Chances are you already have “smart” devices and appliances installed throughout your home without even knowing it. If you can control your thermostat from your smartphone or flip your lights on and off while you’re on the other side of town – those are considered smart devices. Even plumbing products are increasingly “smart” these days. Smart plumbing products can include smart water heaters, smart leak detectors, and smart water monitors.
Installing smart plumbing devices and appliances can add an extra layer of convenience and protection to your home, as well as optimize your daily water usage and monthly water bills. Keep reading to learn more about the perks of installing smart plumbing products. And if you’re looking into adding one to your plumbing system, be sure you have the help of a trusted plumber in Kutztown and Breinigsville.
Smart Leak Detectors
When a pipe breaks or your basement or crawlspace floods thanks to heavy rain, it’s quite obvious that your home is dealing with a major water leak that can cause extensive damage. But some leaks aren’t as obvious. Even small water leaks from appliances or plumbing pipes can eventually add up, resulting in higher bills and the potential for damage to your home.
That’s where a smart water leak detector can help. Leak detectors can be installed in bathrooms, basements, beneath the kitchen sink, and near water-using appliances. Smart leak detectors supervise home water usage and alert you with your smartphone if it detects abnormal water usage in your home – which can indicate a leak hidden away. They should also inform you if they detect a leak, or a running toilet.
If you’re on vacation and your water heater suddenly springs a leak, you’ll be notified immediately via your smartphone so you can take appropriate action to get the leak resolved and avoid further damage to your home.
Smart Water Heaters
Were you aware that the typical water heater accounts for about 12% of a family’s energy consumption, second only to your heating and cooling system? To keep your hot water heater’s energy usage in check, try upgrading to a smart water heater. Smart water heaters come with energy-saving features and remote controls.
So how do smart water heaters help exactly? Equipped with smart technology, a smart water heater can assess your home’s water-usage habits and even estimate usage and make appropriate adjustments. Conventional tank water heaters, for example, must continually heat water throughout the day so hot water is available when you need it. With a smart water heater, though, you can shut your water heater off during the workday when you’re out of the house or when you’re away for work or vacation.
This can save energy, lower water bills, boost safety, and offer more control over your appliance. While we're talking about control, if you shower at 7 a.m. each day, you can set your water heater to come on at 6:45 so you’ll have hot water waiting for you. Smart water heaters also notify you of any leaks or system failures through your smartphone. If leaking is detected, for example, the smart water heater can automatically shut off. This limits damage to the appliance and your home.
Smart Water Monitor
Many of us probably have little idea how much water we’re using. Smart water monitors are highly useful if you'd like to decrease your water consumption and save money on your monthly water bills.
Smart water monitors can save helpful data that shows how much water you use in your home or business and how much each appliance or fixture is taking. Many water monitors include a web-based interface that allows you to supervise water usage in real-time. This kind of information can help you find out if you have an inefficient toilet that needs to be upgraded, or if someone in your family is frequently taking 30-minute showers in the upstairs bathroom–allowing you to make appropriate adjustments.
Along with saving money on your water bills, smart water monitors help homeowners lower their carbon footprint to ensure there is plenty of water for future generations to come.