Water leak detection and response
Water damage is one of the most expensive home disasters. A single undetected leak can cause thousands of dollars in damage within hours. Smart water leak sensors combined with automated responses can detect leaks early and minimize damage.
Use cases
Leak detection locations
- Under sinks - Kitchen and bathroom pipe connections
- Near water heater - Tank failures and pressure relief
- Behind washing machine - Hose failures and connections
- Near dishwasher - Supply line and drain issues
- Basement/utility room - Sump pump failures, foundation seepage
Response actions
- Immediate alerts - Phone notifications day or night
- Automatic water shutoff - Stop the source immediately
- Turn off water heater - Prevent dry-fire damage
- Alert family members - Multiple people notified
Products needed
Essential equipment
Place at each potential leak location - plan for 5-10 sensors for full coverage
Optional enhancements
Installs on main water line - automatically stops water flow when leak detected
- Place sensors on the floor where water would collect first
- Ensure sensor contacts touch the floor surface directly
- Avoid carpeted areas if possible - use hard surface or drip tray
- Check sensors periodically - dust can affect sensitivity
Basic automation setup
Triggers
- Any water leak sensor detects water (wet)
- Water sensor state changes to "wet" or "leak detected"
Conditions
None - this should always trigger regardless of time, mode, or other factors
Actions
- Send critical/high-priority notification with sensor location
- Send notification to all family members
- Turn on lights in affected area
- If equipped: Close smart water shutoff valve
- If water heater area: Turn off water heater
- Optional: Flash lights or sound alarm
Platform-specific examples
Home Assistant
SmartThings
Hubitat
Apple HomeKit
Alexa
Google Home
Priority sensor locations
High priority (install first)
Water heater area:
- Tank failures can release 40-80 gallons quickly
- Place sensor at base of water heater
- Consider rope sensor around perimeter
Under kitchen sink:
- Multiple connections, garbage disposal
- Common failure point for supply lines
- Place sensor at lowest point under sink
Behind washing machine:
- Supply hoses are common failure point
- High water pressure area
- Place sensor on floor behind or beside machine
Medium priority
Under bathroom sinks:
- P-trap connections, supply lines
- Place sensor at lowest point in cabinet
Near dishwasher:
- Supply line connection to hot water
- Place sensor at front edge where water would spread
Near refrigerator (if ice maker):
- Ice maker supply line is small but can leak continuously
- Often goes unnoticed in back corner
Recommended for full coverage
Basement or utility room:
- Sump pump area
- HVAC condensate drain
- Foundation walls (rope sensor)
Near toilets:
- Supply line connection
- Wax ring failures
Advanced features
Location-specific responses
Create separate automations for different areas:
Water heater leak:
- All standard actions plus
- Turn off water heater power (smart plug or circuit)
- Prevents dry-fire damage
Basement leak:
- Check sump pump status
- Notify if pump not running
- Higher urgency during rain
Washer area leak:
- Turn off washer power (smart plug)
- Prevents further water addition
Escalating alerts
Create progressive notification system:
- Immediate: Critical push notification to all phones
- 2 minutes later: If not acknowledged, call phones (using IFTTT or Pushover)
- 5 minutes later: Text emergency contacts or neighbors
- 10 minutes later: Continue calling until acknowledged
All-clear notification
When sensor dries:
- Trigger: Water sensor state changes to “dry”
- Condition: Previous state was “wet”
- Action: Send notification “Water sensor dried - check area and assess damage”
Integration with insurance
Some insurance companies offer discounts for:
- Whole-home water shutoff valves
- Connected leak detection systems
- Check with your insurer for potential savings
Troubleshooting
Issue: False alerts
Causes:
- High humidity triggering sensor
- Condensation on cold pipes
- Sensor placed on damp surface
- Sensor battery dying (erratic behavior)
Solutions: ✅ Raise sensor slightly off ground (still touching but elevated) ✅ Move away from high-humidity areas ✅ Use drip tray under potential leak sources ✅ Check and replace batteries regularly ✅ Clean sensor contacts periodically
Issue: Sensor not detecting water
Causes:
- Sensor placed too far from leak source
- Water flowing away from sensor
- Sensor contacts dirty or corroded
- Wireless signal not reaching hub
Solutions: ✅ Test sensor by placing wet paper towel on contacts ✅ Reposition sensor to lowest point where water collects ✅ Clean contacts with isopropyl alcohol ✅ Add repeater or move hub closer ✅ Check battery level
Issue: Notification not received
Causes:
- Phone notifications disabled
- Automation disabled or errored
- Critical alerts filtered by phone
- Hub offline
Solutions: ✅ Verify push notification permissions ✅ Check automation is enabled and error-free ✅ Mark app as critical/priority in phone settings ✅ Test automation with manual trigger ✅ Ensure hub is online and connected
Best practices
Sensor maintenance
Monthly:
- Test sensors with wet paper towel
- Check battery levels
- Verify notifications arrive
Quarterly:
- Clean sensor contacts
- Check sensor placement
- Review automation logs
Response planning
Know your shutoff locations:
- Main water shutoff valve location
- Individual fixture shutoffs
- Water heater shutoff
Emergency contacts:
- Plumber phone number saved
- Water damage restoration service
- Insurance claim contact
Family awareness:
- All adults know manual shutoff location
- Emergency procedures documented
- Test automation with family periodically
Battery management
- Use quality batteries (lithium recommended for sensors)
- Set low battery alerts
- Replace on schedule, not when dead
- Keep spare batteries on hand
Related automations: