One of the latest technological advancements in plumbing is a Smart Home Water Shutoff system that can save a lot of heartache and a lot of expense. This device measures when there is an unusual flow of water in your home. These devices are typically installed by a plumber because it takes expert pipe cutting and joining. Sometimes in the cold weather, if you are gone for a week or more, the heating system in the house can fail as the temperature drops, and the water in your pipes can freeze. When water freezes, it expands inside the pipe and eventually breaks the pipe.
When the house warms up, and the ice melts, the shutoff assistant detects the unusually high flow of water to the house and automatically shuts down all of the incoming water to your home to prevent water from flowing through the broken pipes and causing a lot of damage to your home. Excess water continually flowing from broken pipes can cause literally tens of thousands of dollars of expense for damaged walls, floors, carpets, furniture, and any other items it touches.
This device can either notify you on your smartphone that it’s detecting high amounts of water usage in the house so you can opt to shut the system down, or some of them can be programmed to shut the water off automatically.
There are several products on the market that have a device that can be installed near your water meter or near your water source if you have a well for your water supply. Some of the more advanced devices are even “smarter” now and can determine which particular fixture in your house is generating excess water usage. Every water supply at each fixture flows at a different audible frequency, and the device learns over time the water usage of each fixture or faucet, even if there is more than one of the exact same model. So, the device works as a leak detector as well. In the event of a freeze-up, the device can help you determine which fixtures need repair.
If you have any questions about installing a smart water shutoff assistant in your home or are just looking for a quality plumber in the St. Paul and Minneapolis metro area, give St Paul Pipeworks a call today.
Yours Truly,
Matthew Dettwiler
Social Media Manager