If you have ever suffered water damage in your home, then you may already be aware of the importance of having a water leak detector. The part you may need help with is which water leak detector to get. In a market saturated with these handy little devices—no pun intended—you may be struggling to find the one that best suits your needs. We are here to help you with that.
We will answer some frequently asked questions about these devices and then get into the details of the five models we feel are the best.
Product FAQ
Here, we will take a moment to answer some frequently asked questions about water leak detectors.
1. What Is a Water Leak Detector?
A water leak detector is a device that can detect moisture and sometimes humidity and temperature changes.
2. What Does a Water Leak Detector Do?
Water leak detectors will alert homeowners when moisture is detected or there are concerning changes in humidity or temperature (depending on the model). Once a problem is detected, the device will alert the homeowner. The alert can come in the form of an audible alarm or a notification sent to the homeowner’s smartphone.
3. What Should I Consider When Buying a Water Leak Detector?
When buying a water leak detector, consider whether you prefer a battery-powered device or one with a base unit that will plug into an electrical outlet. You will also want to consider the detection range. Many models will come with cords that can be attached to the device to expand the detection range. Another important consideration is how you will be alerted. Most models will send an alert to your smartphone, but some will require a smarthub to act as a “middleman.” If you don’t already have a smarthub, you may not be interested in getting one just for your water leak detector.
4. Why Do I Need a Water Leak Detector?
Often, homeowner’s insurance will not cover flood damage or water damage. If you find yourself in the very expensive circumstances of water damage, you will likely regret not purchasing one of these little devices that are under $100. Water leak detectors can alert you to frozen and burst water pipes, hot water heater leaks, and leaks from your washing machine or in your bathroom. These devices are especially handy for people who own vacation homes that are not occupied year-round. Water leak detectors can save you a lot of money by alerting you to leaking or flooding before the damage becomes a huge expense.
5. Where Can I Buy a Water Leak Detector?
Water leak detectors can be found at your local hardware store or from online retailers such as Amazon.com.
How We Reviewed
We researched a good deal of water leak detectors available and came up with the five we believe are the best you can find. From there, we compared each of these water leak detectors to one another using parameters including features, price, availability, and pros versus cons. The result is a fair an unbiased review of these five above-average water leak detectors.
Overall Price Range of These Water Leak Detectors (and Similar Products)
The price range of the water leak detectors we reviewed start at $33 and go up to $90. More expensive models will have additional features such as the ability to monitor humidity and temperature in addition to water, the ability to be synced with an app on your smartphone, the ability to track and log data to spot trends, and the lack of a need for a smarthub to communicate with your smartphone.
What We Reviewed
- Roost Smart Water Leak and Freeze Detector
- Honeywell Lyric Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector
- D-Link WiFi Water Sensor
- Aeotec Water Sensor, Z-Wave Flood & Leak Sensor
- Fibaro Z-Wave Flood Sensor
Roost Smart Water Leak and Freeze Detector
Features
The Roost Smart Water Leak and Freeze Detector uses two probes to detect water. This detector is paired with an app on your smartphone and will register humidity and temperature, even graphing the data so you can spot trends. The app allows you to set the temperature and humidity levels you want to monitor and will send alerts to your smartphone when levels are outside of the specified range. You can also set it to send alerts to your friends and family when you are out of town. The low-profile design allows it to be placed in the areas of your home where you would need it most, including under your water heater, kitchen sink, and refrigerator, or behind your toilet, for example.
Price
This product can be found on Amazon for around $90.
Reliability
We give this detector 3 out of 5 stars for reliability.
PROS
- Wi-Fi enabled
- Sleek and low-profile design
- Reasonable price
- Allows you to set desired temperature and humidity levels
- Sends alerts to your smartphone
- Will send alerts to friends or family if you’re out of town
- Tracks and graphs data to help you identify trends
CONS
- Will not survive being submerged
- Set up can prove to be difficult and even impossible for some
- If Wi-Fi is spotty, you may receive false alarms to your phone
- Goes through batteries quickly
- Expensive
Honeywell Lyric Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector
- At the first signs of leaks, freezes, or excess humidity, the Wi-Fi Water Leak & Freeze Detector can alert your...
- Notification includes mobile & audible alerts – messages can alert you or your family/friends wherever you are, while...
- Connects to standard Home Wi-Fi directly – no need for an extra hub.
Features
The Honeywell Lyric is another Wi-Fi enabled detector that will alert you of issues regarding temperature, humidity, or moisture via an audible in-home alert or by sending an alert to your smartphone. The Honeywell Lyric is similar to the Roost model in other ways, including the ability to alert family and friends while you are away and the ability to track and log temperature and humidity data in the app.
The app is solid and the set-up is easy. It comes with a 4-foot cord sensor you can opt to attach which will expand the detection area to 150 feet. The entire length of the cord is a sensor, and you can purchase additional lengths of cords for up to 500 feet of detection. This model requires three AA batteries and will last for up to three years on them. The detector’s status is indicated by LED lights.
Price
This product can be found on Amazon for around $53.
Reliability
This detector gets 4 out of 5 stars for reliability.
