Water Alarm/Alert for Water Tank Failure

[REDCART]

I’ve heard from people who have 5-6 year old water tanks that are beginning to fail, and while all water tanks will fail eventually, it would be helpful to have an alarm or alert at the first sign of tank failure. This could help mitigate water damage.

If anyone has installed a water alarm/alert in the water tank pan, which one did you select? The Internet shows dozens of products but the reviews are inconsistent and can sometimes appear biased.

[Tom53]

Our home was built in 2015, and the water heater sits in a tray that's piped to the outside. If it leaks, it drains outside. Yours may be the same.

[photo1902]

Our home was built in 2015, and the water heater sits in a tray that's piped to the outside. If it leaks, it drains outside. Yours may be the same.

It really depends on the size and scale did the leak. That pan, which is plumbed to drain outside, might provide sufficient drainage for a small leak.

To the OP’s question, since a home has many potential leak points which could be catastrophic (washing machine hoses, ice maker supply line, sink and toilet lines, etc), I would research the device which shuts down the water supply to the house when it detects a leak/break.

Any type of device which sends you a message or sounds an audible alarm is only good if you are home to hear it, or to be close enough to your home to shut off the water supply to the house.

[Chatbrat]

We had a neighbor who had their expansion tank blow--major repair to plumbing and the a/c system--the leak was not a leak--it was the equivalent of a 3/4" pipe flowing untethered--an alarm would've been worthless-on our boat had several bilge alarms-- they were good for small leaks, if we experienced flooding and our crash pumps wouldn't work--break out the life raft

[REDCART]

Our home was built in 2015, and the water heater sits in a tray that's piped to the outside. If it leaks, it drains outside. Yours may be the same.

Thx, you are correct about the pan draining outside. I just checked ours. The water tank is concealed inside a closet and the drain is in the rear of the pan. So that should address the water damage issue. However, it might drain for days before we noticed that it’s leaking. So a water alert might still be helpful.

[retiredguy123]

I’ve heard from people who have 5-6 year old water tanks that are beginning to fail, and while all water tanks will fail eventually, it would be helpful to have an alarm or alert at the first sign of tank failure. This could help mitigate water damage.

If anyone has installed a water alarm/alert in the water tank pan, which one did you select? The Internet shows dozens of products but the reviews are inconsistent and can sometimes appear biased.
I wouldn't depend on the drain pan under the water heater to prevent water damage. The water in the tank has the same pressure as your house water, so the pan will only prevent water damage if you have a slow leak. One easy and simple thing to do is to buy several battery operated water alarms. You can buy the First Alert Model WA100 alarms from Amazon for about 10 dollars each in a 3-pack. I especially like them because they have a low battery alarm and a 6 foot optional remote wire. You can test them with water or by just putting your finger across the metal terminals. I would place one inside the drain pan and another one on the floor near the water heater. Another place to put them is on the floor behind each toilet. You are just as likely to experience a water leak from a toilet than from the water heater.

[stadry]

5-6 yr svce life is low for wtr heaters,,, must have been really cheap pick by bldrs,,, difficult to imagine everyone now flushing them at least every 6mos,,, you can also pick up alarms at apron / vest stores - near the sump pumps here,,, they probably don't sell too many sump pumps in fl so let me know if you need 1 & i'll send/bring it down

[jimbo2012]

Those of you that have our Nova Whole House filter have 2 pressure gauges built in.

One of the advantages is they will tell you very easily if your expansion tank failure is eminent

here's the way it happens everyday the pressure is say 60-70 psi, then you notice it's 90-125 ( or maxed out)
https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-aabq2uqurc/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/140/420/gauge__04036.1583197820.jpg

It means the rubber bladder inside the expansion tank ruptured or has a tear. :ohdear:

It must be replaced to avoid a leak inside the home.

The problem is the original installer IMO never pressurized the tank to 65psi from the preset pressure of usually 35-40psi.

so at the lower psi that bladder just doesn't last 10+ years because the bladder gets stretched

Be sure the plumber sets that psi before installation or it may happen again, there is a schrader valve on the tank that bike pump can be used with tire gauge.

It costs about $150-$200 for the parts & labor.

