Different Leak Detectors We Like
First Alert L1 Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector for $62: This massive flood sensor, branded First Alert, works with First Alert or Resideo apps and equipment. It sends push notifications and emails to warn you to any leak and sports activities a 100-decibel alarm you could cease with the facet button. The sensor was comparatively gradual to alert in all my checks, and the push notifications solely got here by way of when my cellphone was related to Wi-Fi. The 5-foot water sensing cable means that you can cowl a a lot bigger space, and I discovered it alerted sooner. The detector connects on to Wi-Fi, so that you want a good sign. This sensor may observe temperature and humidity, however not very precisely (it constantly overestimated temperature and underestimated humidity). The 2 AA batteries supplied are supposed to last as long as two years.
SwitchBot Water Leak Detector for $18: This rectangular detector triggered swift alerts in all my checks with a 100-decibel alarm. With prongs on prime and beneath, this system was fast to detect water. It connects on to Wi-Fi, so that you don’t want a hub, and it will possibly ship push notifications and emails, although you have to set them up within the app. Sadly, the push notifications didn’t come by way of after I was out of the home, related to a mobile community as an alternative of Wi-Fi. Good residence connectivity is sweet (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT), and you may arrange automation within the SwitchBot app, which makes this a flexible choice, notably when you’ve got different SwitchBot gadgets. SwitchBot says the 2 AAA batteries supplied are good for as much as two years.
AiDot Winees Water Leak Detector S1 Plus (3 Pack) for $60: Join the plug-in hub to your 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi, place the three round detectors in seemingly leak spots, and you’re set. You’ll be able to pair as much as 10 detectors with the hub and configure it to ship emails and SMS messages on prime of app notifications when there’s a leak. The probes on the underside of every detector are fairly far aside, and it takes 2 millimeters of water earlier than the alarm is triggered. It didn’t go off with a gradual drip on prime, however the alarm sounded as quickly as water pooled beneath. The alarm goes as much as 100 decibels, however I like you could tweak the quantity and period for alarms. You’ll be able to cancel alarms by way of the app or by urgent the buttons on the hub. These detectors take CR2 batteries which are good for as much as a 12 months, and there’s a sign within the app once they die. After I eliminated a battery from one in every of them, it took the app a couple of hours to replace and present it as offline. One final draw back is that the hub is round, so it could block adjoining retailers. Assist for IFTTT is a doubtlessly helpful further that would set off a water shut-off or a light-weight to flash purple when a leak is detected.
Aqara Water Leak Sensor for $19: This Zigbee sensor is greatest used with Apple’s HomeKit, and also you want an Aqara hub (offered individually). The corporate makes a great safety digital camera that doubles as a hub and presents a full vary of good residence sensors. These small round water leak sensors are very low to the bottom, so simply 0.5 mm of water beneath is sufficient to set off an alarm. Dripping on prime gained’t set them off, however an iPhone notification is triggered as quickly as water swimming pools beneath the place the probes are. You can even have your related hub play an alarm and set off automations by way of HomeKit. The sensors take CR2 batteries and might last as long as two years.
Sew by Monoprice Water Leak Sensor for $25: This inexpensive water leak detector has a design that’s much like our prime decide. The principle physique is spherical, with metallic toes to detect water pooling, and it slots right into a bracket for wall mounting. It comes with a coin-sized plug-in extension that stretches as much as 3.8 toes. Each the principle detector and extension had been fast to sound the alarm and ship notifications to my cellphone when moist (although the on-device alarm is just not very loud). It takes a single CR2 battery, shows the remaining energy within the app, and alerts you when it’s time to alter batteries. Sadly, the app is fundamental and poorly translated, you must dry the detector to cease the alarm, and it took too lengthy to warn me when it went offline (weirdly, the offline detector is toggled off by default within the app settings, so I needed to change it on). You may get this a bit cheaper by shopping for immediately from Monoprice.
Leak Detectors to Keep away from
We didn’t have an excellent expertise with each water leak detector we examined.
Swann Leak Alert Sensor for $12: Whereas this battery-powered water detector (two AAAs) is inexpensive, I had a horrible time setting it up. Your cellphone should be on 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi, however even then it took me a number of makes an attempt to attach. Frustratingly, you have to take away the screw panel to reset it as a result of there’s no choice within the app. Alerts got here by way of to my cellphone round a minute after I soaked the sensor, however the Swann app is gradual and clunky.
