We protect our home from fire, carbon monoxide, and theft, but what about water leaks? Floods and water damage can be devastating for homeowners, causing serious damage. To protect your home, give some thought to installing a smart water sensor. Smart water sensors are easy to use, with or without a smart home hub. If they detect water leaks they notify you via your smartphone, even if you’re miles from home.
Smart water sensors can also record water temperatures, to help prevent freezing pipes or pick up on mold within your pipes. The sensors should be placed in a location where water damage could occur, such as in bathrooms, under the kitchen sink, or in the laundry room.
With smart water sensors, you can enjoy peace of mind, even when you’re out of town. If you’re in the market for a smart water sensor, we’ve compared some of the best models from brands including Honeywell, Zircon, and iHome. Here are the best smart water sensors on the market, for every budget and preference.
The Lyric Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector is one of the best sensors on the market, coming from the trusted and well-loved Honeywell brand. The Honeywell is easy to install—just add the included AAA batteries, download the Honeywell Lyric app, and pair with your home’s Wi-Fi. The sensor works via your Wi-Fi but doesn’t pair with smart home hubs, so if you don’t have a hub, this may be the best option for you.
Best Overall
Honeywell Lyric Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector
Installation is quick and easy
Detects water, humidity, and temperature
Access your stats via the useful Honeywell app
Expensive
Doesn’t integrate with smart home hubs
We love that the Honeywell can detect not only water leaks but also tracks humidity and temperature, which helps prevent property damage and frozen pipes. If you’re at home when water is detected, you’ll hear an alarm. Otherwise, you’ll receive alerts on your smartphone, allowing you to take urgent action to protect your home.
The Honeywell is intuitive, effective, and long-lasting, with all the features you need from a smart water sensor. While it’s a bit more costly than some of its competitors, we think it’s worth the price.
If your sensor alerts you to leakage and you’re not at home, what can you do? With LeakSmart, you can automatically turn off your water valve, from anywhere in the world. LeakSmart’s shutoff valve (an additional purchase from the sensor) can stop water damage as soon as it has been found.
Best Ease of Use
LeakSmart Water Leak Detection Sensors
Pairs with optional water-shutoff valve to keep your home safe
Responsive and completely waterproof
Integrates with ZigBee-based smart-home systems
Pricey to add on the shutoff valve
Only activates if water touches the actual sensor, so take care where you place it
Although the valve bumps up the cost, it’s worth it when compared to the thousands of dollars of flood damage that can happen in minutes. The LeakSmart connects to your water main and shuts off all the flow automatically within five seconds of detecting a leak. LeakSmart integrates with smart home hubs, such as Google Nest, and installation is straightforward. If water is detected, you’ll hear a loud alarm that should be heard from anywhere in the home. In addition to leaks, it can also measure temperature.
It’s worth noting that water needs to come into direct contact with the sensor itself, so it’ll need to be placed in the right location to activate. However, if you’ve been dealing with a leaky basement or bathroom, or have experienced flooding previously, you’ll love the assurance the LeakSmart brings.
If you’re already using Apple’s HomeKit, then the Fibaro Flood Sensor may be for you. It’s designed to integrate with HomeKit and is even compatible with Siri, so you can use voice commands to check on the status of your sensor or find out the temperature, even if you’re not at home. Being part of the Apple family, it can also be accessed via your Apple TV or iPad.
Best for HomeKit Fans
Fibaro Flood Sensor
Works beautifully with Siri
Clever, effective design
Waterproof
Alarm could be louder
Doesn’t pair with Android devices
We like the design of the Fibaro as well, which is contoured to resemble a water droplet and won’t stand out within your home. It’s not only stylish, but it also makes it easier for your sensor to detect leaks. The Fibaro is also built tough, as it’s waterproof and has the ability to float, an essential feature in the case of flooding.
While Apple fans will love the convenience and ease of the Fibaro, it’s not the best choice for others, as it’s not compatible with Android. It’s also worth noting that the leakage alarm isn’t as loud as some of the other sensors.
