[CES 2018] Having a pipe leak can be troublesome, since it could mean water wastage which leads to an inflated water bill, or in some cases it could result in flooding of your basement, bathroom, kitchen, and a burst pipe is definitely a rather troublesome thing to clean up after, not to mention potential destruction of property.
Now if you’re after a slightly more hi-tech way of keeping an eye out for leaks, Belkin might have something for you. The company which is known more for creating various mobile accessories and cables has teamed up with plumbing supplier Uponor to create the Phyn Plus. This is an accessory that you can attach to your pipes to monitor it.
The device is said to be capable of checking your pipe’s pressure 240 times per second, and relies on algorithms to detect normal water flow versus threats, meaning that it will know when something is out of the ordinary, such as pinhole leaks or even frozen pipes. It can also help to shut off water entirely in the event of a major leak to prevent additional damage and costs.
The Phyn Plus will also feature 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n WiFi that allows it to send information from it to a connected device, such as an iPhone. It won’t come cheap though and is expected to be priced at $850 (installation fees not included) when it is released later this spring, and will be available exclusively through Uponor’s Pro Squad installers.