How does a water sensor work and why install one with your Oakland smart home?

One small leak in your home can cause big issues and thousands of dollars in damage. You have to defend against this threat; luckily, there’s an easy way to do so. A water sensor is a simple, effective, and budget-friendly solution. Learn how they work and why you might incorporate water sensors into your Oakland smart home.

How water sensors safeguard Oakland homes

Water enters homes in many ways, whether from a broken appliance, plumbing problem, weather-related incident, or just human error. Whatever way it takes place, you need to know at once, and this is why water sensors are important. But how precisely do they work? 

The majority of water sensors are conductive and operate with a pair of electrodes. When water enters the area between the electrodes, an electrical connection is established, activating your alarm. You’ll also find capacitive sensors that emit an electrical field. Your alarm sounds when water touches the conductive parts of these devices and interrupts the field. Optical sensors using infrared LED light are another choice.

Get more protection from water sensors

Certain specialized water sensors provide even more defense as they feature integrated temperature sensors. This is an effective way to prevent frozen pipes. If there’s an extreme drop in temperature, you’ll be notified immediately. Taking steps before pipes rupture will protect you from water infiltration and expensive repairs.

Why integrate water sensors into your Oakland smart home? 

When water issues arise, you need to be alerted right away. You can attain this aim by incorporating water sensors into your smart home. Whether you’re on site to hear the alarm or away, you’ll be sent an instant alert on your mobile device. As an additional backup, your 24-hour monitoring agents will be alerted. Each moment matters in a water emergency to minimize the damage and disruption to your family.

Where should you install water sensors?

Any area susceptible to an influx of water is an ideal place for water sensors. Place them in these locations:

• Bathrooms: Attach behind toilets or near bathtubs.
• Basements: Water often infiltrates lower floors through cracked walls or because of heavy rain or broken sump pumps.
• Near water heaters or appliances: Any water-utilizing appliance may leak in time.
• Under sinks: Water sensors are great for identifying plumbing leaks in locations not easy to see.
• Attics: Detect roof leaks quickly and avoid costly repairs.

Get water sensors with your Vivint smart home

Give your residence the robust protection it deserves with Vivint’s innovative components. Our water sensors in Oakland link to your Vivint smartphone app to provide immediate updates any time your alarm goes off. You also get built-in temperature sensors to avert frozen pipes. Discover all the smart home devices available in Oakland by reaching out to (510) 281-3999 today.