But if you're handy it is an easy DIY job cost $45 at Lowes for tank, U need two wrenches 20 minutes

Without a pressure gauge in the system no way to warned

I get 2 or 3 calls a month relating to high psi readings and that's only from our customer base with the filter, so it happens a lot

One other tip when the tank fails you can tap on it there should be half water/half air, if it sounds the same by tapping on it it's full of water


,I read someplace the number one insurance claim cause is HW tank failures flooding

One thought is it just replace it after 5 years with the correct pressurized expansion tank.

PS: we do not replace those tanks


.

[JoelJohnson]

The idea of a device that shuts the water off to the house if it detects a leak is a good one. However, one side effect is the elements of the water heater may burn out.

[davem4616]

what me worry....I pay the insurance company to worry about stuff like that

I will shoulder the responsibility of routine maintenance...but they can carry the risk

[nn0wheremann]

I’ve heard from people who have 5-6 year old water tanks that are beginning to fail, and while all water tanks will fail eventually, it would be helpful to have an alarm or alert at the first sign of tank failure. This could help mitigate water damage.

If anyone has installed a water alarm/alert in the water tank pan, which one did you select? The Internet shows dozens of products but the reviews are inconsistent and can sometimes appear biased.
Mine was installed in 2003 when the house was built. Marion County end of TV. Gas water heater. No problems. If or when it fails whatever the drain pan cannot handle, the garage floor will.

[Marathon Man]

I would be surprised to hear of a tank failing after five years. At eight years, I changed the expansion tank as a preventative measure. Turned out, once I got it off, I saw that the bladder had already failed.

[kfolberg]

I’ve heard from people who have 5-6 year old water tanks that are beginning to fail, and while all water tanks will fail eventually, it would be helpful to have an alarm or alert at the first sign of tank failure. This could help mitigate water damage.

If anyone has installed a water alarm/alert in the water tank pan, which one did you select? The Internet shows dozens of products but the reviews are inconsistent and can sometimes appear biased.

Like most Villagers, we split time between TV and "up north." There's a system by Govee (I found it on Amazon) that comes with drip and puddle sensors that send an alarm to a device that's connected to your home's WiFi. The Govee "app" then gives you a notification on your mobile device ("smart phone") of the condition from a specific sensor. You can choose to pay for monitoring by the company, but I didn't.

When I installed it, the instructions weren't the easiest to follow, but I got it done. I'm not a tech professional, but I've had a good deal of experience with figuring-out consumer electronics. It took me about 30 minutes to install 3 sensors. You can get and connect more sensors, if desired.

I haven't had any leaks, but I did test it with a puddle, and it worked as promised. There's probably other similar competitive systems out there, but I picked this one because it was relatively cheap (<$50).

Good luck!

Ken

[jimbo2012]

Mine was installed in 2003 when the house was built. Marion County end of TV. Gas water heater. No problems. If or when it fails whatever the drain pan cannot handle, the garage floor will.

Don't be too sure about that pan it holds a gallon, it will get under the walls into the home many times, it will be pumping water out at 3 gallons a minute

[jimbo2012]

Like most Villagers, we split time between TV and "up north." There's a system by Govee (I found it on Amazon) that comes with drip and puddle sensors that send an alarm to a device that's connected to your home's WiFi. The Govee "app" then gives you a notification on your mobile device ("smart phone") of the condition from a specific sensor. You can choose to pay for monitoring by the company, but I didn't.

When I installed it, the instructions weren't the easiest to follow, but I got it done. I'm not a tech professional, but I've had a good deal of experience with figuring-out consumer electronics. It took me about 30 minutes to install 3 sensors. You can get and connect more sensors, if desired.

I haven't had any leaks, but I did test it with a puddle, and it worked as promised. There's probably other similar competitive systems out there, but I picked this one because it was relatively cheap (<$50).

Good luck!

Ken

Ken the problem with those you have to guess where a leak may occur, not possible

A better system is a water flow alarm that will shut the whole house down if it detects a flow rate that is not normal I see them for about $400

[jimbo2012]

does that include a leak anyplace in the home?

[mbalsama]

Those of you that have our Nova Whole House filter have 2 pressure gauges built in.

One of the advantages is they will tell you very easily if your expansion tank failure is eminent

here's the way it happens everyday the pressure is say 60-70 psi, then you notice it's 90-125 ( or maxed out)
https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-aabq2uqurc/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/140/420/gauge__04036.1583197820.jpg

It means the rubber bladder inside the expansion tank ruptured or has a tear. :ohdear:

It must be replaced to avoid a leak inside the home.

