Homeowners throughout the Central Indiana use smart home products for a variety of reasons – to save time, to save money, to add convenience to their everyday lives. Over the past several years, we’ve seen smart products arise within many different markets, going beyond entertainment into home improvement. While items like smart thermostats and lighting systems bring obvious benefit to our lives, many homeowners overlook the possibilities that exist with smart home plumbing solutions.
Water leaks are prevalent in homes throughout the Central Indiana area as well as the rest of the United States. The average household has water leaks that account for around 10,000 gallons of water waste each year! Whether it’s a leaky faucet tap in a bathroom or a crack in a pipe below your home’s foundation, plumbing leaks do more than just waste water – they create the potential for major damage to your home.
Water damage is an expensive issue that results from plumbing leaks in the home. Not only that, it’s a common one – five times more likely to occur than home theft and six times more likely than a house fire.
Each year, one in every 50 homeowners file a water damage claim with their homeowners' insurance company, with the average claim costing approximately $10,000. Over the last five years, residential water damage claims have been on the rise, creating a need for smart home plumbing products that safeguard against this expensive household problem.
Smart home plumbing products are available to help Indianapolis area homeowners prevent costly water damage caused by surprise water leaks in the home. Solutions include:
A leak detector (also called a leak or water sensor) is a type of smart home plumbing solution that monitors for the presence of water where it shouldn’t be. They are commonly installed in areas where a water leak could pose sudden and major water damage, such as in laundry rooms in the event of a burst washing machine hose or overflow, utility room in case of water heater failure, or a basement prone to flooding.
When the leak detector comes into contact with water, the system sounds an alarm to notify homeowners of the presence of a leak. Smart home plumbing leak detectors are Wi-Fi enabled and send a notification to the homeowner via the device app. Leak detectors are commonly used in conjunction with home water monitoring systems and automatic shut-off valves, discussed below.
Your home’s main water supply as well as the water supply to individual plumbing fixtures throughout are controlled by shut-off valves. To cut water supply in the event of a water leak, either to a specific fixture or to the entire home, the homeowner must close the shut-off valve. However, if you are not at home when a leak occurs, a vast volume of water could spill out into your home before you have the opportunity to cut off water flow!
Automatic shut-off valves are paired with leak detectors to turn off the home’s water supply automatically if a leak is detected somewhere in the house. In a connected smart home plumbing system, the leak detector alerts of a leak, which automatically triggers the shut-off valve to close.
A water monitoring system is installed on your home’s main water supply line to monitor all the home’s water activity. Leak detectors and automatic shut-off valves are components of a whole home water monitoring system which provides homeowners with superior protection against water damage.
These systems also detect leaks through their monitoring of your household’s water consumption. When unusual changes in flow rates, water temperatures, or water pressure are detected, the system alerts you to this difference for further investigation. If the issue is serious enough, the water monitoring system triggers the automatic shut-off valve, which cuts off water supply to the home to prevent damage in case a water leak is present.
Aside from the valuable protection delivered by smart home plumbing solutions like water monitoring systems, these systems also aid homeowners in water conservation. As they monitor the household’s water consumption habits, this data is accessible through the system’s app so homeowners are able to see water usage at any time, assess household patterns, and make goals for conserving more water in the home.
Another great bonus of installing a water monitoring system is potential savings on your homeowners insurance! As water damage claims pose a major cost to insurers, many homeowners insurance companies offer customers a reduction in premiums when they install a qualifying protective device. This bonus helps homeowners quickly recoup the cost of smart home plumbing system installation.
Beyond protection against water damage, a variety of smart home plumbing solutions exist that simplify everyday tasks and bring enhanced convenience to our lives.
Smart kitchen and bathroom faucets integrate with a home’s smart home hub, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, for increased convenience. With voice-activated operation, these faucets are essentially hands-free – no more trying to nudge the handles with dirty hands!
Smart faucets also allow users to ask for specifics. Ask the faucet to dispense a certain amount of water, tell it to run for a certain period of time, and even request your preferred water temperature.
Smart home plumbing shower systems allow homeowners to start up the shower from anywhere. Create different profiles for each family member, including temperature preferences and set shower times. Certain systems eliminate unnecessary water waste during the warming-up phase, delivering water at the perfect temperature from the moment water begins to flow.
Smart faucets for sinks and showers also monitor water consumption through the tap. Track usage, see your savings, and learn how to make better choices to improve water conservation with these smart home devices.
About 18% of the average home’s energy use is dedicated to water heating – the water heater is the second largest consumer of energy in a home, behind HVAC systems. New smart home plumbing technology helps Indianapolis homeowners enhance energy savings with hot water consumption, with Wi-Fi-connected smart water heaters and water heater controllers accessible by smartphone or tablet!
Smart home plumbing products for water heaters include smart controllers that are compatible with various models of existing units, as well as entire water heating units enabled with smart technology.
Homeowners are able to control and monitor water heater operations directly from a connected device. Water heater temperature is easily adjusted and vacation modes can be applied when the home is unoccupied for longer periods. Smart home plumbing technology from the water heater collects data regarding the household’s hot water usage and habits, helping you stay up-to-date regarding energy use and make conscientious decisions towards conservation.
Depending on the model you choose, a variety of features deliver an upgraded user experience:
As we move into spring, it’s about time to start thinking about growing this year’s lush lawn. Smart sprinkler systems are a smart home plumbing solution that simplify this tedious task, helping you create the beautiful, green grass you desire without all the labor.
Depending on your existing sprinkler system, it may be possible to add a smart controller that works with the equipment already installed on your property. Or, install a new smart sprinkler system for use this season. Available features range from one product to the next, and there are multiple options on the market so you are sure to find one with the functionality that meets the needs of your lawn.
Connected sprinkler systems allow homeowners to adjust sprinkler settings remotely using an app for smartphones and tablets. Whether you’re relaxing indoors on the couch or away from home, you control the watering needs of your lawn anytime, anywhere. Certain systems may be compatible with your existing smart home hub for voice-activated control.
As Indianapolis homeowners continue to connect systems and devices in their homes, smart home plumbing is yet another area where smart devices add desirable benefits, from water conservation to home protection! Learn more about the available solutions for your home from your licensed Indianapolis plumbers at Williams Comfort Air – contact us today!