Smart Shut Off Valve

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adarus

adarus

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I am interested in getting a smart shutoff valve that I could hook into the wireless router and then control it from a smartphone. The scenario is to protect a vacation home from water damage when we are not there. Being able to control it from a mobile app would be ideal rather than do it manually each time we are there. I would like to use it with Uponor pex vs copper if that is an option.

Any thoughts on brands or types of systems that would work. An initial Google search got me more confused than anything.
 
That is a great idea. I have not yet seen one but if you do the R&D, I'll be your first customer!
 
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To those that have looked at this, I did a bit more research and got a bit more comfortable.

Here are some things I found in addition to what Mr David shared.

I does not look like any will be compatible with pex, so it would have to be part of the copper plumbing part of the runs which is fine, so given that restriction, here are some things I came across.

Attaches as a meter, but does not shut off (added since it was interesting and you can detect leaks when on vacation)
https://techcrunch.com/2015/09/15/fluid-is-a-smart-water-meter-for-your-home/

http://www.waterheroinc.com/home/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX3JFR8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This is in beta as of this posting, but looks promising. Do not know if it will come to market, but something to watch.

http://www.flotechnologies.com
 
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I have a customer who had a car drive into her kitchen
plumbing wall(before I knew her) the place flooded out so
during her remodel she had an electronic valve that the
contractor selected a gpm rate it would shut of at she had never
again had to use it but its there .., I don't know the name
but I know I easily searched it
 
If it is a vacation home, have you considered simply shutting off the main water supply each time you leave, or are things like sprinklers dependent on it?

I'm not sure on the downside but I would think that would be the safest course of action because: 1) no one is using the water, so why have it on 2) if something were to go, it would be minimal water in the pipes 3) if some larger event were to happen outside your house (extra pressure or something) it wouldn't effect the inside.

Just be sure to not have any other water needs like a sprinkler or running you dishwasher when you leave, but you probably wouldn't do that if you left for an extended period of time anyway.
 
LearningToBeHandy said:
If it is a vacation home, have you considered simply shutting off the main water supply each time you leave, or are things like sprinklers dependent on it?
Click to expand...

One time when we were about to leave on vacation, after pumping up the car's tires, I went to wash my hands in the kitchen and when the faucet was turned off a hose burst under the sink. Lesson learned. Ever since then we shut off the water into the house and turn off the gas before we leave. Electricity stays on so that the lights can go on and off (with timers) and the fridge can keep whatever food is in there cold. Water for the irrigation sprinklers come off the main line before the shutoff valve, so those still work.

Concerning fire sprinklers - is the monetary risk from an unattended leak more or less of an expected expense (cost X frequency) than the monetary risk from a fire with the sprinklers off? Perhaps if there are fire sprinklers it isn't even legal to turn the water off for an extended time?
 
Bottom line is to read all the details before buying an auto shutoff valve. Finding 1 with everything seems to be difficult. Consider the following options.
Battery backup - Are power outages common in your vacation home?
Internet - Do you have internet/wifi that stays on while you are away? Remote control won't work without it. You can get devices that use cellular networks but the price, and complexity are high.
Water sensors - Do you want sensors placed in strategic locations to shut off water when a leak is detected. Wired or wireless?

What's your "Maker" quotient? There are lots of ways to cobble a system together to get exactly what you want but it will take electronics knowledge and maybe even programming.
 
Just get one of the valves that uses a switch. Have that switch just like a light. To be connected to WiFi. Pretend that device is a light bulb and light bulb socket. WiFi doesn’t care what it is.
 
Ok here is another idea,
Make a combination shut off and flow meter. That way you can have it send you a text or other alert when it detects a water flow above X amount, you then have the option to turn the water off or leave it on based on whether the house is on fire or just flooding ;-)
 
I would be very wary of the EcoNet, JMO

If you hit the link it shows a bracket with a single hose clamp connection....I took one look at this and laughed to myself knowing how inadequate it would be at a glance.
Then if you click on the vid they show a steel bracket that is much better suited to the task at hand...that said if they were not able to understand the issues with the first bracket till it hit consumers hands how many other issues remain unresolved?

That said the other one looks equally weak, anyone who has turned a few valves in their time knows how hard it can be to break them loose after they have been static for a while.
 
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