 Water Alarm (by J [IN]) Jan 13, 2018 6:31 AM
 Water Alarm (by David [MI]) Jan 13, 2018 6:36 AM
Water Alarm (by LindaJ [NY]) Jan 13, 2018 7:16 AM
Water Alarm (by AllyM [NJ]) Jan 13, 2018 7:30 AM
Water Alarm (by Doris [OH]) Jan 13, 2018 7:31 AM
Water Alarm (by Johnny B. [MA]) Jan 13, 2018 7:44 AM
Water Alarm (by gevans [SC]) Jan 13, 2018 8:09 AM
Water Alarm (by Robert J [CA]) Jan 13, 2018 11:54 AM
Water Alarm (by elliot [RI]) Jan 13, 2018 5:30 PM
Water Alarm (by Ray-N-Pa [PA]) Jan 14, 2018 2:27 PM
Water Alarm (by gevans [SC]) Jan 14, 2018 7:39 PM
Water Alarm (by J [IN]) Posted on: Jan 13, 2018 6:31 AM
Message:
So it happened. Vacant unit that I didn't check for 2 weeks, the water heater leaked and I had to clean it up. Could have been alot worse. I put all the water heaters in aluminum pans but cap the drain, cause there is usually not a convenient place to drain it to. I thought of it as more of a diagnosis pan. If the tenant saw water in it they call, dumb idea if the unit is empty or the tenant doesn't pay attention. The ones on concrete floors don't have much options for draining anyhow. The pan did work for this one for diagnosis, of course the pan was full and the only way for it to get in there was from the water heater, hence easy diagnosis.
MY QUESTION: Water alarms. I think I would like it in the water heater pan. I currently don't have wifi at the apartment complex so an audible alarm is what I was looking at. Any experience with water alarms and which ones are worth buying and which to stay way from. I really don't like the battery thing but it doesn't look like you can get away from that. --67.236.xxx.xxx |
Water Alarm (by David [MI]) Posted on: Jan 13, 2018 6:36 AM
Message:
Audible alarms are cheap enough that if the area is of concern, you should buy two different alarms. Test it by applying some water to see which side should be in contact with floor. --50.4.xxx.x |
Water Alarm (by LindaJ [NY]) Posted on: Jan 13, 2018 7:16 AM
Message:
I don't think it matters much which kind you buy. They work because the water completes a circuit from the two contacts. Pretty basic. The ones I have work well. You actually mount the unit off the floor and the probe is attached by wires and you set that where you want to check for water.
I had mine set up in the basement, forgot it was there. When it did go off, we could not figure out where the noise was for a while, since we were upstairs. Searching and listening until it dawned on us... LOL but it did work. --96.236.xx.xx |
Water Alarm (by AllyM [NJ]) Posted on: Jan 13, 2018 7:30 AM
Message:
Id rather not having tenants calling me in the middle of the night. I'll take care of the flood in daylight. With my luck a mouse would pee on the alarm. I have sump pumps in every basement but one which never ever floods and has a lot of use so there would be a report. And I make sure I get rid of old water heaters before they would leak. --73.33.xxx.xxx |
Water Alarm (by Doris [OH]) Posted on: Jan 13, 2018 7:31 AM
Message:
We have 2 in our home in basement. Both pretty similar with batteries but they are not that loud—just make a periodic beep sort of like dead battery in smoke alarm. Still wouldn’t help if no one was there and even in our multi, would not be heard by adjoining tenants. However good idea for unobservant tenants especially if water heater is not someplace where they would see it often. --74.140.xxx.xxx |
Water Alarm (by Johnny B. [MA]) Posted on: Jan 13, 2018 7:44 AM
Message:
I have the inexpensive battery operated one that Home Depot sells in the sump pump pit in my basement (in case the pump failed and water level got too high). It’s loud enough to get your attention and works well every time I test it (just need to wet the two contact points to test it). --24.147.xx.xxx |
Water Alarm (by gevans [SC]) Posted on: Jan 13, 2018 8:09 AM
Message:
I use the cheap ones from First Alert, you can buy them in a three pack for about $30. I put them in all the water heater drain pans, but I also post a large sign next to the alarm.
The sign states what the alarm is for and CALL THE LANDLORD!
I would rather get a call at 2:00 AM about an alarm than a call in the daylight about a flooded house. --98.122.x.xx |
Water Alarm (by Robert J [CA]) Posted on: Jan 13, 2018 11:54 AM
Message:
Besides being a landlord I'm also a licensed building contractor with also plumbing license. I keep in stock many different water alarms and shut off devices.
For example if a water heater starts to leak, my water shut off devices can close the water supply to the water heater and if hooked up also shut off the gas. So only the water in the tank will leak out, 30 to 50 gallons instead of a constant leak for days or weeks -- from only hundreds in damages it would reach tens of thousands in damages if the water kept on leaking over time.
I have have devices to cut off water to a leaking dishwasher, cloths washer, ice maker and other appliances.
One friend that owned 5 condo's in Palm Springs asked me to install a "water safety alarm". They meant the cheap $10 kind. Instead in one unit I put a water cut-off device on the water heater, washing machine and ice maker. They were so unhappy that they refused to pay for there devices. Soon afterwards one unit she allows her grand children to use stuffed the freezer which caused the ice maker to keep on filling. Over a two month time period enough water leaked it destroyed the flooring, cabinet toe kicks, furniture and drywall. Their insurance claim was around $30,000. My water devices in the other unit was installed $500. I finally got paid and they wanted me to install more shut off devices in all of their rentals.... --47.156.xx.xx |
Water Alarm (by elliot [RI]) Posted on: Jan 13, 2018 5:30 PM
Message:
I put what gevans uses in basements near the water heaters and in one basement that main clogged couple times in the past..
It works. The alarm is so loud, the tenant WILL hear it .. saved me couple times sewage filled basement. --66.186.xxx.xxx |
Water Alarm (by Ray-N-Pa [PA]) Posted on: Jan 14, 2018 2:27 PM
Message:
I like how you are thinking, but wonder how effective it would be. When a HWT leaks, there isn't a huge amount of water that floods out the place unless there relief valve goes bad.
In basements that are prone to flooding though - they would make sense --24.101.xxx.xxx |
Water Alarm (by gevans [SC]) Posted on: Jan 14, 2018 7:39 PM
Message:
You put the alarm sensor in the HW pan and just a quart of water will set it off.
We all know WH leaks only get worse... and sooner or later catastrophically fail. --98.122.x.xx |
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