Roger Fingas
Phyn — a joint venture between Belkin and plumbing supplier Uponor — has announced the Phyn Plus, an accessory that monitors home water systems for leaks and other presssure-related problems.
The Plus checks pressure 240 times per second, using algorithms to gauge normal flow versus threats, the company said. As a result it can detect issues ranging from pinhole leaks to frozen pipes. In the event of a major leak, the Plus can shut off water entirely to prevent flooding.
The accuracy of the device is designed to improve over time. In the interim it can trigger iPhone and iPad notifications, and perform daily "Health Checks" that warn users of future issues.
A built-in receiver connects the Plus to 2.4-gigahertz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. Apple devices must be running iOS 9 or later.
The Plus will launch in the U.S. in late spring for $850, and exclusively through a team of installers, the Uponor Pro Squad. Even then the Pro Squad will be offering the device in just 30 markets such as New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Toronto, with varying installation costs.
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13 Comments
Is this a Joke? Who would buy this? This is worse than juicero.
I've had this technology for decades. It's called a "puddle on the floor". And it's eco-friendly, requiring no electrical power.
My parents left town for three days. At some point a hose connected to a toilet on the second floor broke and water poured into their house for hours or days.
The water destroyed two bathrooms, three bedrooms and their kitchen. They had to move out of their house for 8 months and had close to $100,000 in damage.
I have learned that this type of water damage happens more often than you would think.
Just ask ServPro!
There is a HUGE market for this type of product!
Insurance companies should give discounts to people who install systems like this.
Flood detection is quite common and numerous companies offer solutions ranging from simple water detection via local sensors with alarms, some of which can send you emails/SMS, to the ability to detect leaks and cut off the system at the mains.
For this type of detection the pricing is competitive. I have been looking for a solution of this type myself.
This is another example:
https://shop.grohe.co.uk/smarthome/sense-guard/
Similar to above I had a neighbor off on vacation have an upstairs bathroom pipe fail: devasted the apartment.
I understand a classic failure is a clotheswasher feed hose: the rubber can’t take 24/7/365 pressure. Auto-shut offs at the faucet are the other solution there where the line isn’t pressurized unless the washer is running.