leak detection

Smart plumbing technology provides great improvements in a variety of aspects of plumbing management. In decades past, property owners relied on their personal observations and their water bills to get a sense for their water usage and efficiency. Smart systems can automate many of the monitoring tasks, allowing plumbers to assess a system and quickly form an effective plan for maintenance or repair. With these tools, property owners can improve their efficiency, reduce water consumption and minimize the effects of water damage.

Leak Detection

Smart plumbing systems offer the latest in leak detection technology. Sensors can track multiple factors, including water pressure, volume, temperature, humidity, the presence of intrusions and more. When integrated with a smart plumbing system, the sensors can alert property owners to the existence of a leak as soon as it arises. Because the sensors are spread throughout the system, property owners can get detailed information about the location of the leak, helping plumbers to find and address the leak more quickly.

Efficient Water Heaters

Along with other devices in the Internet of Things, smart water heaters help property owners to control their hot water usage and efficiency. A smart water heater often uses less energy by allowing users to set limits on their water consumption. The smart system can adapt demand by tracking household usage data to help minimize energy consumption when residents use it the least. Additionally, a smart water heater offers remote operation, leak detection and system alerts, so that owners can turn off the system or discover problems before they lead to serious water damage.

Irrigation Systems

The advancement of smart irrigation systems allows property owners to minimize their water consumption based on weather patterns, without compromising the quality and health of the landscaping. Smart sprinkler controllers make it easy for property owners to control the property’s watering schedule by a smartphone or tablet. Capability of individual controllers depends on the equipment. Owners who buy sensors may be able to have the system automatically adjust watering based on moisture levels. Without these tools, smart controllers use data about local temperatures and precipitation to estimate the best watering schedule.

Smart Sewer Cameras

In recent years, plumbers have used closed-circuit television cameras to identify the location of leaks or damaged pipes as part of plumbing repair. The cameras provide an opportunity for plumbers to inspect or assess the condition of the interior pipes without having to dig up the landscaping first. Smart technology can make this task more effective. Smart cameras provide intelligent metering, so that plumbers know how approximately where the problem sits in the plumbing, without having to use a manual cabling system. Smart systems can also provide other data to assist in the diagnostic process.

AI Defect Prediction

Finding defects in existing pipes is not new technology, but the software to predict it is on the cutting edge. Pattern recognition is a significant advantage of artificial intelligence technology, and plumbers can use it to determine the most likely spots for a leak or burst pipe. New software options take existing camera footage of sewer inspections and use that data to create detailed maps of a plumbing system. This technology can help plumbers decide where to look first or target their maintenance work to the areas with the greatest need.

Due to its location, plumbing presents a number of obstacles for repairs and upkeep. Smart technology is revolutionizing the plumbing industry with tools and systems that can improve efficiency and simplify the process of finding defects or problems. Smart tools provide useful data to plumbers, so that they can find a leak faster. Smart systems also alert owners to the presence of problems, such as low water pressure or high water usage. By using these tools, owners can reduce the likelihood of unexpected water bills or property damage.

Author bio: Kareem Haddad is the owner of Absolute Rooter & Plumbing, a family-owned and operated company that has been improving the plumbing systems of Orange County and surrounding areas since 2010.

According to the EPA, residential leaks—not including commercial water leakage in this country—wastes nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually.

It’s a widespread problem. Not long ago, Washington Post journalists wrote about a guy, Sam, who went to his rural vacation home south of Chicago.  Following a long winter, he found the entire basement flooded with eight feet of water. It sat there for weeks because of a burst pipe. In such an instance—especially if the leak happened in the summer—the risk of mold, including the toxic Stachybotrys chartarum (black mold), is substantial.

Post reporters also wrote about a woman who lives on the 35th floor of a condo building. While she was out one day, the water to her drinking water filter broke. Half a day and many gallons of water later, she was able to stop the leak, but a lot damage had already been done: the water had cascaded down through several floors of the building, causing significant damage.

This combination of Sentinel Hydrosolutions Leak Defense System technology guards a penthouse mechanical room in a condo facility, including automatic shutoff valves connected to point-of-leak detectors protecting all water sources, including storage tank, water lines and booster pumps. Two large 6″ valves control all water in the building. Remote control emergency water shutoff is controlled a concierge desk. All images courtesy of Watts.

The ravages of water from hidden leaks can be devastating, expensive.  Even permanent.

The good news is that today’s wireless technology can either alert you instantly that there’s a problem, or even shut off the water main automatically or remotely. Some of these devices sense water and send an audible alarm along with a text or email alert so whether you are home or away, you get the alert.

According to Kenneth Fox, VP of Sales and Business Development for Escondido, Calif.-based Leak Defense, a Watts Brand, there are a wide variety of solutions, some being far more durable and effective than others.

Says Fox, the best technologies, including the Leak Defense system, continuously monitor properties for hidden leaks and—if one is detected—automatically shuts off the water and alerts homeowners, property managers or plumbing professionals.

“We’ve found that an on-site control, or mobile app, are the best, easiest way to control water flow,” he added. “With multiple ways to monitor, you’ll always feel protected against potential loss, expense and hassle from water damage.  Our full line of accessories allows Leak Defense to work with any type of residential or commercial plumbing system.”

In Atlanta, a facility’s entire water service piping is leak-protected.

For commercial systems, leaks can very easily cause frustration among tenants and legal liabilities and lead to remediation hassles and great expense.

