A leak detection system monitors the flow of water through a pipeline. When abnormal behavior is detected, the system cuts off water flow to the entire home by closing a valve inside the leak detector. Leak detection systems are usually installed at the point of entry of water into the house. One of the things we loved about the D-Link hub in our tests was how quickly it alerted us when it ran out of power.
Unfortunately, those same superpowers don't extend to sensor pods. When additional sensors lose power, the app doesn't warn you directly, which we think is a problem. Although you can see that the sensor is disconnected in the app, you must first look at the app to realize it. There is also a long delay before the app notifies you approximately 48 hours, according to our tests.
We know that sensor pods remain in low power mode to conserve battery life, but the response time should be faster and the app should send a notification to the smartphone as soon as possible. However, a “smart water leak sensor” sends alerts directly to your smartphone no matter where you are. Therefore, a leak that occurs within a vacuum of the floor would go unnoticed until the height of hydrostatic pressure meant that the water would find its way through the floors below, where it would be noticeable its drip through the ceiling or, more puzzling, the water would penetrate the joints and connectors of the energy or network cabling and causing system failure due to short circuit. In most cases, leaks that go unnoticed can cause more damage than an obvious failure in your home due to the time it is left in operation.
We perform tests using the probes of the real detector, as well as those on the tip of the extension cable. Opt for a device with an alarm sound of at least 80 decibels in volume, as fault protection to prevent you from missing a leak alert sent to your smartphone. You should locate your water meter, connect the device with the included rubber strap, connect the centralized hub inside your home, and connect to the app on your smartphone. However, both this new model and the older detector have a not very loud alarm (we measured 67 dB somewhere between a conversation and a dishwasher in the new version), there is no integration with the smart home or disconnection notices.
The WPLD is designed to detect water leaks in supply pipe sizes from 15 mm to 38 mm in diameter. Your homeowners insurance provider may want to know if there is a leak detection system installed in your home, as this could affect the rate charged for your homeowners insurance. Powered by a replaceable button cell (CR123A), the Flo smart detector is easy to mount on a wall or place under a washing machine, refrigerator or anywhere else. Like any other leak sensor, it has some peculiarities, but it is still the best option for monitoring more than one point in a house.
We tested the system with the optional detectors and, like the other professionally installed models, was able to detect both small and large leaks. Many non-intelligent water leak sensors activate a siren when they detect water, but they can go unnoticed if you've placed them in a bathroom or basement, or if you're not at home. The system can also be equipped with a remote water sensing cable or a point probe for areas where appliances use mains water. Leak detection systems must be discreet, effective and robust enough to withstand dirt and moderate physical abuse from other works under the same floor.
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