CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Please use the following form to contact our customer service team. The Support FAQs answer many common questions.
SUPPORT FAQs
WHAT IS LEAKSENTINEL®?
LeakSentinel is a US manufacturer of DIY home leak detection and valve actuator solutions. Our patented technology works with your existing home Wi-Fi and your mobile phone to help prevent and detect leaks by turning off your main shutoff valve automatically. What's more, LeakSentinel is the first device that works with existing ball (lever) and gate (wheel handle) valves between 1/2" and 1-1/4" in size. It's 100% battery or wall-powered powered and installable by the homeowner in under 15 minutes with ordinary tools. No cutting the pipe. No electrician. No mess.
How sensitive is the LeakSentinel? What size of leak can it detect?
The LeakSentinel listens for acoustic energy emitted when water, under pressure, escapes from an orifice into normal air pressure. The LeakSentinel can detect whether the water flow is high/med/low, but not gallons/min. It can detect a slow trickle of a sink.
What type of leak notifications are there?
When a leak is detected, the LeakSentinel pushes messages to a mobile app, as well as sending text/email alerts before shutting off the water. We implement the same type of machine learning algorithms that cut-the-pipe solutions implement: we “learn” each house’s pattern of water usage and set continuous-flow warning times (i.e. leak detected) based on past history.
Does the app provide data on water usage – hourly, daily, by the minute?
The LeakSentinel detects that water is flowing, not gallons/min. It can detect a "leaky toilet" or "leaky pool" in that these leaks manifest themselves in a periodic water flowing pattern. LeakSentinel helps to detect wasteful water situations.
Is the LeakSentinel weatherproof?
Yes. LeakSentinel was designed in Silicon Valley, so our paradigm is outdoor installation.
How long will the battery last?
Under normal conditions, the rechargeable battery will last up to six months before requiring a recharge. We'll automatically notify you via your smartphone or email when the battery runs low.
If installed outside of the home, is battery life reduced?
Yes. The biggest power draw is Wi-Fi. When the unit is installed indoors, it can be left with the USB charger connected with the unit pinging the cloud several times a minute. If power goes away the user will have the choice between long battery life or high interactivity (remote manual shut off.)
Have you completed a study to see how often the LeakSentinel robot can be successfully installed?
The toughest problem the LeakSentinel engineering team faced was the mechanical challenge that plumbers seem to be frustrated artists — every home's shut off valve and piping is unique. We have conducted tests at a large number of homes, and have so far found only one home where it was not possible to install LeakSentinel due to interference (that homewas difficult to manually access the valve).
I understand the LeakSentinel robot works on gate and ball valves. It’s not uncommon to find an old gate valve that will not shut the water off completely.
The LeakSentinel install instructions clearly state that if the valve cannot be turned on and off by hand, DO NOT install the LeakSentinel. In this case the homeowner should have a plumber come by and repair the valve before installing the LeakSentinel device.
If a home has a hot water recirculating loop would that create any issues with how it detects leaks?
Re-circulators are not a problem. What the robot detects is water escaping an orifice, not the rumble of a motor.
Can the LeakSentinel detect freezing conditions?
Yes. LeakSentinel has an integrated temperature sensor that monitors the case temperature. As freezing conditions approach, it sends an alert allowing you to remotely shut off your valve to prevent a catastrophic burst from flooding your home while you're away. Note that LeakSentinel does not prevent pipes from freezing, but it can warn you of a dangerous condition leading to frozen pipes.