Best Smart Devices To Prevent Fire And Water Damage

Our homes may be getting smarter every year, but they are still vulnerable to water damage, flooding , mold growth , and other natural disasters. Avoiding fire damage and water disasters in your home is now easier than ever, thanks to new and improved smart devices. Whereas 20 years ago we relied on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire sprinkler systems, and sump pumps to help us avoid serious disasters, now we can use devices that alert us to issues right on our smartphones. Many smartphone apps were created for our entertainment, but these innovative technologies have been made to protect us and our properties from common causes of fire and flood.

Your everyday, more common smoke detectors and water monitors are good and will do the trick to help prevent disaster, but what if you’re not home to hear the warning sounds? What if a kitchen appliance leaks, and you are not there to stop the flooding in the act to prevent greater water damage? By upgrading and using these smart devices in your home, you can save money in the long run and have greater peace of mind.

Best Leak Prevention Devices

Water damage can occur at any time, and can be caused by severe weather, leaking appliances, ice dams, or burst pipes. These smart devices can keep you a step ahead to spot the leak and stop it before it becomes a much bigger (and more costly) issue.

1. Ring Alarm Flood and Freeze Sensor

   At about $35, the Ring Alarm Flood and Freeze Sensor is a steal. It can detect water where it’s been installed or when the temperature has dropped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. By placing this device near a toilet, under a sink, under a fridge, near a washing machine, near a water heater, or in a basement, an alert will be sent directly to your phone. Leaks like these tend to go unnoticed for a while, leading to thousands of dollars in repairs and excessive mold growth. The one downside to this device? It works requires the Ring Alarm Security System to work, which will set you back $139 on Amazon.

2. Dome Home Automation Water Shut-Off Valve

   This is the ultimate flood prevention smart tool; it automatically shuts off your main water valve whenever it senses a leak, flooding, or a burst pipe with its built-in Z-wave technology. As soon as the water shut-off valve has been activated, you will receive an alert on your phone to let you know that your Dome Home Automation Water Shut-Off Valve has been turned on. Installation is simple; attach it to your existing water main with just a screwdriver. This is the perfect smart device to have in your home–especially when you’re traveling.

3. StreamLabs Smart Home Water Monitor

   A leak from your dishwasher or underneath a sink is more obvious to detect because the water usually pools within eyesight. But what about water leaks in your walls from frozen or leaky pipes that can remain undetected for months, causing great structural damage and mold growth? Whereas the Ring Alarm will alert you to a water leak by one of your appliances inside your home, the StreamLabs Smart Home Water Monitor will alert you to leaks inside your walls. Similar to the Dome model, StreamLabs is slightly more expensive at $169, but does the job of both the Ring Alarm and the Dome Home Automation Water Shut-Off Valve. The StreamLabs system does 24/7 real-time monitoring of your entire house, and alerts you to leaks and freezing temperatures. It also has “home” and “away” modes. This allows the monitor to learn your habits and be more sensitive to changes when you’re not around. Like the Dome Home device, this monitor doesn’t require a plumber to install on your pipes. An added perk? This water monitor comes with three months free of StreamPlus Enhanced .

4. Wally Sensor

   At only 2.3-inches long, 1.5-inches wide, and .75-inches high, this pocket-sized sensor can attach to your windows, doors, and appliances to monitor the amount of water present, the temperature, humidity, and whether the doors and windows are open or closed (all the ways mold and mildew can grow). If you buy more than one Wally Sensor, you can monitor all of your devices in one spot on the app on your smartphone. The benefit of using the Wally Sensor is not just to alert you when you might have a leak, but also when conditions for mold growth are perfect, or if someone unwelcome has broken into your home. Not bad for a comparable $35.

Best Fire Prevention Devices

Keeping your home and family safe from fires and fire damage is more doable than ever before. There are about five million preventable cooking fires each year, usually caused by someone leaving the stove on. Other appliances can have cracks in their hoses and lead to carbon monoxide leaks. Whether you’re at home or away on vacation, you want to keep your home protected. These latest technologies can help add that extra layer of protection.

1. Nest Protect

   The Nest Protect system is yet another cutting edge product from Google, costing around $119. Working with an app on your phone, this device is an improved version of a smoke and carbon monoxide detector. The most appealing part of Nest Protect is that you can buy multiple devices for any room in your house, and control all of them through one app. When you add your device to the app, you can name it, so if a device goes off, your app will alert you by color and message, saying something like, “Smoke detected in Julie’s room”. Having Nest Protect can help put your mind at ease, especially if you’re away on vacation.

2. Wallflower Smart Monitor

   Do you ever have those moments where you leave your house and wonder if you left the stove on? Well, wonder no more. The Wallflower Smart Monitor is built to help prevent fire damage from your most commonly used appliances. It’s easy to use, simply plug the wallflower outlet into your wall and then plug your oven into the outlet. Download the Wallflower app. Wallflower will learn your cooking behaviors and then notify you if it detects something out of the ordinary. The monitor outlet will send out audible beeps inside your home and send notifications to your phone. All beeps and notifications can be adjusted and customized to your liking. The Wallflower Smart Monitor is a 220 volt plug that monitors your stove 24 hours a day. Have an old stove? No problem. There are two different versions of this outlet available. One for stoves built before 1996 and one for stoves built after. Want an added bonus? Wallflower works with your Alexa smart device. Alexa can tell Wallflower to alert others when dinner is ready or to set a timer. At $149, we think it’s worth the investment.

3. Roost Smart Battery

   Want to make your smoke alarms smarter without breaking the bank? The Roost Smart Battery can retrofit your current smoke detectors into smart smoke detectors. For $35, you can purchase Roost, and place it in your smoke alarm. In minutes, it’ll connect to your wi-fi, notifying your phone if it detects anything out of the ordinary. Another perk? The battery will last up to 5 years. (And when the battery is low, it will notify you on the app. No more annoying 3AM low-battery alert chirps!)

Has Fire Damage or Water Damage Hit Your Home?

Call Riverside Restoration Inc. . Our certified experts are available 24/7 to assess your damage and provide solutions to getting your home fixed ASAP. We are prepared to help you with any amount of water or fire damage. We can even help you ready your home for the colder months to prevent future damage!

At Riverside Restoration Inc., we proudly service the Westport, Weston, Greenwich, Cos Cob, Darien, Southport, New Canaan, Fairfield, Old Greenwich, Riverside, Wilton, CT and surrounding areas with their flood remediation and water damage restoration needs. We will handle all aspects of your restoration from extraction and drying to the rebuilding and remodeling.