Prevent Appliance Water Damage with Automatic Water Shutoff Valves

6/15/2020 (Permalink)

Avoid costly water damage by automatically detecting and stopping leaks from your washing machine, water heater, toilet and other appliances.

Every water appliance, fixture supply tube and pipe in your home has the potential to leak. And because it is fed by water pressure from city supply line or well pump, once a leak starts, there's nothing to stop it. If you're home and catch the leak early, you can stop the water flow by using fixture shutoff valves or the house's main shutoff valve. But if you're away from home, sleeping or you don’t notice the leak, you’ll probably suffer costly water damage.

If only there was a device that could detect a leak and shut the water off for you!

Good news: an automatic water shutoff valve is a simple electric device that does exactly that. One of these devices can cost as little as $200—and can save your house from a flood that can easily cause upwards of $10,000 of damage in just a few hours.

Two Types of Water Shutoff Valves

The sole job of an automatic water shutoff valve is to sense a water leak and stop the water flow by closing an internal ball valve. That simple action is triggered by a water sensor that you place on the floor where a leak is likely to occur, usually adjacent to a water appliance, such as your refrigerator, washing machine, toilet, dishwasher or water heater. If the sensor detects water up on the floor, it sends a signal to the valve, which then shuts off the water flow—which stays off until you turn it back on or reset the system.

A typical automatic water shutoff device includes several sensors that connect wirelessly to the valve unit, which can shut off your home's main water supply or just one appliance or fixture water supply line.

Single-location shutoff valves are used to protect the pipes or hoses serving the appliances most likely to leak:

• Washing machine
• Water heater
• Toilet

Other appliance supply lines that commonly leak include those for refrigerator/freezer water dispensers and ice makers, water filtration systems and humidifiers, as well as any sink faucet or other plumbing fixture.

To protect more than one appliance or fixture, install a whole-house shutoff valve. These devices are typically located near the existing main shutoff valve where the water supply pipe enters the house. The sensors can then be placed throughout the house to provide protection to all areas prone to leaks.

We’re all at the mercy of a sudden water leak in our homes. One way to minimize the water damage and costs of a home flood damage cleanup is to install automatic water shutoff valves near your water appliances or fixtures.

We’re Here for You

The team at SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield has specialized training and experience in water damage remediation, fire restoration services, natural disaster prevention, chemical cleanup, and natural disaster cleanup. Call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield (860.633.8791) any time.

When you have suffered a water or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791

Other Helpful Blog Posts

SERVPRO® publishes educational articles on how to protect your home or business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, sewage, storm and other damage.

SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield
IICRC Certified
Noemi Garcia
Franchise Owner
Call 860.633.8791
Fax 860.216.2762
24-hour emergency service

When you have suffered a water or other disaster at your home or business, call SERVPRO of Glastonbury/Wethersfield today at 860.633.8791