Leak Detector / Smart water cut off

[AliG]

There have been a couple of threads on this, but they didn't;t seem to go anywhere.

 

I have had a few leaks from flexible connectors in the house over the last couple of years, Hopefully, I am OK for the moment due to proactively replacing them.

 

However, it has got me to thinking that now I am retired we go away a lot and we have a lot of plumbing fixtures in the house. In our last house, I was away for a week and came home to find the dining room ceiling almost collapsed due to a leak. That was just a drip and it still caused a couple of thousand in damage.

 

If one of the flexi pipes burst and ran for a couple of weeks the damage would be massive.

 

I think all things considered I should install a smart leak detector with automatic cut off. Unfortunately I can't just turn off the water when we go away and I'd maybe forget anyway.

 

The best know product is probably the Moen Flo but this is really a US product and seems to be just an import when sold in the UK. Grohe make a product called Sense Guard but seem to have discontinued it in the UK, although it is still available to buy.

 

I found this products, the Watergate Sonic https://watergate.ai

 

Does anyone have something similar installed or have any other recommendations?

 

Thanks

[ProDave]

Am I the only one that turns the mains water off at the stopcock when going away?

[Mr Punter]

1 minute ago, ProDave said:

Am I the only one that turns the mains water off at the stopcock when going away?

 

It is what I would do, especially in Scotland.

[-rick-]

Just now, ProDave said:

Am I the only one that turns the mains water off at the stopcock when going away?

 

Nope! Water and gas go off before I leave the place if it will be unoccupied for any length of time.

 

Though if you have a bad water leak then even an hour of flow will likely do a lot of damage so something automatic is a good idea (which I'd like to implement but haven't).

[AliG]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

Am I the only one that turns the mains water off at the stopcock when going away?

I can’t because the pool automatically tops itself up.

 

I found this out the one time I did turn it off.

 

We also constantly have people staying and sometimes it overlaps our holidays so I can’t turn off the water.

 

Leaks are such a massive cause of damage I’m surprised these systems aren’t more popular. A lot of people in the US seem to say their insurance companies insist on them.

[stevenlee]

Worth getting one fitted AliG. The whole house flow based units that learn your normal usage and shut the water off automatically are the most effective option in my experience, and they keep working while the house is lived in, which the stopcock approach can't do. Sensor pucks are handy under sinks but for a burst flexi the water usually goes everywhere except where the puck is. Also change braided flexi hoses every five years or so, they are the most common cause of the big flood jobs I have been called to.