Let’s see why Wireless Water Flow Monitoring Systems are crucial to a property. As a property owner or manager, you likely already know just how costly owning a property can be. Many times, the cost of basic maintenance is manageable and spread out evenly over time. However, if neglected, the cost to repair or replace items can add up quickly. The issues that you cannot see, if not caught in a timely manner, can become huge expenses and potentially even loss of the property.
To prevent such things from occurring, it is vital that as a property owner, you take precautions where you can to mitigate these risks and prevent disastrous situations. This article focuses on one of the most expensive causes of property damage: water.
According to a report published by iPropertyManagement, nationwide household water damage costs up to $20 billion annually. An inch of water confined to even a single floor can cost an average of $11,000 to repair, with the cost only increasing from there depending on the amount of water and how it impacts additional spaces.
As alarming as this all may sound, there are solutions such as wireless water flow monitoring systems and leak sensors that property owners and managers can implement right now to eliminate risk and cost associated with water loss and/or damage at any level of severity.
Common Causes of Water Loss or Damage
The two primary causes of water damage to a property are leaks and flooding. While they may differ in severity, they are similar in the affect they have on your investment when it comes to the time and money needed for repairs.
Plumbing Leaks
While some plumbing leaks may not result in large-scale damage, they can lead to major water loss over time and, as a result, loss of money. Even a crack in a pipe the size of 1/8th of an inch can lead to a loss of 250 gallons in a single day. A faucet drip can waste over 3,000 gallons of water in a year. Continuously running toilets can waste over 200 gallons of water per day.
When considering multi-unit properties where leaks could be occurring in multiple locations, the potential loss and cost is staggering. What’s more, many of these types of leaks could be undetectable or go unreported by property tenants, leaving them to accumulate over time.
Leveraging technology like leak sensors and wireless water flow monitoring systems, which we detail more below, can help you detect leaks fast and eliminate long-term loss.
Flooding
Property damage occurring from flooding is the most expensive category of home repair. Flooding can occur from a variety of events, household leaks mentioned above being one. One of the reasons why repairs from flooding can be so costly is due to the health risks that coincide with water interacting with other household elements.
If left untreated or unnoticed, water damage quickly spirals into other types of property damage that will need repair or replacement. Within just a few hours of flood water is left standing, affected furniture is damaged, and humidity begins to set into the walls and ceiling. Within days, mold and mildew become visible, causing odors and allergens, and structural elements such as flooring and framing become swollen. You can imagine what continues to happen from there.
Water Flow Detection and Monitoring Solutions
There are several ways a property owner or manager can detect whether a leak or loss of water is occurring. Simply checking the water bill or meter usage for unusual spikes in activity could be a sign of a leak. As an example, on average, a family of four uses 12,000 gallons of water or less per month. Usage higher than this may indicate there is something more going on.
Toilet leaks can be detected by putting a drop of food coloring in the water tank. If the colored water flows to the toilet bowl in less than 15 minutes, a leak is probably occurring.
These solutions may not be sustainable if you own or manage several properties or if your property is not located near you. That is where implementing technology solutions such as leak sensors or wireless water flow monitoring systems as preventative measures can greatly reduce the risk and cost associated with water loss and damage.
Water Leak Sensors
Installed under sinks, around pipes, or other places at risk for leaks, water leak sensors send an alert when the water has been detected, allowing you to take immediate action and remediate the leak before it becomes severe. These sensors are easy to install and generally cost under $100, making them a fast and affordable option.
The Dragino Water Leak Sensor, available from CHOOVIO®, uses the ultra-fast LoRaWAN network to wirelessly send periodic data and information on the area the device is placed, including when a leak has occurred and for how long. This device also offers ultra-low power consumption that lasts several years without battery replacement.
Water Flow Monitoring Sensors
When affixed directly to water pipes, water flow sensors continuously monitor the water flow status and consumption, sending an alert when an anomaly occurs. Able to detect everything from small leaks to large water flow issues, these sensors eliminate the fear of the undetectable or unreported water losses that so commonly occur.
The Dragino SW3L LoRaWAN Outdoor Flow Sensor, offered by CHOOVIO®, calculates hourly, daily, and weekly water consumption and sends wireless water flow volume readings every 20 minutes. This sensor is durable enough to be installed in indoor or outdoor settings and has a battery life of up to 10 years.
Achieving Peace of Mind
While large accidents can still occur with even the most sophisticated monitoring devices implemented, wireless water flow monitoring systems can greatly reduce these incidents from occurring and causing widespread, catastrophic damage.
The small cost of devices like these provides benefits far outweigh the cost of repairs down the line.
