This is going to be one of those questions that will be really, really hard to answer. The question we are talking of is not “what are flood sensors?” (as the term is self-explanatory) or “why do you need them?” or “What are the best ones?”. The question that is hard to answer and will not be answered at the end of this article is – “Why do flood sensors rarely come up in the conversation for Smart Home despite the humongous benefits that they can offer to your home?”.
That aside, the blog is everything you need to know about flood sensors. Let’s begin.
What is a Flood Sensor?
A Flood Sensor is a smart device that, when installed in your home, can protect your home and property from potential flooding through leaky pipes, faulty plumbing and household appliances (as most water damage to your homes happens from interior sources). For homeowners, it is necessary to know from where the condensation and moisture get in your beautiful home. Made from brick and glass or timber, water spoils and leaves permanent damage to all types of homes. But with flood sensors, you can be proactive and get alerts on any leakage at the very moment your plumbing weakens.
Why Buy A Flood Sensor?
- A flood sensor will let you react faster to any leaks in your home, thereby immediately limiting the amount of water damage.
- It will not only help to prevent items of your home that can be easily damaged by water like carpet, appliances and books etc. but will also help to prevent your home structure itself.
- There are very few insurances that will cover water damages, and they too have clauses that limit the benefits.
- Temperature drops in the weather can freeze and burst pipes. With a floor sensor, you can identify the exact area on the pipes that is susceptible to potential damage.
- You should definitely consider flood sensors if your home area is prone to heavy rain, flash flooding or mudflow.
Where To Install Flood Sensors In Your Smart Home?
A rule of thumb is to install flood sensors to the areas where the water leaks, an escape of liquid, overflowing from the appliances and fixtures or plumbing issues can occur. This will include ashing machines, refrigerators with water dispensers and ice makers, hot water heaters, ice makers supply lines, dishwashers, furnaces and boilers, sinks, fish tanks and toilets, etc.
Top Choices For Flood Sensors
These choices are compiled after having first-hand experience in plumbing for houses in Australia and New Zealand. The versatility and the authority of the flood sensors are taken into consideration for their recommendations. And we like to give out a disclaimer that these choices are in no particular order even though the first three are currently at the top of their game.
D-Link DCH-S161
This sensor has one of the loudest alarms on the list with 80 dB, which is more than enough to be heard anywhere from the house. This is perfect if you require to have the alarm heard from long distances. DCH-S161 can be integrated with Google Assistant and If This Then That (IFTTT), enabling it to communicate with other smart devices installed in your house. This further increases the possibility of noticing the alarm. One simple (but convenient) feature that this sensor has and the other sensor lacks is the ability to snooze the alarm on the device directly or through the D-Link
Flo by Moen Smart Water Detector
Flo is quite possibly the highest rated flood sensor there is. Any smart home builder will recommend Flo from the top of the mind. That is how ultra-popular it is, and it is rightfully so. It is one of the or else the best flood sensors in the market. Flo does react to leak and connection issues with better speed than most of the sensors. Its frame and ergonomics are such that it can be fit into tight places. Another great feature with Flo is that it detects temperature and humidity and gives alerts based on that. Despite all these, Flo has gaps as the alarm is not loud and the inability to connect to the popular smart home platforms like Google Assistant, Alexa etc., is disappointing. This can change in the future, but it can currently only work with Flo’s water shut off system in-house.
Proteus Aquo Wi-Fi Water Sensor
The biggest advantage of Proteus Aquo is its customisation ability. These sensors are more customisable than any other flood sensor. Proteus can be integrated into Amazon’s Alexa and IFTTT. This sensor allegedly has the loudest alarm of any other sensor in the market, which is 85 dB. Another feature unique to Proteus is that it alone can integrate with upto five fellow sensors, including the sump pump. The downside of this sensor is that it is higher on the price scale, the customisation is complicated (due to its in-depth features), and it does not have a dedicated app to control it. The homeowners have to use a web browser to control them.
Honourable mention
Flume 2 Smart Home Water Monitor
Flume 2 is an excellent choice for flood sensors for your home, but as of now, it does not supersede our top three picks. Nevertheless, it packs some serious features to protect your smart home from water leaks. First of all, it is a wireless sensor. This gives it the upper hand over the most wired sensor in its convenience and maintenance. It detects both leaks and water usage for your home. It cannot be integrated with Google Assistant, IFTTT or Homekit but with Amazon’s Alexa. The app also lets you control your Flume 2 through your smartphone. One major deciding factor for Flume 2 was that it did not have a water shut off option.
Phyn Smart Water Sensor
This is another flood sensor that almost made the top three if not for its certain gaps. Gaps like its inability to work with any third-party devices and demanding extra cost for sensor cables. That being said, these sensors are easy to install and detect the temperature and humidity of your pipes and plumbing system. These sensors are also highly responsive to your commands. Due to its frame, it can be placed anywhere in your home. Also, its auto shut-off valve with Phyn plus is an added advantage.
To Wrap It Up
As you reach the end of this blog, you have been informed of everything that you need to know about flood sensors for your smart home. You are leaving with more answers but also with a single question, why do flood sensors rarely come up in the conversation for Smart Home. Nevertheless, reading the blog, you would come to the same conclusion as us that flood sensors should be a top priority for making your home truly smart.
If you have further questions or are still a bit confused, “The Smart Hive” has been helping homeowners and builders ensure convenience and efficiency for their smart home with the right daily smart products.
Equip and build your homes with these security features and witness a shorter sales cycle, more buyers, increased property value and greater customer satisfaction.
To know more about security devices for your homes, do read our blogs. For any questions, enquiries, feel free to contact us. We are just a call away!