There’s never a good time for a water-main break. But when it happens in the aftermath of a major hurricane, well, that can certainly throw a wrench into things. In September, just after Hurricane Ida hit the United States, staff at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay were scrambling. They were preparing for students to Read more
flooding
There’s never a good time for a water-main break. But when it happens in the aftermath of a major hurricane, well, that can certainly throw a wrench into things.
In September, just after Hurricane Ida hit the United States, staff at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay were scrambling. They were preparing for students to arrive on campus the next day, but a water pipe burst in one of the dormitories.
There was no time to waste. The break had to be fixed immediately or the school would need to delay students’ arrival on campus. In the aftermath of Ida, a massive Nor’easter was unleashed in the New England area, adding to the craziness of the day.
Facility staff at MMA keep Viega fittings and tooling onsite for repairs to what is an aging system, but – as Murphy’s Law would have it – they only had tooling for up to 2” and they needed ProPress rings for 2½” tubing. That’s when Andrew Hiller of CGW Associates got a phone call.
“I raced to my facility to see what tooling I had, but the storm was just massive. The rain was incredible,” Hiller said. “I got rerouted because our main route was underwater – about five feet in some areas.”
Hiller discovered he didn’t have the correct-size rings either, so he called Viega District Sales Manager Dan Paine and told him what he needed. Paine could get the rings from a central storage facility, and the two men coordinated to meet soon after so that Hiller could drive the tools over to MMA.
“I drove through the deepest puddle I’ve ever been through,” Hiller said. “It wasn’t a very big section, but it was very deep!”
Once Hiller got the jaws to MMA, they replaced the entire section of pipe, about 25 feet in length. He said it was aging and a bad design, plus it was a difficult area in which to make the repair. But thanks to Viega fittings and the quick actions of Hiller and Paine, the repair was complete and MMA was back online, ready for students.
“When our customers need something, Viega is there to help as quickly as we can,” Paine said. “People trust Viega because they know they’re not just getting a great product, but also the service and support that go along with it. I was glad we could lend a hand to help the school get back up and running quickly, with as little interruption as possible.”
Basement flooding isn’t a worry Wayne®, a Scott Fetzer Consumer Brand and leading maker of water management solutions, has developed and released its latest IoT intelligent product, the Wayne Basement Guardian HALO™ smart sump pump. It is the world’s first smart home, Alexa-compatible device to give homeowners real-time control of and information about the operation Read more
Basement flooding isn’t a worry
Wayne®, a Scott Fetzer Consumer Brand and leading maker of water management solutions, has developed and released its latest IoT intelligent product, the Wayne Basement Guardian HALO™ smart sump pump. It is the world’s first smart home, Alexa-compatible device to give homeowners real-time control of and information about the operation of their basement sump pump.
“The mantra for our Basement Guardian HALO is connect, monitor and trust,” said Eric Tinnemeyer, president of Scott Fetzer Consumer Brands. “A wet or flooded basement is how the other guys’ pumps tell you something’s wrong. The Basement Guardian HALO sends a text, email, and alert via our free iOS and Android mobile apps when it detects an anomaly in the pump’s operation that needs attention or could cause the pump to fail. With a HALO, homeowners never have to worry about their basement flooding again.”
An embedded IoT controller constantly monitors the pump’s electrical signature for issues and transmits the analysis wirelessly to a homeowner’s Basement Guardian HALO mobile app. The dashboard displays metrics on the sump pump’s frequency and duration of use and tracks its operating history. If there is ever an operating issue the app provides troubleshooting instructions. Using the electrical signature, HALO will give the homeowner advance warning to replace their pump before the pump stops working and a flood occurs.
According to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, the average cost to remodel after a basement flood is approximately $40,000. After remodeling, homeowners typically buy a new sump pump, forget about it, and the pump eventually fails again and floods a basement. Or homeowners know the potential for flooding and spend more money than they have to – replacing their sump pump as often as every two years – in fear of the pump failing and their basement flooding.
“No sump pump lasts forever,” said Tinnemeyer. “We’re analyzing the power consumption of the pump to look for indications of when the device is breaking down and notifying the homeowner to replace it far in advance of failure.”
“The Basement Guardian HALO uses a patented Air Switch, instead of a mechanical flow switch, to sense the water level in the sump pump pit by detecting a pressure difference,” added Don Williams, vice president of engineering at Scott Fetzer Consumer Brands. “The Basement Guardian HALO then relays data to the IoT controller, which starts or stops the pump.”