The problem is the original installer IMO never pressurized the tank to 65psi from the preset pressure of usually 35-40psi.

so at the lower psi that bladder just doesn't last 10+ years because the bladder gets stretched

Be sure the plumber sets that psi before installation or it may happen again, there is a schrader valve on the tank that bike pump can be used with tire gauge.

It costs about $150-$200 for the parts & labor.

But if you're handy it is an easy DIY job cost $45 at Lowes for tank, U need two wrenches 20 minutes

Without a pressure gauge in the system no way to warned

I get 2 or 3 calls a month relating to high psi readings and that's only from our customer base with the filter, so it happens a lot

One other tip when the tank fails you can tap on it there should be half water/half air, if it sounds the same by tapping on it it's full of water


,I read someplace the number one insurance claim cause is HW tank failures flooding

One thought is it just replace it after 5 years with the correct pressurized expansion tank.

PS: we do not replace those tanks


.
I agree 100% - the problem is the hot water expansion tanks were never set to the actual water pressure in the home when they were originally installed. They were left at the factory pre-set pressure which is too low, which will cause them to fail prematurely. The hot water tank will also eventually fail because up the pressure build up. This a very simple procedure that if done when the water heater and it's expansion tank was installed, would add years to the life of the hgot water heater and the expansion tank.

[TandHSTAR@AOL.com]

When they say tank failure do they mean it leaks or that it no longer heats the way it should. Mine in 22 years old and never had a problem. Always have lots of hot water even when family visits. Not sure where the 5 yr comes from.

[jimbo2012]

that's the age they start failing

[wiltma]

We have small water alarms under bathroom and kitchen sinks in the house. Have proven invaluable three times.

[RonI46]

I’ve heard from people who have 5-6 year old water tanks that are beginning to fail, and while all water tanks will fail eventually, it would be helpful to have an alarm or alert at the first sign of tank failure. This could help mitigate water damage.

If anyone has installed a water alarm/alert in the water tank pan, which one did you select? The Internet shows dozens of products but the reviews are inconsistent and can sometimes appear biased.

After about 14 or 15 yrs I noticed corrosion on top of the tank around the pvc pipe and decided to get it out before something happened. I have heard that a tank can blow right thru the roof.
We had a tankless water heater installed and we find it great. About thirty seconds or so to push cold water out before hot water is better than constantly heating water that sits in the tank until needed.
TECO contacted a plumber and after installation billed us on our monthly bill. No tank and we had the controls, except the heat control, mounted on the outside of the house.
The new construction south of 44 is all tankless.

[RonI46]

Our home was built in 2015, and the water heater sits in a tray that's piped to the outside. If it leaks, it drains outside. Yours may be the same.

We built our home in 2001 and it lasted about 15yrs. Ours was in a pan sitting on a wooden platform.

[kfolberg]

Ken the problem with those you have to guess where a leak may occur, not possible

A better system is a water flow alarm that will shut the whole house down if it detects a flow rate that is not normal I see them for about $400

The Govee detectors are cheap and can be placed in the most likely water leak or puddling locations. They're not good for unpredictable locations. However, would an abnormal flow rate detector alarm for slow leaks? Over a relatively short period of time, these slow leaks can do major damage.

For complete protection, I guess you'd need both types of systems.

[retiredguy123]

When they say tank failure do they mean it leaks or that it no longer heats the way it should. Mine in 22 years old and never had a problem. Always have lots of hot water even when family visits. Not sure where the 5 yr comes from.
They can leak or stop heating properly. 22 years is an old water heater. It probably has a lot of built up sediment in it, and is not heating very efficiently. And, the safety relief valve may be frozen shut. It also may not have an expansion tank, which is a small tank mounted above the water heater to help maintain a constant water pressure in your house. If you decide to replace the water heater, I would highly recommend that you require the plumber to install an expansion tank. They are required by code, but some plumbers will not install one if you don't already have one because they don't want to do the extra piping work. But, it is an important item to have to protect your entire plumbing system.

[Mike193534]

The idea of a device that shuts the water off to the house if it detects a leak is a good one. However, one side effect is the elements of the water heater may burn out.

Their is a system that is both an alarm and can be plumbed to the cold water intake so when the alarm senses water, ( where you put sensor, normally under tank) the water to tank only is shut off. This means only allowing water that is in tank 50-100 gallons to leak out.

