Detect Leaks Before They Ruin Your House

A couple of years ago, a shower pipe connection came apart on the third floor of our neighbor’s house just after he’d stepped out for a walk. By the time he returned, water had coursed its way down to the first floor, ruining the ceilings, the hardwood floors, and many of his personal belongings.

Problems like this can be avoided using leak-detection equipment, and there are many types of systems on the market, including those that use wireless moisture sensors and others that use sensors attached to toilets and other equipment. Both types are linked either to an alarm or to a shut-off valve, but each has limitations. You need a lot of well-placed moisture sensors, and they cannot detect a leak from a toilet flapper—or, alternately, can only detect a leak from a toilet flapper.