Water Leaks Are a Bigger Problem Than You May Realize
Did you know many Orange County cities have begun fining residents who fail to repair a home water leak within 48 hours? Such a quick turnaround may seem unrealistic, especially for notorious slab leaks.
Yet the average Orange County home wastes up to 10,000 gallons of water a year — half the volume of a backyard swimming pool.
Wasting water through leaks isn’t just a money and resource problem; damage from water leaks is the second most common home insurance claim. Slab leaks, or leaks in your concrete slab foundation, can be devastating. They can ruin your home’s foundation, cause rampant black mold infestation, make your home unlivable for months at a stretch, and cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair.
Worse, some insurance companies may not cover slab leaks. “Slow leaks” are often considered the homeowner’s sole responsibility. You could be on your own — forced to move out or take out a home loan to cover the repair.
Smart Leak Detection with Moen Flo
But what if we told you there’s a simple and affordable way to keep your water bill low and detect even a pinhole leak anywhere in your plumbing system — before it causes significant damage?
We’re talking about a smart water leak detector, a Wi-Fi-enabled device that attaches to your plumbing and monitors water use in your home — including tiny increases in water use or activity in your pipes due to pinhole leaks.
The best of the breed is the Moen Flo Smart Water Monitor & Shutoff. In this blog, we’ll talk about leak detectors in general, and then specifically about the Moen Flo.
Why Automatic Shut-Off Matters in a Water Leak Detector
An inline home water leak detector monitors water flow through a pipeline. That’s useful, but you’re tied to the device. You’ll have to check it often and manually shut down the water to your house if you suspect a problem.
Can you do this within 48 hours, as your city mandates? And what if you’re on a vacation or business trip? You may return to a house flood and not just a leak.
But a smart water leak detector with automatic shut-off turns off the water supply to your home when it perceives a leak. Completely.
It measures gallon usage through an internal mechanical turbine or ultrasonic wave. After a learning period of about a week, it can distinguish everyday water use from any variation, which may indicate a leak.
With an unexpected jump in water use, it shuts off the main water valve to your home. Damage and repair costs stay at a minimum.
How a Smart Water Leak Detector Works
- The inline water leak detector is installed on the main water line for your house.
- It must also be close enough to an electrical outlet to plug in.
- It takes 7-10 days to understand your patterns of water use. Automatic shut-off may be ineffective without this learning period.
- Most new inline water detectors connect to Wi-Fi. Their apps give you real-time alerts on your water use. You can set up the water shut-off limit and configure settings for home and away water use.
- Many inline water leak detectors also monitor water temperatures and alert you when pipes are close to freezing.
Benefits of a Smart Leak Detector
A leaky faucet can waste 3,000 gallons of water in a year.
According to the EPA, “The average family can waste 180 gallons per week, or 9,400 gallons of water annually, from household leaks. That’s equivalent to the amount of water needed to wash more than 300 loads of laundry. Household leaks can waste approximately nearly 900 billion gallons of water annually nationwide.”
- Water damage is the second most common home insurance claim.
- Many Orange County cities now issue fines if leaks aren’t fixed within 48 hours.
- Upfront investment in a smart water leak detector will pay for itself over the appliance’s life.
Benefits include:
- Automatic shutoff in case of leak, including slab leaks
- Lower insurance premiums
- Ability to control water flow from an app
- Insight into your daily water use
How to Save Money on a Moen Flo Inline Water Leak Detector
SoCal Water$mart has a rebate program for qualifying devices. It offers a base incentive of $100.
Your city water supplier or water district may offer additional rebates. Please contact them directly for information.
Many insurance companies are willing to work with homeowners. Some companies will schedule the installation of a leak detector and subsidize the cost, while others will offer discounts on premiums.
Orange Coast Plumbing sells and installs The Moen Flo Smart Water Monitor & Shutoff — in our opinion, the best and most reliable leak detector on the US market.
From the Moen site:
Reduce your risk of water leaks and damage with the Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff. Flo monitors the temperature and pressure of your home’s water and tracks your water usage, allowing the intelligent system to detect leaks as small as a drop a minute — anywhere in your home. Plus, it can automatically shut off the water before a catastrophic leak occurs.
