Did you know that 10% of homes have leaks, wasting more than 90 gallons of water per day? According to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense program, minor leaks cause over 1 trillion gallons of water to be wasted each year. More than gallons of water are wasted, equivalent to the annual domestic water use of 11 million households.
Additionally, HomeAdvisor research found that water damage to a home can cost anywhere from $1,300 to nearly $6,000, with cleanup and repairs costing an average of more than $3,500.
EPA's annual Water Leak Repair Week is designed to raise awareness of household water leaks and provide solutions to save money and water.
Water damage can be caused by a variety of things, including a faulty water heater, a burst pipe, a broken supply line under the sink, a clogged toilet, or a tear in the hose connected to your washing machine. So how can homeowners prevent these types of incidents from occurring? Smart home technology can help.
Most people think of smart home technology that controls thermostats and lights, locks doors, and monitors front door traffic through a phone app. However, there are technologies that can detect weaknesses in plumbing systems, detect water leaks in walls or rooms, and automatically shut off water mains if a problem is detected.
As part of a smart home technology package, builders and homeowners can install water leak detectors in areas where water damage can begin: laundry rooms, water heater closets, bathrooms, and under kitchen sinks. Masu. Many leak detectors use metal sensors to detect an increase in conductivity upon contact with water. Sensors may use cables with probes or multipoint leads that can be routed around the perimeter of a room, such as a basement. In other cases, the entire sensor is placed on the floor to detect the presence of water.
Other sensors use different technologies, such as pressure wave analysis, to detect system fluctuations and discover hidden drips and leaks within walls. Some products can help prevent leaks by automatically shutting off the water in a home when a leak or malfunction is detected, or by providing notifications and remote access to shut off water through the homeowner's phone app. detection can be exceeded.
Homeowners can replace worn toilet flappers, monitor and repair in-ground irrigation systems and garden hoses to stop leaks, as well as leaking faucets. We can also perform maintenance such as repairing shower heads.
For more information on how to check for and repair water leaks, visit EPA WaterSense's Fix a Leak Week webpage.