No one wants to imagine a disastrous flood at their property or place of business business, but accidents happen. Catching a leak early can greatly reduce damage. However, if one occurs at night or over a weekend when properties are vacant, damage can escalate quickly.

Water damage can occur in a variety of ways in commercial properties. In multistory buildings, plumbing is a major cause of water damage and makes up to 15% of losses. Malfunctions from sprinkler systems follow closely at 14%, with water heaters, HVAC, and boilers as additional sources of water damage. Each system follows its own maintenance schedule and requires periodic replacement. Even so, all of these systems could experience accidents that cause major damage quickly.

Early detection systems, such as commercial water leak detectors, are crucial for property owners. They help protect property and minimize damage from these events. When leaks remain undetected longer, they cause more damage, which is why early detection through technology is of vital necessity.

Commercial Water Waste

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the water used in office buildings use about nine percent of the total water use in commercial and institutional facilities in the United States. Within office buildings, 37% of water use occurs within restrooms, followed by 28% cooling and heating. As we covered in a prior article, continuously running toilets can waste over 200 gallons of water per day.

While a lesser source of water loss than plumbing, sprinkler system damage and malfunctions account for 14% of commercial water loss. These types of losses can accumulate damage at an extremely high rate, typically due to the exposure sprinkler systems have to all rooms within the building.

Through this data, you can see how one source of water waste can go undetected. This can cause huge losses to both water and wallets. The cost of water continues to rise with inflation. Mitigation efforts to avoid water waste prevent money from being flushed down the drain.

Water Leak Detection Benefits

When you consider all your expenses as a commercial property owner, it may be difficult to prioritize leak detectors. Adding them to your budget can seem challenging. After all, the goal of such systems is that you rarely have to think about them unless something goes wrong. However, early detection of water leaks creates significant cost savings. These cost savings make a strong case for adding water leak detection systems to your property.

Thankfully, commercial water leak detectors may be cheaper to implement than you may think. For as little as just $19, you can install a water leak sensor such as the Dragino LoRaWAN Water Leak Sensor from Choovio. It checks for water accumulation in just about any area where flooding is capable of occurring. Battery-operated, this sensor will send continuous data to the user, providing real-time feedback if the system detects a leak.

Advances in technology, more of which we will cover next, now allow businesses to implement robust systems at affordable costs.

Commercial Water Leak Detector Technology

The products we highlighted for water waste prevention all feature technology that utilizes the Internet of Things (IoT) and the LoRaWAN network. LoRaWAN stands for Long Range Wide Area Network. It allows battery-operated devices, like the water leak sensor mentioned above, to connect wirelessly to the internet. IoT provides a network that connects devices together and transmits real-time data without human interaction or intervention. When these technologies work together, they create devices that consistently check the health of your most vital systems. They report the status back to you wherever you are.

Real-World Leak Detection Tools

Another Choovio-provided leak detection technology we will feature here is the EM300-ZLD Zone Leak Detection Sensor. It is capable of detecting large areas for the presence of water, transmitting an alarm when the water has been detected. It also includes temperature and humidity sensors that can signal a leak before flooding occurs. Its ultra-low power consumption supports a battery life of up to 10 years.

The SW3L LoRaWAN Water Flow Monitoring Sensor is highly effective for regularly monitoring the volume of water flow and water usage. The system transmits volume data at regular intervals and sends an alarm when flow exceeds set limits. This technology prevents water waste in plumbing fixtures and works effectively in outdoor settings.

With these commercial water leak detection technologies, you gain real peace of mind. You know the moment an issue occurs and can begin remediation immediately. Even if you cannot identify the exact source, you can shut off the water supply at once. You are able to keep it off until you assess the situation, saving time, energy, water, and money.