PROS
- Wi-Fi enabled
- Tracks and logs data related to temperature and humidity so you can spot trends
- Conservative battery use
- Optional 4-foot cord sensor and the ability to expand the detection area up to 500 feet with add-ons
- Easy setup
- Affordable
- Status-indicating LED lights
CONS
- Poor customer service
- Difficulties if the device has to be synced with a smartphone other than the one initially used
D-Link WiFi Water Sensor
No products found.
Features
D-Link is also Wi-Fi enabled and managed through an app on your smartphone. The base unit can be plugged directly into your walls, eliminating the need for batteries. D-Link also comes with optional cables that can be attached to increase the detection range.
Price
This product can be found on Amazon for around $50.
Reliability
We give this detector 3 out of 5 stars for reliability.
PROS
- Wi-Fi enabled
- No batteries needed
- Alerts can be sent to your smartphone
- Cable mechanism can be more thorough than probes
CONS
- Does not detect temperature or humidity issues
- Does not track data like other water sensors
- If power goes out with flooding, the product is useless
Aeotec Water Sensor, Z-Wave Flood & Leak Sensor
- Monitor and protect against leaks and floods in real-time. Can also detect the absence of water when used with tanks
- Super accurate; can detect as little as 0.03% of an inch of water
- AAA battery-powered and wireless with 1 year battery life
Features
The Aeotec Water Sensor will send notifications to your smartphone like the others but requires the use of a smarthub. If you don’t already have a smarthub, this may not be the sensor for you. This device will monitor excess water as well as a lack of water in applications where you need to monitor water levels in a tank. This device is battery-powered and wireless and will detect water in amounts as minute as .03% of an inch.
Price
This product can be found on Amazon for around $60.
Reliability
We give this detector 3 out of 5 stars for reliability.
PROS
- Batteries will last up to a year
- Sends notifications to your phone
- Detects absence of water
- Detects water in amounts as minute as .03% of an inch
CONS
- Will not monitor humidity or temperature
- Smarthub required to connect to your phone
- Cannot track data
Fibaro Z-Wave Flood Sensor
- The Ultimate Z-wave water leak sensor/detector, with temperature and tilt sensor. Hub required, sold separately.
- Add it to your Z-Wave hub and get alerted immediately on your smart phone, tablet, or email when there is a leak....
- Three 24K plated gold telescoping feat always make sure its making contact even on uneven surfaces and never corrodes....
Features
This drop-of-water-shaped sensor will also require a smarthub to use with your smartphone. A tilt sensor will alert you if the device is tilted by over 15 degrees. Telescopic probes on the bottom of the sensor allow accurate detection even when used on uneven surfaces. In the case of flooding the device will alert you with your smartphone when using a smarthub, an audible alarm, and/or visual indicator lights located on the device. A single battery will allow this device to run for 2.5 years. While this device will not monitor humidity, it does a good job of monitoring temperature and can act as a fire detector with this feature.
Price
This product can be found on Amazon for around $33.
Reliability
We give this detector 3.5 out of 5 stars for reliability.
PROS
- Tilt sensor
- Telescopic probes allow accurate detection on uneven surfaces
- Highly accurate temperature monitoring
- Conservative battery use; 2.5 year’s use on a single battery
- Visual indicator lights
- Affordable
CONS
- Must be used with a smart hub
- Does not monitor humidity
The Verdict
We believe that all the water leak detectors discussed here today are better than the average devices on the market, and any one of them would serve you well. However, we believe one was better than all the rest. Based on our research, the best water leak detector is the Honeywell Lyric Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector.
The Honeywell Lyric Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector offers expansion cords for a detection range of up to 500 feet. It is Wi-Fi enabled and will not require the use of a smarthub. The app is useful, easy to use, and easy to sync with the device which is also easy to set up. This Honeywell model will monitor temperature and humidity and will allow this data to be tracked on the corresponding app, allowing you to spot any trends.
We also love that this device can be set up to alert any family or friends you have keeping an eye on your home while you are away. The status-indication lights and conservative battery use are also nice touches.
You may be thinking the Roost water leak detector can do all of these things also, and you would be right. The difference is, the Roost is at the top end of our price range coming in at $90. The Honeywell Lyric is modestly priced at $53 and also scored higher for reliability. Overall, the Honeywell Lyric is a high-quality product with plenty of great features available for a very reasonable price.
If you are on a budget, consider the Fibaro Z-Wave Flood Sensor, assuming you already use a smarthub. While this water leak detector is light on features, it will do a good job of detecting leaks and flooding, which is the main purpose of one of these devices. We also like that it has tilt sensors to alert you if something is wrong with the device or if it has been tampered with.
Additionally, the telescopic feet will provide accurate detection even when placed on uneven surfaces. Though humidity is not detected with this device, it gauges temperature with great accuracy, allowing it to be used for fire detection. At a price of $33, the Fibaro model is a pretty good value.
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Growing up with Law and Order and CSI shows taught Isabelle Landau one thing: if people back then had high-quality home security systems, those series would have been way shorter. In our modern world, technology helps us keep burglars away easily, and this is what Izzy studies and writes about: alarm systems, home security, protection systems, and more.
Last update on 2023-05-14 at 03:33 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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