How to pick a smart leak detector for your home

On our most recent IoT Podcast, Bobby called and left a voicemail question about leak detector sensors. He has an $80 Honeywell Lyric Water Leak and Freeze Detector now but is interested in adding more water sensors to the home he just bought with his wife.

The Wi-Fi-based Lyric with its long cord sensor is one of our recommended devices but it’s not the only good choice out there. And before outfitting a home with water sensors, it makes sense to determine if you want several devices around the home or if a whole-home water-monitoring system is the way to go.

That’s a personal choice that will vary on your home, your needs and your budget, of course. However, we have recommendations for both approaches.

On the whole home protection front, the Flo system is solid but will cost you $500. One potential benefit here over adding individual Lyric sensors is that it works with both the Amazon and Google platforms; Lyric works with Amazon only at this time. Additionally, Flo doesn’t just smartly monitor water usage to detect potential leaks in the entire house via algorithms, it can actually turn the water off; no individual sensors can do that. You’ll likely need a plumber to install the Flo which adds to the cost but some insurance providers offer a 10% discount on your premium with a whole home leak detection system.

A similar, but more expensive option is Phyn, which costs $700. This product, and the company that makes it was spun out of Belkin, so if you’re more comfortable with a “known” brand, it might be worth the extra cost. Keep in mind that Buoy is another option in this space and we spent some time with the Bouy folks and their whole home water system at CES. Bouy impressed us but at the time, the cost was $800 and the company was since purchased by Residio, which spun out of Honeywell. As of now, Bouy is not in stock but may reappear as Residio works to integrate the product into its lineup.

If these costs are too high or you just want to monitor a few specific areas for water leaks, more Lyric sensors will do the trick. Other options include the $60 D-Link Wi-Fi water sensor which, like the Lyric has a cable sensor to extend detection coverage. Unlike the Lyric, D-Link’s sensor doesn’t have an integrated siren.

On the low-cost side, Samsung sells its SmartThings water leak sensor for $20, so if you’re invested in the SmartThings platform and don’t need a sensor cable, this is a great option. There are similar choices from other brands, just keep in mind that they often use Zigbee or Z-Wave radios, so like the Samsung option, you’ll need a hub to make these work.

To hear Bobby’s question in full, as well as our discussion on his question, tune to the IoT Podcast below: