should we find any privacy or security concerns affecting any of our selected models, we’ll report them here and, if necessary, update or alter our recommendations. The publication serves the co-op and condo community with thousands of free articles on management, finance, maintenance and more... Many New York City co-op and condo boards are about to face a “reckoning” when compliance with a local law requiring buildings to limit harmful energy emissions gets serious.
We protect our home from fire, carbon monoxide, and theft, but what about water leaks? Floods and water damage can be devastating for homeowners, causing serious damage. If they detect water leaks they notify you via your smartphone, even if you’re miles from home. Smart water-leak sensors are for anyone who is worried about small leaks turning into big ones, as well as anyone who doesn’t want to wait until they step into a flooded room to find out. Plenty of non-smart water-leak sensors trigger a siren when they detect water, but they may go unheard if you’ve situated them in a bathroom or deep in the basement, or if you’re not home. A “smart” water-leak sensor, however, sends alerts right to your smartphone no matter where you are.
Rachel Cericola is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter who has been covering smart-home technology since the days of X10. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Wired, Men’s Health, USA Today, and others. She hopes her neighbors read this bio because it would explain why she always has four video doorbells running simultaneously outside her home.
The Fibaro HomeKit sensor immediately alerts your device if it detects a leak or freeze. You can remotely access and control the device from your phone and check the status of leaks and temperature issues with voice commands. The average lifespan of a water-leak detector will vary between manufacturers, but any given detector is likely to remain functional for several years.
These smart devices will alert you to leaks before they get bad—and can even prevent damage from occurring. Sencentric added a 3-foot sensing cable to the SimpleSENCE Capteur Water Leak Detector. In fact, 48 hours after we tried cutting the power in our tests, the app still claimed that we were protected with a good Wi-Fi connection. The Resideo Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector was a little slower to respond to water and connectivity issues than our picks. It does have a loud audible alarm and dual sensors (one on the device and one at the end of the included 4-foot cable). Three metal probes are located on the bottom of the main detector, which is shaped like a water drop.
Comments
Post a Comment