“The consumer research we conducted with Wayne informed our IoT engineering design and gave us a laser-beam focus to design the function and layout of the mobile app,” said Adam Justice, chief executive officer of Grid Connect, Inc., which manufactures the IoT controller. “We built a system from the ground up by analyzing customers’ concerns and what would reassure them.”
Scott Fetzer Consumer Brands manufactures the Wayne Basement Guardian HALO with a corrosion-resistant, stainless-steel housing and cast-iron volute. Like most Wayne sump pumps, plumbers and even homeowners can easily install this pump in about 15 minutes. To purchase the Wayne Basement Guardian HALO, visit Amazon or www.basement-guardian.com.
About Wayne
With more than 70 years in the business, Wayne has become a dominant brand in the water pump industry. We continue to bring market leading innovation to homeowners who need worry-free water management solutions. Wayne offers a full line of basement protection systems, sump, multi-use, sewage, effluent, well, lawn, specialty pumps and systems, and accessories. Learn more at www.waynepumps.com
LeakSmart®, the world’s most intelligent leak and flood protection system introduces Protect by LeakSmart® with Flow, a new state-of-the-art flow monitoring system. Protect by LeakSmart with Flow provides advanced water flow analytics and monitors and controls the home’s water activity — from in-wall to appliance leaks — detecting water leaks instantly, shutting off a home’s main water Read more
LeakSmart®, the world’s most intelligent leak and flood protection system introduces Protect by LeakSmart® with Flow, a new state-of-the-art flow monitoring system.
Protect by LeakSmart with Flow provides advanced water flow analytics and monitors and controls the home’s water activity — from in-wall to appliance leaks — detecting water leaks instantly, shutting off a home’s main water supply and sending alerts via smartphone in less than five seconds.
Now installers can provide homeowners with peace of mind knowing Protect by LeakSmart offers all-in-one water flow analytics and leak detection. The system provides daily, weekly and monthly water usage statistics via the LeakSmart app that can be leveraged by homeowners to become more water efficient while also ensuring the home is protected against damaging leaks.
“Protect by LeakSmart with Flow is today’s most complete home water monitoring solution on the market,” said Larry Waxman, CEO of Waxman Industries, parent company of LeakSmart. “Not only can we help prevent catastrophic water damage and protect homes, but also can now help homeowners conserve water by monitoring and controlling their water usage.”
Available in ¾- and one-inch kits, Protect by LeakSmart with Flow is sold as part of a system that includes LeakSmart’s Hub 3.0 and three LeakSmart Sensors. Sensors detect leaks from appliances or any area prone to leaks, sending a signal to the hub to shut off the main water supply while also alerting the homeowner. Protect by LeakSmart with Flow also detects burst pipes, appliance leaks or potential in-wall leaks based on the increase in the water flow against the homeowner’s set daily usage limit, sending an alert to shut off the water when it is close to the limit. The kits will be available starting Oct. 1 through major plumbing wholesalers.
LeakSmart’s Complete Leak Detection Portfolio
LeakSmart offers installers the most comprehensive leak protection product portfolio on the market to fit a variety of customer needs and installation options. In addition to Protect by LeakSmart with Flow, the company offers two other shut-off valve options, a straight shut-off valve and the LeakSmart Snap valve controller, which installs in seconds without any tools or the need to cut into the main water supply line. The LeakSmart Hub 3.0 offers true 24/7TM leak protection with battery back-up even during power outages and downed Wi-Fi, and LeakSmart’s wireless reusable sensors can be placed throughout the home to detect even the smallest of leaks. LeakSmart also offers easy-to-install appliance kits for water heaters, dishwashers, ice makers, washing machines and sinks, providing easy water shut-off directly at the appliance.
LeakSmart integrates with more industry-leading platforms than any other leak detection system on the market. LeakSmart works with Google Assistant, Google Nest, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Wink and Control4.
LeakSmart has received several industry awards, including being named the 2019 Automation Device of the Year at CES, the world’s largest consumer technology show, by the Consumer Technology Association and CE Pro magazine.
Leverage the Protection of LeakSmart for Your Business
Installers and other professionals can learn more about LeakSmart by registering at LeakSmartPro.com where they can get access to training, techs and specs. Installers also have peace of mind, knowing that they have access to LeakSmart’s industry-leading technology support team, which is available by calling 855-532-5457, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern.
And, once a LeakSmart System is professionally installed, installers and homeowners alike are protected with LeakSmart’s industry-leading, five-year manufacturer’s warranty.