Sometimes simple really is best, especially when tech decides to take a holiday of its own.
I hear you, but I still like having a backup. Last winter, my neighbor’s “simple” approach meant a burst pipe when temps dropped unexpectedly—no sensor, no alert, just a mess. I’ll stick with my low-tech AND high-tech combo, even if the app flakes out sometimes.
I’ll stick with my low-tech AND high-tech combo, even if the app flakes out sometimes.
That’s pretty much how I approach it too—redundancy saves headaches. There was a job last January where the homeowner relied only on smart sensors, but their WiFi went down during the cold snap. By the time they noticed, pipes had already started to freeze. Ever try to thaw copper without causing more damage? Not fun. Do you find those battery-powered alarms reliable enough, or do you go for something hardwired?
I get where you’re coming from—trusting just one system feels like tempting fate, especially with how tech acts up at the worst possible times. I’ve got a couple of those battery-powered alarms tucked around the basement and under the kitchen sink. They’re fine for what they are, but honestly, I don’t trust them 100%. Batteries die, or someone knocks one over and doesn’t put it back right. I check them when I remember... which isn’t as often as I should.
Hardwired is probably more reliable, but then you’re dealing with installation headaches and if the power goes out, you’re still in trouble unless there’s a backup. It’s kind of a lose-lose if you ask me. That’s why I still keep an old-school thermometer taped to the coldest wall in the crawlspace. Not fancy, but it never needs WiFi or batteries.
Had a neighbor who swore by his smart home setup—until his router fried during a storm last winter. He didn’t even realize his alerts weren’t coming through until water started pooling behind his washer. Sometimes “smart” tech just makes us lazy about actually checking things ourselves.
I guess my take is: use whatever combo lets you sleep at night, but don’t trust any single thing too much. And maybe keep a hair dryer handy for those copper pipes... just in case.
I totally get the skepticism about relying on just one thing—especially with all the “smart” gadgets these days. I’ve had a couple of those water alarms too, and I swear, half the time I forget to check if they’re even working. Once found one with corroded batteries that must’ve been dead for months... not exactly reassuring.
Hardwired stuff is great in theory, but yeah, installation can be a pain and you’re still at the mercy of power outages unless you shell out for a backup system. I actually ran a dedicated GFCI outlet to my sump pump and put it on a UPS after losing power during a storm one year. Not cheap, but it’s saved me twice now when the grid went down.
The old-school thermometer trick is underrated. I do something similar—just a basic analog one near the main shutoff valve in the crawlspace. No batteries, no fuss. It’s not going to send me an alert, but at least I know what’s going on if I bother to look.
Funny thing about smart tech making us lazy—I’ve noticed that too. My brother-in-law has everything hooked up to his phone, but he never actually walks around and checks anything anymore. When his WiFi went out last winter, he didn’t realize his garage pipes were freezing until it was almost too late.
One thing that’s helped me is setting reminders on my phone for seasonal checks—like draining outdoor faucets before the first freeze or checking pipe insulation in early fall. Not high-tech, but it keeps me from forgetting the basics.
And yeah, hair dryer for copper pipes is classic. I keep an old space heater handy too—just in case things get dicey overnight. Sometimes low-tech really is best when it comes to plumbing emergencies.
Guess at the end of the day it’s all about layers—some tech, some old-school habits, and a little bit of paranoia thrown in for good measure.
That’s the thing—layers, like you said, are what actually work in the real world. I’ve been called out to more than a few flooded basements where folks had all the “smart” gear, but nobody ever checked the batteries or tested the sensors. One time, a guy had a fancy leak detector that was chirping for weeks, but he thought it was his smoke alarm and just ignored it. By the time he realized, his water heater had been leaking slow and steady for days.
I’m with you on the analog thermometer. I keep a cheap one zip-tied to a pipe in my crawlspace. It’s not glamorous, but it’s never let me down. I do wonder sometimes if people get too comfortable with tech and forget the basics—like just walking around and looking for trouble spots. You ever notice how many folks don’t even know where their main shutoff is?
I’m curious—anyone else still use those old foam faucet covers outside? I swear by them, even though they look goofy. They’ve saved me from a burst line more than once when we got a surprise cold snap.
