August '22 Home Insights
==> We’re recommending inexpensive water alarms that will save you thousands of dollars.
AWESOME WATER ALARMS
Water damage is the most common homeowners insurance claim and averages almost $11K in damage per incident (source).
Three years ago, I discovered Govee Water Alarms and they have probably saved me at least $5K in further damage since. There are many different water alarms on the market and I encourage you to do your research; however, personally, I think Govee alarms are the best in class.
Each Govee water alarm costs around $10 on Amazon (or $6-8 apiece if you buy them in bulk) and works through a very simple and clever circuit alarm. Each unit has two top probes (for drip detection) and four bottom probes (for leak detection). When water drips down on or pools up around the alarm, the circuit is completed and the sensor alarms you that there is a water leak!
Govee alarms are powered by two AAA batteries that have a low battery alert and, in my experience, they last around 2 years before they need to be replaced.
What I like most about the alarms is that they are very small (approx. 2” by 3.5”) and can fit in tight areas. Govee alarms can be paired with a Govee “gateway” (costs around $15) that will send alerts to your phone, should the alarm go off. I haven’t used a “gateway” yet, as I feel the alarm noise is enough for me (plus, I don’t need another app on my phone…).
The key to success is to buy a Govee alarm for each of the following areas:
∙ underneath the kitchen sink
∙ underneath each bathroom sink
∙ next to the hot water heater
∙ behind your washing machine
∙ behind your fridge (if you have an ice maker)
∙ you may also consider an alarm for toilets, water softeners, and any other device that uses water in your home
==> The average single family home requires around 9 alarms (<$75) and the average condo requires around 6 (<$50).
I think Govee water alarms are perfect for most applications, however I’d advise that you buy a Watchdog water alarm if you have a sump pit. A Watchdog alarm costs around $15 and is perfect for sump pits because it has a water sensor on the end of a 6’ wire, which allows you to place the alarm on the floor, while placing the sensor down into the sump pit, resting it just above the inlet pipe. Doing so alerts you when your sump pump fails. Genius! You can also find Watchdog alarms on Amazon.
Over the past 3 years, I have had tenants notify me of 4 leak detections, including:
∙ a water heater that had failed and needed to be replaced
∙ a leak under the kitchen sink from loose drain pipes (this happened twice)
∙ a loose water heater connection
Further, my personal residence has had 2 leak detections:
∙ one indicating a loose connection under a bathroom sink
∙ another alerting to a failed water heater
In all 6 instances, we were able to identify and repair/replace the source of the leak before any significant damage had been done, resulting in at least $5K in mitigated damage (and probably even more than that). Given that we paid around $225 in total for the alarms, saved $5K+ in repairs (plus lots of time!), I’d say the water alarms are probably the very best overall property investment I have ever made. If you want, buy some water alarms today and let me know later how much money they saved you! *Note, the above Amazon links are for your convenience. We do not earn any money off orders placed through the links.
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