Much of the central United States has seen non-stop severe weather resulting in flooding over the past week. A family member of mine who owns an office building in the area checked in on it today to find their basement was flooded, and they had no idea. Turns out all the pumps failed, and several inches of water had filled the basement.
As you know, flooding can cause extensive damage to a building, and it’s common enough that I’m surprised I don’t see water leak sensors around more commonly. Now, when we think of the word ‘flood’ many of us probably think of weather related incidents, but don’t forget the fact that a leak from a pipe or a sewer line backup could also cause a ‘flood’ or at least water damage.
Water sensors can be relatively cheap, and either be a stand alone device, tied to a security system, or tied to a smart home hub. I personally use Zooz Z-Wave leak detection sensors to integrate to my Home Assistant and send a critical alert to my phone if water is detected. I simply place one under water appliances that might be hard to spot (behind the fridge, under the dishwasher, etc..) and intend on getting more for under sinks and behind toilets. I don’t have a basement, so my water heater is in our garage. Probably not a bad idea for me to put one out there either.
While I don’t have any particular water sensors to recommend beyond that, if you have an existing security system that can notify your phone or a monitoring center, consider getting a sensor tied to that. If you have an existing smart home ecosystem, get a sensor for that. Standalone sensors are available with their own apps, and if you don’t want a connected device, consider a sensor with an audible alarm tied to it. Early detection of water in your home could save you so much headache and money.