As smart home devices become more popular, it’s natural to demand more out of our home automation systems. With that in mind, thinking outside of the box is bringing some great tech into the home improvement space. In the past, smart home devices were fairly basic – but things are changing. Some may think of the “hub” as a smart speaker, with other devices tethered via Wifi, but the arena has certainly grown over the past 3 years. Now, other than smart TV’s, speakers, cameras, and doorbells, the smart home device list is beginning to mimic automation found in industrial settings. This is both beneficial and can result in cost savings to the homeowner via both assurance, and safety. To we look at the Guardian Leak Prevention System Review.
With all of this being said, it’s worth noting that there are a lot of things in our homes that we already monitor. Fire, smoke, Carbon Dioxide detection, the temperature, and even sometimes external or internal video and audio (especially with baby monitors!). But something that often gets forgotten is both a safety, and financial concern if things go awry – water. Luckily, this often neglected risk can be mitigated with a very simple, yet extremely effective tool – the Guardian Leak Prevention System.
Guardian Leak Prevention System Review Overview
To start off, some might wonder why? The answer to this question is really endless at best. As stated above, monitoring smoke, carbon dioxide, and other risk factors around the house is a no-brainer. And just like those, water leaks, and water damage can be very costly from a safety and wallet perspective. So with the Guardian system, not only can you detect water leaks, but also stop them – when you aren’t even home.
First and foremost, Guardian uses some great technology to drive the product. The system itself is robust, and well built, with sensors that also will hold up over time in harsh environments such as basements, attics, and other indoor areas. The main unit itself (Valve Controller) is where the magic happens. Just as the name implies, the valve controller can be placed over a standard valve handle that is hand operable. The leak detector can be placed around the area, connecting to the valve controller, and in the event of a leak, the controller will automatically turn the valve to shut off water flow. Additionally, Guardian makes the system modular with the option of adding more leak detectors around your home to alert you in the event of a leak.
Guardian Leak Prevention System Review Features
The Guardian Leak Prevention System Packaging and instructions were the first thing I noticed after unboxing. This, to me, is usually a pretty good sign of a quality product!
The valve controller is the hub of the system. It acts at the tethering point to your home wifi, the app, and other leak detectors that can be added to the system.
On the valve controller, you’ll notice the valve turning mechanism used as an emergency shut off for when a leak is detected in the vicinity of the unit. This feature uses a motor to automatically turn the valve – great protection!
The adjustable jaws are non-marring, and adjust to fit a myriad of pipe size from 1/2″ to 1 1/4″.
A great feature of the unit is that it is capable of redundancy. An internal battery backup is an option if you prefer to use. The unit is also totally capable of working offline, without wifi. The loss of signal only results in the loss of live monitoring.
The power supply for the unit is nicely made and utilizes protection to prevent moisture from reaching the connectors.
The sensor to accompany the valve controller is perfectly small and has an exceptionally long lead to place around the position of the hub.
The additional leak detectors are slim, wireless, and nearly unnoticeable. These are great to place in bathrooms, mechanical areas, or attics.
The setup is insanely easy and only takes 8-10 minutes.
Once all set up, the monitoring features are fantastic. The sensors even display the temperature of the room where they reside and provide quick updates if moved, or sense water.
Guardian Leak Prevention System Review Performance
Overall, I think this is a fantastic system. In a lot of IT and industrial settings, leak detection is a standard requirement to protect assets. With that being said, it only makes sense to extend this into the home. Normally, I would recommend this to really anyone who rents or owns based on the protection it provides. But I think this product could really appeal to those who have a lot of IT or gaming equipment set up in their residence, just as some added protection for electrical goods.
It’s worth noting that Guardian also tells us that you can save between $100-$300 annually on your homeowner’s insurance. This is a great perk, as you’re demonstrating some added responsibility to protect your home.
In addition to the above, so far the system has done exactly what it’s designed to do, and very effective. I’ve never lost communication, and have tested the battery backup during an outage (my WiFi is backed up as well!). As a home automation nerd, I do plan on tying this into my custom SNMP eventually, but for now, the hardware and software for this product are seamless.
Guardian Leak Prevention System Review Value
The standard set-up seen in this review runs about $299, which is a pretty fantastic value considering what you’ll save annually on homeowners insurance. And quite honestly, the peace of mind knowing that your home and assets are safe from water damage is pretty great too. There are tons of things that could go wrong with water in your home, and protecting against it, with live monitoring is a great step to take.
Guardian Leak Prevention System Review Final Thoughts
One thing is for sure, you won’t regret having this system installed one bit. The setup is quick and easy, the hardware is well built, and the software is rock solid. The continual monitoring is especially reassuring, and the sensors have a great response as well so you’re alerted immediately. I have to admit, it would be awesome if the sensors had humidity or PIR sensing (motion around the sensor) built in. But quite honestly, having the temperature is cool enough on top of being a leak sensor. Regardless, it’s interesting to see what Guardian does with the system! I can’t rave about something like this enough, I wish I had more sensors!