Conclusion
A smart water leak detector is the best way to protect yourself from costly damage, fines, and disruption caused by a home water leak.
The Moen Flo Smart Water Monitor & Shutoff is the market’s most advanced water leak detector, combining temperature and pressure monitoring and intelligent leak detection. It can sense even a pinhole leak anywhere in your plumbing system. Its Wi-Fi capabilities let you monitor your home’s water use from any location via a convenient app.
The Flo offers automatic shut-off when it identifies any unusual activity in your pipes or an unexpected increase in water use. This feature dramatically reduces the risk of flooding and gives you one less thing to worry about when leaving for vacations or business trips.
The device also helps you save money on your water bill by tracking your daily water consumption and sending alerts if there’s a spike.
Most importantly, you’ll do your part to reduce water waste — a huge problem in Orange County — and help protect the environment.
So please take advantage of all available incentives, including SoCal Water$mart’s base rebate of $100, and contact us for a free estimate for installation. Let’s work together to conserve our most precious resource!
Resources
- Water Damage Statistics (iPropertyManagement.com)
- Orange County Cities Wrestling With Southwest Drought Look to Conservation Policies (Voice of OC)
- How to Save Money on Leak Detection? Get Your Insurance To Help Pay For It (Moen)
- Flow Monitor Devices Pilot Program (SoCal Water$mart)
FAQs: The Moen Flo Smart Water Leak Detector
Q: What’s the Moen Flo Smart Water Leak Detector?
A: The Moen Flo is an advanced home water monitoring and leak detection system. Attached to your home’s water lines, it monitors water flow, pressure, and temperature. It alerts you to any leaks, unusual water usage, or potential vulnerabilities in your plumbing system.
Q: How does the Moen Flo device send alerts?
A: The device connects to your home Wi-Fi network, sending real-time alerts and updates to your smartphone through the Moen Flo app.
Q: Can the Moen Flo detector identify the location of a leak?
A: It can alert you to abnormal water flow in your system, indicating a potential leak. A plumber can pinpoint the leak’s location.
Q: What kind of alerts does the Moen Flo system provide?
A: The system looks for leaks, unusual water usage patterns, and potential vulnerabilities in your plumbing system. Alerts are customizable and can be received via the Moen Flo app on your smartphone, via email, or SMS.
Q: Is the Moen Flo compatible with all water pipes?
A: It’s designed to be compatible with most residential plumbing systems, including those with copper, PEX, and PVC pipes. For compatibility concerns, check the manufacturer’s documentation or contact their support.
Q: How does the shut-off feature work?
A: The Moen Flo system has a built-in shut-off valve that will be activated if the device detects a leak. This shut-off feature can also be manually controlled through the app.
Q: Do I need professional installation for the Moen Flo?
A: We recommend professional installation for optimal performance, but the device comes with easy-to-follow installation instructions and can be self-installed with basic plumbing know-how.
Q: Does the Moen Flo require any ongoing maintenance?
A: We recommend running a system check periodically and replacing the batteries once a year. It’s also important to monitor any alerts or notifications from the app to ensure the system functions correctly.
Q: How can I monitor water use with the Moen Flo?
A: You can track your daily, weekly, and monthly water usage through the app, enabling you to identify trends, set conservation goals, and receive insights on reducing water consumption.
Q: Is the Moen Flo detector battery-operated or wired?
A: The device is powered by a standard AC adapter that plugs into a nearby outlet. It includes a backup battery to ensure functionality during power outages.
Q: Can multiple users access the device through the app?
A: You can give multiple users access to monitor and control the Moen Flo device through the app. This is particularly helpful for families or property managers who wish to track water use and alerts remotely.
Q: What happens if the Wi-Fi goes down?
A: The Moen Flo device has a backup battery and offline mode that lets it continue monitoring your system. It will shut off the water even without an active Wi-Fi connection if necessary. Once the connection is restored, the app will be updated with any missed alerts or data.
Q: Can the Moen Flo system detect water quality issues?
A: The Moen Flo Smart Water Leak Detector monitors temperature and flow rate but doesn’t assess water quality (e.g., contaminants or hardness). For this, you’ll need additional systems or devices.
