[clawlan]

I am looking to buy several water alarms to put around the house for early detection. Anyone here have experience with specific ones? I'm leaning towards either the Glentronics or Zircon. Ideally, I'd love to get some that are z-wave so I can have them working with a home automation system, but they are far more expensive and have generally worse reviews.

I also like the Honeywell that uses the water sensing cord which is handy if you are not sure exactly where the water will come from and/or where it will pool, but these are about 2x the price.



I am familiar with the pros and cons of these style units, so no need to go there, just curious if people have had experiences with any.

 

[Ron6519]

I'd look into water sensors that do more then make noise. Especially if the noise is going on when no one is home. I'd look into a system that actually stops the water from flow as opposed to signaling it's arrival. Yes, to costs more, but functionality usually does.
I put in the Water Cop.

 

[clawlan]

I'd look into water sensors that do more then make noise. Especially if the noise is going on when no one is home. I'd look into a system that actually stops the water from flow as opposed to signaling it's arrival. Yes, to costs more, but functionality usually does.
I put in the Water Cop.

Watercop would be good for the washing machine or water heater, but it's not practical nor affordable for places like under sinks, nears toilets, behind refrigerator, etc.

 

[Ron6519]

Watercop would be good for the washing machine or water heater, but it's not practical nor affordable for places like under sinks, nears toilets, behind refrigerator, etc.

Affordability aside, the sensors can be put anywhere. I've put them in sink cabinets, under dishwashers, behind pedestal sinks, by boilers and hot water heaters and under whirlpool bathtubs.
My setup cost around $900.00. I put it in after one of my customers had a pipe burst when they were on vacation and the water ran for days. Insurance cost was $63,000+. They were out of the house for 8 months. Is it worth the money to protect the house? I thought so.
The noise makers are useless if your:
Asleep, out of the house for work, errands, vacation, etc..
It's a solution if you're homebound due to house arrest, injury or suffer from agoraphobia. Otherwise it's a battery powered party favor.

 

[clawlan]

Affordability aside, the sensors can be put anywhere. I've put them in sink cabinets, under dishwashers, behind pedestal sinks, by boilers and hot water heaters and under whirlpool bathtubs.
My setup cost around $900.00. I put it in after one of my customers had a pipe burst when they were on vacation and the water ran for days. Insurance cost was $63,000+. They were out of the house for 8 months. Is it worth the money to protect the house? I thought so.
The noise makers are useless if your:
Asleep, out of the house for work, errands, vacation, etc..
It's a solution if you're homebound due to house arrest, injury or suffer from agoraphobia. Otherwise it's a battery powered party favor.

haha, you make a good point. But at $300 a pop, your $900 would equate to 3 of them, but it seems you have more? Do you know of a better place to purchase?

And on your point of damage, my friend recently have 75% of his 6000sqft home destroyed due to a leak that sprang on his 2nd floor toilet. Cost was over $150,000.

Now that I give it more thought, watercop might be more feasible/affordable if one could put the valve closer on the main water line into the house, and just have wireless sensors everywhere you needed, that when triggered would shut off the whole house supply.

EDIT: Yea, I'm dumb. My thought about on a single shut-off and multiple sensors is actually how the watercop is meant to be installed. I had the impression that you needed onew of the shutoffs at each location in the house. oops.

 

[Ron6519]

You can buy different packages based upon the set up you have. And yes, you have one main shutoff(by the water main) and a variety of sensors. This motorized shut off valve needs to be inside the house. There are single and double sensors. I used the doubles for the kitchen sink/dishwasher, boiler/hot water heater and the laundry tub/washer. Singles in each bath(3) and one by the sprinkler piping. Some run on batteries, others are plugged(need adapters) into outlets. I also have a switch at the top of the basement stairs which turns off the water through the motorized, Water Cop shutoff valve.
If you do a search for "Water cop", you will find dozens of places to buy them. I'll see if I can find the paperwork for the place I bought it. It's been about 6 years since I put it in.
These can also be added to some alarm systems to notify you of an issue
I got mine through Absolute Automation, on line.

 

[md2lgyk]

Why would anyone want a water alarm?? In almost 50 years of owning houses, I've never had a water issue. I know a common one is washing machine hoses rupturing, but I've always used the stainless steel braided ones and never had a problem. A water alarm seems a waste of money to me.

 

[Ron6519]

Why would anyone want a water alarm?? In almost 50 years of owning houses, I've never had a water issue. I know a common one is washing machine hoses rupturing, but I've always used the stainless steel braided ones and never had a problem. A water alarm seems a waste of money to me.

You don't really, "need" it. Just like you don't "need", home insurance if you own the house free and clear. You get it to protect the investment. Over the 35 years in the contracting business, I've had dozens of customers with plumbing issues that has cost thousands of dollars to repair. Failed water heaters, toilets that have overflowed(and kept running), frozen pipes routed to close to the cold zone, washing machines that empty into a sink and the hose fell off the ledge and onto the floor, frozen pipes in the winter when the boiler failed and on and on.
The threat of washer hoses failing can easily be rectified by installing tandem hose shut offs. The water should be turned off every time the washer is done being used. Stainless wrapped hoses are not the way to prevent the issue.
Many people will not see the use of an automatic water shutoff until the issue floats in their direction.

