Spending a little to save a lot is hardly a new concept for homeowners, and Wi-Fi detectors fall squarely into that category. With any luck, they’ll sit idle forever, but when they sound an alarm, they could prevent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in damage and inconvenience.

Water leak and freeze detectors have been around for decades, but only recently have they been equipped with Wi-Fi signaling devices. Should a leak occur or a freeze be imminent, they’ll alert you on your phone, whether you’re at home or elsewhere.

Left unchecked, water leaks and frozen pipes cause major damage to floors, walls, ceilings and structural components. Water causes wood to swell, mold and mildew to grow and textile damage. You may or not hear anything when a pipe breaks or freezes or an appliance fails.

Where to Place Them

• The most vulnerable appliance in homes is the water heater. It’s usually placed in an out-of-the way location and it operates quietly. Storage water heaters can suddenly spring leaks, or the pipes leading to or away from it may fail.
• Clothes washers also hold a good deal of water, and if their hoses aren’t replaced periodically or if the tub springs a leak, flooding can be serious. It could be especially serious if your washer sits on a second floor location close to the bedrooms.
• Air conditioners sometimes freeze over. While they won’t cause as much water damage as a water heater or washer, Wi-Fi detectors placed inside the air handler can alert you to a serious HVAC problem. The evaporator coil inside the air handler can freeze over if the system doesn’t have enough refrigerant or the air filter is excessively dirty. If the system continues to run with a frozen coil, it could burn out the compressor, the system’s most expensive part.

Wi-Fi detectors placed in vulnerable locations may prevent untold damage to your home. To learn more, contact Powers Heating & Air, proudly providing HVAC services for Peachtree City homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 770-487-2040.

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