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The battery-powered D-Link Water Sensor Pods can keep tabs on remote spots around a home. We've made the D-Link DCH-S1621KT our new top pick, added four other models to the Competition section, and added testing notes after our long-term use of the runner-up pick. None of our picks offer recycling, although both D-Link and Proteus say they offer incentives to previous and long-time customers.
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. Since the device doesn’t have a dedicated app , it doesn’t send smartphone notifications. But you can designate as many phone numbers and email addresses as can fit into 400 characters. Cool water can be refreshing—except when it’s in the form of a puddle that seeps from a toilet. A smart water-leak sensor can lessen the impact of plumbing problems by alerting you the moment they’re detected, whether you’re at home or away.
The Best Smart Water-Leak Detector
Automatic shut-off features are best if you want to instantly cut your water source at the first sign of a leak, and temperature sensors are a good idea if you live in an area where pipes are prone to freezing. Water sensors detect and prevent excess moisture and flooding caused by broken pipes and faulty appliances. A leak detection system typically has sensors, shut-off valves and a centralized hub.
D-Link’s app shows you which device was triggered by water and provides an option to mute the siren. The device can detect leaks in pressure pipes made of any material within two meters of soft soil. During severe flooding, this Zircon can float and sound its alarm for up to 72 hours or until the battery is depleted. Under normal circumstances, you can expect the battery to last a few years. Many readers are concerned about how the manufacturing, shipping, and normal use of the products we recommend impact the world. We also recognize that the following may not paint a complete picture of a product’s supply chain and overall environmental impact.
Flo by Moen Smart Leak Detector
Tapping on each one provides a record of events in the past 24 hours, and in the case of the Sensor Pods, a peek at the battery life. The D-Link hub can link to Google Assistant speakers so that they make a voice announcement when it detects water . 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.
Most water leak detectors are easy to install, typically taking less than an hour to put in place. You can put battery-powered leak sensors anywhere susceptible to water damage, including pipes, sump pumps, washing machines and toilets. The D-Link DCH-S1621KT Whole Home Smart Wi-Fi Water Leak Sensor Kit combines the best capabilities we’ve seen available in leak sensors into one bundle.
Water leak detector benefits
You can get a leak sensor that sets off an eardrum-piercing tone for as little as $10, but if you want smartphone alerts and the ability to check in on your sensors remotely via an app, be prepared to pay a bit more. The cost of smart water-leak sensors is all over the place, ranging between $20 and $100, and dependent on features, accessories, and manufacturer. Though some people may question the value of such devices, the cost to replace furniture, rugs, and memories is much higher, so we’ve concluded they’re a worthwhile investment for most people. You do need to place them thoughtfully, so that they are in the path of where water might flow. Some models come with cords that allow you to better reach leaky places, while others let you combine multiple devices that communicate with a hub. Ideally, you should place multiple sensors throughout your home to cover a variety of spots where water leaks might happen.
There are plenty of reasonably priced devices (including high-tech models) out there to keep you and your home protected. Sometimes water leak detector installation requires a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection. A plumber may need to help if you have a more advanced system with automatic shut-off features. Since all leaks create soundwaves, a detector can gauge the severity of a leak by the frequency it produces.
The Proteus Aquo is more customizable than any other water-leak sensor we tested. However, it has no dedicated app, it needs to be plugged in, and it’s more expensive than our other picks. 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.
The system supports Google Assistant for announcing activity on smart speakers, as well as the web service and app IFTTT for triggering other smart devices when it finds a leak. Like every other leak sensor, it has a few quirks, but it’s still the best choice for monitoring more than one spot in a home. The best water leak detectors trigger a high-decibel alarm, send notifications to your smart devices and automatically shut off water to prevent damage.
For each of our tests, we used apps on an iPhone SE, an iPad, and a Samsung Galaxy J7 running Android Oreo, when possible. Automatic shut-off valves are installed near your water main and cut off the flow if the detector senses moisture or irregular pressure. Many users on our site have dealt with water leaks in their homes, like one reviewer from California, who ended up having to stay in a hotel for a week while repairs were made .
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. After we completed our original testing, we gave the Flo by Moen sensor a fresh set of batteries and placed it next to a toilet. After letting it sit there for about a year, we received a message indicating that the battery was down to 20%.
Opt for a device with an alarm sound that is at least 80 decibels loud, as a fail-safe against missing a leak alert sent to your smartphone. For three decades, The Basement Watchdog High Water Alarm has been protecting homes from the mess and expense of water damage. The battery-saver feature only uses energy when the alarm is sounding for a longer battery life. The smart water controller plugs into a standard electrical socket and requires a wireless LAN to connect to the app. The water controller must be installed on a potable cold water line with a pipe that’s no larger than an inch in diameter.
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