[retiredguy123]

Their is a system that is both an alarm and can be plumbed to the cold water intake so when the alarm senses water, ( where you put sensor, normally under tank) the water to tank only is shut off. This means only allowing water that is in tank 50-100 gallons to leak out.
I have not heard of this type of system, but, if my water heater was leaking, I would want it to shut off the main water valve to the house.

[bdescalzi]

The tray under your tank is there to see if a leak started. Remember, if the bottom of the tank has a small leak, it could turn into a failed bottom and flood your home. Any Villages home I've seen does not have a garage floor drain plus the water will continue to run and significant damage will occur. A wifi phone call will not help if you are up north. If leaving town for than a day turn your water off at the main shut off. If worried about your irrigation, put it on a separate line.

[REDCART]

I would be surprised to hear of a tank failing after five years. At eight years, I changed the expansion tank as a preventative measure. Turned out, once I got it off, I saw that the bladder had already failed.

I agree that a 5 yr tank failure is unusual but it happened to a Rheem tank. It’s been my personal experience that hot water tanks fail like clockwork the year after the warranty expires. That’s likely because the manufacturer knows exactly how long their anode rods will last under normal usage. When the anode rods fail, the glass liner in the tank goes next.

[Toymeister]

Wow, just wow. Has no one heard of smart homes?

There is no need to use an alarm company unless you really want it anyways.

What is needed for this application is a whole house water monitor. There are several brands which use two different means to determine if water is flowing. The one that the OP needs uses ultrasonic energy to determine if water is flowing. StreamLabs water monitor is one (Amazon or Home Depot on line). No plumbing it just straps on to a pipe. Reports slow or fast leaks via message to your phone, you do need internet. Cost: $169. Installation time 45 seconds. No subscription required.

Yes you need to do something if there is a leak, find it or shut off the water. Three choices: manual (because you are home or have a great Neighbor): install a smart valve which you control from your phone (dome brand water valve); or you buy a monitor with a built in valve. Plumbing is required. Cost varies from 100 to 800 depending on what you chose and installation costs, a subscription may be required, typically 5.00 a month. I

I am betting the alarm company does not offer a remote means to shut off the water.

[retiredguy123]

Wow, just wow. Has no one heard of smart homes?

There is no need to use an alarm company unless you really want it anyways.

What is needed for this application is a whole house water monitor. There are several brands which use two different means to determine if water is flowing. The one that the OP needs uses ultrasonic energy to determine if water is flowing. StreamLabs water monitor is one (Amazon or Home Depot on line). No plumbing it just straps on to a pipe. Reports slow or fast leaks via message to your phone, you do need internet. Cost: $169. Installation time 45 seconds. No subscription required.

Yes you need to do something if there is a leak, find it or shut off the water. Three choices: manual (because you are home or have a great Neighbor): install a smart valve which you control from your phone (dome brand water valve); or you buy a monitor with a built in valve. Plumbing is required. Cost varies from 100 to 800 depending on what you chose and installation costs, a subscription may be required, typically 5.00 a month. I

I am betting the alarm company does not offer a remote means to shut off the water.
Just a comment. The Streamlabs device must be installed inside the house on a 6 inch section of straight pipe. A lot of houses in The Villages don't have 6 inches of exposed straight pipe. The water pipe comes up vertically through the concrete floor inside a wall in the garage. There is a shutoff valve behind an access panel, and then the pipe turns and goes back down through the concrete floor. So, the only way to install the device would be to tear out the access panel and surrounding drywall, and install a larger access panel. You also need to plug the device into an electrical outlet. And, I would be concerned about the strength of the wifi signal inside a wall in the garage.

[Toymeister]

Just a comment. The Streamlabs device must be installed inside the house on a 6 inch section of straight pipe. A lot of houses in The Villages don't have 6 inches of exposed straight pipe. The water pipe comes up vertically through the concrete floor inside a wall in the garage. There is a shutoff valve behind an access panel, and then the pipe turns and goes back down through the concrete floor. So, the only way to install the device would be to tear out the access panel and surrounding drywall, and install a larger access panel. You also need to plug the device into an electrical outlet. And, I would be concerned about the strength of the wifi signal inside a wall in the garage.

Well, I own a Stream Labs water monitor and you don't so let me set the record straight. The signal is strong that is not a problem. The OP had a concern about hot water and yes there is a six inch section of straight pipe feeding the water heater.


A lot of homes in TV have whole house filters or water softeners that also provide six inches of straight pipe to attach this product. With this configuration you can monitor cold and hot water usage/leaks. I have done both.