A year ago, a friend of mine in New York told me about a water leak that developed in his home. Of course, this occurred while he and the family went to a different state to spend a week with their extended family over a holiday. It turns out that, shortly before they left their home, an outdoor spigot had been used to fill water balloons. Knowing they’d be gone for several days, with very cold weather predicted, his 11-year-old son wanted to return to a stack of frozen balloons which he’d hidden outside under a stairway.  

Sure enough, when they returned home, the balloons were frozen solid. But so was the 30-foot hose the boy used to fill them.

The freeze affected not only the balloons and hose, but also the “frost-free” spigot he used, with hose still attached to it. The 14-degree outdoor temps were enough to freeze water trapped in the spigot, splitting the stem inside the concrete block wall.  

Not only was the wall saturated, and buckled from expanding ice, their domestic water – not turned off before leaving – continued to spew water into the home’s recently-finished lower level.  

The family returned to a disaster. The damage cost them about $30,000, and that’s because they did much of the recovery work themselves. The boy learned, the hard way, that actions can occasionally bear consequences.     

Leaks Happen  

Another instance (one I’m, um, unfortunately familiar with) involved a small ¼-inch PEX line that fed domestic water to a small reverse osmosis filter just below our very own kitchen. Just 2 feet of the water line was exposed to sunlight coming in a small, above-ground window when the western sun was angled just right for maybe an hour each day.  

Over a period of maybe three or four years, the penetrating light was sufficient to harden the plastic line that split one day. Fortunately, I discovered the leak shortly after it began. There was still quite a mess to clean up, but the mess was quickly dealt with. But what if we’d been away?         

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

Imagine the damage that can happen during summer months if leaks go undetected for many days, even weeks? The risk of mold growth, including the toxic Stachybotrys chartarum (black mold), is substantial. 

Wireless Tech

The ravages of water from hidden leaks can be devastating and 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, vice president 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 adds. “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.”

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,” Fox says. “The technology should be capable of catching all types of leaks, including those hidden in under slabs, behind walls and in ceilings.”  

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. 

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 protect a property simply and easily 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,” Fox adds.  “Installer and facility manager training is conducted nationwide.”

Installing Leak Detection

Leak Defense is sophisticated technology. 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,” says a multi-family facility manager. 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.

“What I also liked is that sensors can detect a change in water pressure, even behind a wall,” he adds. He also said that for reliability in a storm, the system is backed up with an uninterruptible power supply, which plugs into a wall.  

I’ve learned from experience that leak detection systems are well worth the investment. Don’t wait to learn the hard way.  And, as installers, it’s a worthy recommendation for your customers. l 

John Vastyan owns Common Ground, a trade communications firm. based in Manheim, Pennsylvania.