You may already have “smart” devices and appliances installed throughout your home without even knowing it. If you can control your thermostat from a smartphone or flip 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 apply an extra layer of convenience and security to your home, as well as reduce your daily water usage and monthly water bills. Continue below to learn more about the benefits of installing smart plumbing products. And if you’re considering adding one to your plumbing system, see to it that you have the help of a trusted plumber in Beckley and Mount Hope.
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 struggling with a major water leak that can lead to extensive damage. But some leaks aren’t as noticeable. Even small water leaks from appliances or plumbing pipes can eventually add up, contributing to higher bills and potential damage to your home.
That’s where a smart water leak detector helps. Leak detectors are installed in bathrooms, basements, underneath the kitchen sink, and close to water-using appliances. Smart leak detectors track home water usage and alert you with your smartphone if it detects excessive water usage in your home – which can mean there's a leak hidden away. They should also notify you if they find a leak, or a running toilet.
If you’re out of town and your water heater suddenly springs a leak, you’ll be alerted immediately with your smartphone so you can take appropriate action to get the leak resolved and prevent further damage to your home.
Smart Water Heaters
Did you know the traditional 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 consumption in check, consider upgrading to a smart water heater. Smart water heaters come supplied with energy-saving and remote controls.
So how do smart water heaters help exactly? Equipped with smart technology, a smart water heater can evaluate your home’s water-usage habits and even estimate usage and make appropriate adjustments. Standard tank water heaters, for example, must continually heat water during the day so hot water is waiting when you need it. With a smart water heater, though, you can shut your water heater off during the workday when you’re not home or when you’re away for work or vacation.
This can save energy, help lower water bills, boost safety, and give you more control over your appliance. On the subject of control, if you have a shower at 7 a.m. every day, you can set your water heater to turn on at 6:45 so you’ll have hot water on hand. Smart water heaters also inform you of any leaks or system errors through your smartphone. If leaks are detected, for example, the smart water heater should automatically switch off. This reduces damage to the appliance and your home.
Smart Water Monitor
Some of us probably have no clue how much water we’re using on a daily basis. Smart water monitors are highly useful if you’re looking 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’re using in your home or business and how much each appliance or fixture is using. Many water monitors include a web-based interface that helps 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 appropriate adjustments.
Aside from saving money on your water bills, smart water monitors help homeowners improve their carbon footprint to make sure there is enough water for future generations to come.