 

[clawlan]

Why would anyone want a water alarm?? In almost 50 years of owning houses, I've never had a water issue. I know a common one is washing machine hoses rupturing, but I've always used the stainless steel braided ones and never had a problem. A water alarm seems a waste of money to me.

My buddy had a toilet supply line fail in his 2 story + finished basement, 6000 sqft home (and its not an old house). Did over $150,000 in damage. That's why I want water alarms. It's a simple tool for peace of mind.

 

[ron45]

I agree with md21gyk...

In my opinion you need alarms because..

Neglect of proper maintenance.
Neglect of proper repairs.
Installing pex pipe.

All of which i call neglect...

 

[Ron6519]

I agree with md21gyk...

In my opinion you need alarms because..

Neglect of proper maintenance.
Neglect of proper repairs.
Installing pex pipe.

All of which i call neglect...

This is a little simplistic. Not all interior water leaks are the result of neglect.

 

[ron45]

If not neglect, then what..??
Faulty installation.?
Not the proper materials.?
Carelessness.?
Etc......
All of which is neglect.

 

[clawlan]

You should Google the definition of neglect.

 

[Ron6519]

If not neglect, then what..??
Faulty installation.?
Not the proper materials.?
Carelessness.?
Etc......
All of which is neglect.

Devices fail. Sometimes out of the blue. An electrical component in the furnace or boiler, fill mechanism in a toilet. Depending on the timing, it can be something you catch, sometimes you don't. The water devices catch the ones you don't. I've seen what happens to houses that, didn't catch it.
I thought the cost was worth it. It's like buying a generator in case the power goes out. You might not need it too often, but it sure comes in handy if you do.

 

[craig11152]

I make a habit of just turning off the water to the whole house if I'm going to be gone for a few days. The shut off is right next to the washing machine. Not only does that give me peace of mind but its a good idea to work those shut off valves periodically anyway.

 

[Arky217]

I make a habit of just turning off the water to the whole house if I'm going to be gone for a few days. The shut off is right next to the washing machine. Not only does that give me peace of mind but its a good idea to work those shut off valves periodically anyway.

:thumbsup: I lived in a house once that was on city water. One day a washing machine hose burst when I was at home. I saw the water flooding the utility room and kitchen not very many minutes after it happened, but by the time I closed the valve that was feeding the hose, there was at least 1/2" or more water in the utility room, kitchen, and dining room. It happens !

I built the house that I now live in and it has 8" of cellulose insulation between the floor joists. If the house flooded, I think what a horror of a situation it would be to have to remove all that insulation, replace all the lower area of drywall on all walls,etc.,etc,etc., not to mention the probability of extensive mold.

So my preventative insurance is the following (and it takes only a few seconds):

The waterline from my submersible well pump comes underground via a pitless adapter to my water room/pantry where the pressure tank and water softener are located. Just downstream of the pressure tank is a brass ball valve that shuts water off to the entire house including the water softener.

I also power the pump (120V) through a dedicated outlet in the wall.
This is to protect the pump from transients and lightning damage during storms by simply unplugging it, thus completely isolating power, neutral & ground to the pump.

So, to protect the house from potential water damage due to such possibilities as a failed pex connection, a hose rupture on water heater, toilet, sinks, dishwasher, shower, etc., we (wife and I) simply shut the ball valve and unplug the pump whenever we both are not home.

Additionally, for peace of mind, I also close the ball valve just before we go to bed in case something failed during the night.

Once you do it a few times, remembering is not a problem; it just becomes part of your routine and takes all of 5 seconds.

Not high tech by any means, but completely effective and costs $0.

Arky

 

[ron45]

Clawlan said " You should Google the definition of neglect."

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neglect

Full Definition of neglect
transitive verb
1
: to give little attention or respect to : disregard
2
: to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness
ne·glect·er noun

Simple Definition of neglect
Popularity: Top 40% of words
: to fail to take care of or to give attention to (someone or something)
: to fail to do (something)

: lack of attention or care that someone or something needs
: the condition of not being taken care of

: an act or instance of neglecting something
: the condition of being neglected

Examples of neglect
The park was overgrown and littered from years of neglect.
The parents were charged with child neglect.
The house is in a state of neglect.


So your point is..????

 

[clawlan]

the point is that many, if not most, of plumbing leaks in established systems are not the result of neglect. Unless you prescribe to the task of tearing out the walls and floors every few years to inspect the plumbing.

 

[Bob Sanders]

I make a habit of just turning off the water to the whole house if I'm going to be gone for a few days. The shut off is right next to the washing machine. Not only does that give me peace of mind but its a good idea to work those shut off valves periodically anyway.

I agree. We turn off the water all the time when we head out to the lake for the weekend.

I still do have a water alarm in hot water tank tray though (it's hooked into the central alarm system)

 

[Tally Wacher]

http://www.econetcontrols.com/EBV-105-water-shutoff.php

Not too terribly expensive and pair it with your choice of sensors.