At the very least, not being protected from the risk of water damage from hidden leaks can be stressful. According to Fox, Leak Defense has helped thousands of commercial and multi-family building owners and facility managers easily monitor and protect their properties.

“With modern systems, the status of all leak detection components—from smart controls to sensors—should populate information on a convenient, user-friendly dashboard,” said Fox. “The technology should be capable of catching all types of leaks, including those hidden in under slabs, behind walls and in ceilings.”

Like a security system with ability to shut the door!

Contemporary leak detection and prevention systems should also be effective at turning off water automatically if flow settings are exceeded, or shut off water to selected zones or the entire building. They should also allow manual stopping of water via control or app, and provide round-the-clock monitoring and alarming of all devices—much like contemporary security systems, but with the added capability of shutting the shut the door to deny entry.

To have this remarkable capability, a Leak Defense valve must be installed on the main water line and downstream of the primary shut-off valve, pressure regulator, irrigation line and fire sprinkler line. All components “talk to each other,” with set parameters that allow total system shutoff if conditions warrant it.

Protective measures taken at a national salon franchise with a Sentinel Hydrosolutions Leak Defense System shutoff valve.

According to Fox, the Leak Defense Point of Leak Detector (POLD) is an excellent solution, when coupled with Leak Defense flow sensors, for residential homes or commercial locations to simply and easily protect a property from catastrophic water damage. These multi-point electronic leak detectors can be placed anywhere there’s a high risk for plumbing leaks, typically near appliances and fixtures; they will close the water supply valve and send an alarm if moisture is detected.

“Leak Defense products are available through our over 2,000 nationwide installers, wholesalers and rep firms,” said Fox. “Installer and facility manager training is conducted nationwide.”

Luxury Condo Puts a Stop to Leakage

Sunset Pointe near St. Petersburg, Florida, is a luxury condominium complex on a barrier island off the Florida coast. Since 2017, three of four six-story buildings have been built and occupied, with a fourth one now under construction.

Today, all 130 occupied units, each exceeding $1 million in value, contain a Leak Defense system.  Their technologies were installed after three leakage incidents—all within a six- month period in 2018—created more than $150,000 in damage to many individual units, common areas and an elevator system.

“We haven’t had a single loss or insurance claim after completion of the [Leak Defense] products,” said Vince Pusateri, board president of the Sunset Pointe Condo Association.

 Three separate incidents

Pusateri, an early resident of Building 1, was the building president at the time the incidents occurred. The first was in a laundry room, when a hose connecting to a washer sprung a leak.

Emergency water shutoff with set schedules protect a facility in Atlanta, Ga.

The second occurred in the middle of the night. A water softener system in a utility closet sprung a leak, and the condo owners awoke to find themselves wading in six inches of water. The water also spread to the two units next door, into the walls of units below, and into the elevator area.

“In a condo complex where there are common walls and floors, a leak in one unit affects not only the people there, but also the people around them,” said Pusateri. “In addition to structural problems, there can be damage to rugs and furnishings—and, potentially, black mold if things aren’t taken care of quickly.”

 Installing leak defense

Following a third incident when a hot water tank line sprung a leak in a pantry, a building maintenance engineer suggested several leak detection solutions to the Building Governance Committee. Ultimately, the committee (chaired by Pusateri) chose to install Leak Defense.

The system is comprised of several components. The first is a proprietary valve installed on the incoming waterline to each condo unit; once installed, the automatic water shut-off control valve monitors water flow 24/7/365.

The second is a wireless touchscreen control in each living unit, allowing residents to set the system to fit their family’s lifestyle needs. For example, if high-volume overnight water use would be unusual, the control can send an audible alert; it can also shut off the water intake. The control could also be connected to a third-party monitoring company to make sure an alert is attended to even if the owners are away.

Point-of-leak detectors can be placed at any potential trouble spots to detect leaks, such as in the laundry room or under a bathroom or kitchen sink.  Finally, a mobile app allows easy, remote monitoring.

 “We liked the sturdy unit [control panel] and the company’s good track record,” Pusateri said. He also pointed to other features, such as being able to set the system for how long water could run before activating an audible alarm, and ease of operation.

Condo owners in Building 1 agreed to the installations, as did the owners later in Buildings 2 and 3. Pusateri said that most condo owners have 6-10 sensors in their home; locations are up to each owner.

“What I also liked is that sensors can detect a change in water pressure, even behind a wall,” said Pusateri.

He added that for reliability in a storm, the system is backed up with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which plugs into a wall. “In Florida, we have a lot of lightning strikes and power surges,” Pusateri noted, “but with UPS battery backups, we’re covered.”

When Building 4 is completed in 2023, Leak Defense systems will be installed to protect those units in the condo complex. “We’re happy with Leak Defense,” Pusateri said. “It has the best track record; it’s rugged, and we don’t want any further damage.”

Watts has upgraded its SentryPlus Alert™ flood protection system.  

The upgraded system includes many new features to make installation easier and more convenient: 

• Newly designed control unit with easy-to-use digital timer and 20% smaller overall size that runs on 24vdc
• Updated cellular gateway with enhanced features and more robust cell connectivity
• Separate 120vac relay box for interfacing with Flood Protection Shutdown ACV
• Enhanced packaging for easy setup and installation

Watts PVS-7000, Flood Detection backflow preventer models, and Watts LFF113FP Flood Protection Shutdown ACVs will begin coming with this new system beginning in August 2020.

For more info, visit www.watts.com.