While water is essential for life, it is also one of the most destructive natural elements. Water causes damage in the billions of dollars every year. In your home, this damage might only be in the hundreds or thousands of dollars, but it is still costly damage. Fortunately, we have some options that help us keep moisture out and alert us if there is moisture in our homes. Here are some of those technologies.
Smart Water Sensors
Places that are likely to be affected by water are areas such as the basement, foundation walls, and anywhere pipes are present. You can install smart water sensors in these areas to detect and alert you of any leaks. The smart sensors produce audible beeps and send notifications to let you know that you have a water issue in your home that, if left unchecked, can cause costly damage.
Apart from the basement, consider installing smart water sensors near your sinks, toilets, boilers, water heaters, washers, and dryers.
Smart Valves
One of the first things you have to do if you have a leak in the home is to shut off all valves. This helps keep the volume of water you have to deal with at a minimum and prevents damage. But have you ever thought about what would happen if a pipe burst or you had a leak when you were not home or while you were sleeping?
Smart valves work together with your smart water sensors to shut off all valves if the sensors detect a leak. These valves are a great option because they protect your home quickly, without your interventions, and sometimes before you even know something has gone wrong.
Waterproofing Membranes
Waterproofing membranes are layers of water-tight materials that are laid on different surfaces to prevent water damage caused by leaks and seeping. These membranes are made from different materials (membranes and carrier films) to ensure a surface is watertight. When used on foundation, structural slabs, and related surfaces, they adhere and work well to provide waterproofing benefits.
In addition to the common foundation walls and slabs where these membranes are used, they are also in use in conjunction with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) technology. These ICFs consist of concrete walls that are sandwiched between layers of insulation. For more information on how these membranes are used and how they can benefit you, check out this guide on ICF waterproofing membrane from WR Meadows which tells you everything you need to know about this technology.
Freeze Detectors
Burst pipes cause lots of leaks around the country when they get too cold. Because the pipes exposed to the cold are often out of sight, homeowners do not notice the damage until it is too late. A freeze detector can alert a homeowner if their pipes get too cold so they can empty them or run hot water through them.
Leaks and floods can be very destructive, especially if the water stays in one place for too long. To prevent damage, homeowners should prevent water from getting into their homes, and have ways of knowing if it does. The technologies discussed above help with both of these issues.