In case of emergency, you want to be able to hear your sensor’s alarm loud and clear, from anywhere in the home. If you’re concerned about leaks and want to make sure you don’t miss the alarm, you’ll want the Zircon 68882 Leak Alert—it creates a super-loud, battery-powered 105-decibel alarm. Even better, it’s one of the more affordable sensors, so you can purchase multiples for different areas of the home.
Loudest Alarm
Zircon Leak Alert
No smart hub needed for use
Loud alarm ensures it’ll be heard in an emergency
Detects even tiny amounts of water or moisture
No email notifications received if Wi-Fi connection is lost
Wi-Fi range is short
If you’re not home at the time of the leak, the Zircon will send an email to notify you, but these can also be configured to show as text alerts. However, it’s important to note that this sensor works on Wi-Fi, so if your connection is lost, the email alerts won’t send (although the alarm will still sound, which may be heard by a neighbor).
It’s also a good choice for those who don’t have a smart home hub set up, as the sensor works independently. If you do set up multiple sensors, you can customize them with names, making it easy to know which alert is coming from which part of the house.
If only the best will do, you may want to check out the Phyn Plus Smart Water Assistant. Once you get past the high price tag, the Phyn Plus offers some fantastic features. It connects to the home’s main water lines and can detect leaks and water pressure levels throughout the home, meaning you only need one sensor to provide coverage across the house.
Best Splurge
Phyn Smart Water Assistant
- Expensive
- Requires professional installation by a plumber
The system also runs plumbing checks daily and alerts you of any abnormalities, which allows you to prevent problems and leaks before they even occur. If something does go wrong, you can automatically switch off the water from anywhere, via the app. The Phyn Plus is not only handy in emergencies, as it also helps with water usage and conservation. Through your app, you can track water use from the showers, washing machine, and kitchen, helping you use less over time.
For many homeowners, automatic shutoff is one of the key features in a smart water sensor, especially if you’re frequently away from home. If that’s something you’re looking for, the Guardian Leak Prevention Kit is our recommendation. It shuts off your water supply when any leak is detected, but it also monitors temperature and shuts down in extreme cold, preventing frozen pipes. The system can even detect earthquakes, helping prevent water damage in a natural disaster. We also like that installation is simple and doesn’t require a visit from a plumber—simply clamp it on to your main water valve, as long as it has the standard quarter-turn ball valve.
Best Automatic Shutoff
Elexa Consumer Products Inc Guardian Leak Prevention Kit
Automatic shutoff works to prevent damage from leaks, extreme cold, and earthquakes
Simple installation
Comes with multiple sensors to use around the home
Sensors react to any water, so don’t place near splashing water in kitchens or bathrooms
High price point
In addition to the main sensor, the system also comes with three small sensors that can be placed around the house, allowing for additional water detection. They have a range of up to 1,000 feet line of sight, which should be enough for most households. Additional sensors are sold separately.
Guardian can work as a standalone system, with apps available for both Android and Apple. It’s not the cheapest product, but the price is worth it for the peace of mind it provides.
About our Trusted Experts
Katie Dundas is a freelance writer and journalist. She has been covering smart home technology for the past two years.
What to Look For in a Smart Water Sensor
Plug-in Sensors
Basic smart water sensors can only tell you if the sensor itself has gotten wet. You can buy an additional smart water sensor for each location you want to monitor, or look for a smart water sensor that has the ability to plug in additional sensors to cover more ground for less cost.
Smart Home Compatibility
If you have any other smart home sensors or devices already, look for a smart water sensor that’s compatible with your existing hub. This will save you the added cost of buying an additional hub just for your water sensors.
Long-life Batteries
Some smart water sensors are designed to be plugged into a wall outlet and include a battery backup for when the power goes out. If you want to be able to set your water sensors in place and not have to worry about them for up to ten years, look for one with exceptional battery life.
