Chances are you already have “smart” devices and appliances installed throughout your home without knowing it. If you can control your thermostat from a smartphone or switch your lights on and off while you’re on the other side of town – those are considered to be smart devices. Even plumbing products are becoming “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 establish an extra layer of convenience and protection to your home, as well as lower your daily water usage and monthly water bills. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of installing smart plumbing products. And if you’re looking into adding one to your plumbing system, see to it that you have the help of a trusted plumber in the Bay Area.
Smart Leak Detectors
When a pipe leaks or your basement or crawlspace floods thanks to heavy rain, it’s pretty obvious that your home is dealing with a major water leak that could cause severe damage. But some leaks aren’t as noticeable. Even minor water leaks from appliances or plumbing pipes can accumulate over time, leading to higher bills and the potential for damage to your home.
That’s where a smart water leak detector comes in. Leak detectors can be installed in bathrooms, basements, beneath the kitchen sink, and around water-using appliances. Smart leak detectors monitor home water usage and alert you with your smartphone if it notices irregular water usage in your home – which can mean there's a leak somewhere. They should also notify you if they detect a leak, or a running toilet.
If you’re away from home and your water heater suddenly begins to leak, you’ll be informed right away with your smartphone so you can contact a professional to get the leak patched and minimize 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 use, second only to your heating and cooling system? To keep your hot water heater’s energy usage under control, try upgrading to a smart water heater. Smart water heaters come with energy-saving features and remote controls.
So how do smart water heaters differ exactly? Equipped with smart technology, a smart water heater can evaluate your home’s water-usage preferences and even anticipate usage and make automatic adjustments. Standard tank water heaters, for example, must continually heat water over the course of the day so hot water is waiting when you need it. With a smart water heater, though, you can turn your water heater off during the workday when you’re gone or when you’re away for work or vacation.
This can conserve energy, reduce water bills, improve safety, and offer more control over your appliance. On the subject of control, if you have a shower at 7 a.m. every day, you can schedule your water heater to come on at 6:45 so you’ll have hot water waiting for you. Smart water heaters also alert you of any leaks or system failures via your smartphone. If leaks are detected, for example, the smart water heater can automatically switch off. This minimizes damage to the appliance and your home.
Smart Water Monitor
Most of us probably have little idea how much water we’re using up. Smart water monitors are incredibly useful if you want to decrease your water consumption and save money on your monthly water bills.
Smart water monitors can save helpful data that illustrates how much water you are using in your home or business and how much each appliance or fixture needs. Most water monitors include a web-based interface that enables you to supervise water usage in real-time. This sort of information can help you learn if you have an inefficient toilet that needs to be upgraded, or if someone in your household is regularly taking 30-minute showers in the upstairs bathroom–allowing you to make the correct adjustments.
Aside from saving money on your water bills, smart water monitors help homeowners improve their carbon footprint to guarantee there is enough water for future generations to come.