01Start with water, then fire, then everything else
Smart-home marketing leans toward convenience. For protecting the house, a short list of devices does most of the work. Water damage tends to be the most common and costly problem these devices can catch, so begin there.
Leak sensors
Small pucks that sit on the floor and alert your phone when they get wet. Cheap enough to put at every water source.
Automatic shutoff valve
Installed on the main line, it can close the water supply when it detects a leak or abnormal flow — even if you're not home.
Temperature alerts
Smart thermostats and standalone sensors warn you when the house gets cold enough to put pipes at risk.
Smoke and CO alarms
Connected alarms tell you about a fire or carbon monoxide when you're away, and interconnected units sound together when you're home.
Sump pump monitoring
Alarms and backup pumps that warn you when the water level rises or the primary pump fails.
Power-outage alerts
Many hubs, smart plugs, and backup batteries can notify you when the grid drops, so you know the sump and furnace are at risk.
02Catch leaks, then stop them automatically
A leak sensor tells you there's a problem. A shutoff valve does something about it. Many homes benefit from both — sensors at each fixture and a valve on the main to act when nobody can.
- Under the kitchen sink and behind the dishwasher
- Behind or under the refrigerator if it has an ice maker
- Next to the washing machine, ideally in a drain pan
- At the base of the water heater
- Beside each toilet and under bathroom vanities
- Next to the sump pit and on the lowest point of the basement floor
- Under any HVAC unit or condensate line in the attic
| Device type | What it does | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Local leak alarm | Sounds a loud alarm on site when wet | No app needed; only useful if someone is home to hear it |
| Wi-Fi leak sensor | Sends a phone alert when wet | Needs working Wi-Fi and power at the router |
| Hub-based sensor | Talks to a base station over a low-power radio | Often longer range and battery life; the hub needs internet |
| Whole-home shutoff valve | Monitors flow and closes the main line | Usually needs a plumber; check your pipe size and local code |
Water damage defenses
Moen Flo Smart Water Shutoff
Installs on the main line, watches for unusual water use, and can shut the supply off automatically or from your phone.
Check price on AmazonGoveeLife Smart Water Leak Detector (3-Pack)
A set of wireless sensors that sound locally and send app alerts, enough to cover the kitchen, laundry, and water heater.
Check price on AmazonResideo RWD21 Water Leak Alarm
A simple battery-powered alarm that beeps when it gets wet, with no app or Wi-Fi to set up.
Check price on Amazon03Watch for cold, smoke, and carbon monoxide
Frozen pipes usually burst when the heat fails or a house sits empty in a cold snap. A connected thermostat or room sensor that alerts at a set low temperature gives you time to call a neighbor or a technician before water starts flowing.
- Set a low-temperature alert
Pick a threshold well above freezing so you get a warning while there's still time to act. Put extra sensors in the coldest spots — crawlspaces, unheated garages, and exterior walls with plumbing.
- Insulate the pipes you can reach
Sensors don't warm anything. Foam sleeves on exposed pipes in basements, crawlspaces, and garages buy time when the heat fails.
- Use connected or interconnected smoke alarms
Alarms that sound together when one detects smoke give everyone more warning. Connected models add a phone alert when you're away.
- Put a CO alarm on every sleeping floor
Fuel-burning furnaces, water heaters, and generators can all produce carbon monoxide. Choose a model with battery backup so it works during an outage.
Cold and air-quality protection
Winter storm guide →Kidde Plug-In CO Detector with Digital Display
Plugs into an outlet, keeps working on battery backup, and shows a reading so you can spot low levels early.
Check price on AmazonFrost King Foam Pipe Insulation (10-Pack)
Slip-on foam sleeves for exposed pipes — an inexpensive partner to any freeze alert.
Check price on Amazon04Keep the basement dry when the power fails
Heavy rain and power outages often arrive together, and that's exactly when a sump pump has to work hardest. A backup pump with its own battery and an alarm covers both the outage and a failed primary pump.
Signs you need a backup
- You've had water in the basement before
- The primary pump runs often in storms
- You finish or store valuables in the basement
- You travel during rainy seasons
What a good setup includes
- A separate backup pump in the pit
- A battery that's tested regularly
- A high-water alarm
- A phone alert if possible
Sump pump backups
Flood protection guide →Basement Watchdog Combo Primary + Battery Backup Sump Pump
Pairs a primary pump with a battery-powered backup in one assembly, a good choice if your current pump is aging.
Check price on AmazonWayne ESP25 Battery Backup Sump Pump
Adds a battery-powered pump alongside your existing one and takes over when power or the primary pump fails.
Check price on AmazonEcoFlow DELTA 3 (1,024Wh)
A portable battery that can keep your router and hub online through a short outage so alerts keep flowing.
Check price on Amazon05Know the limits — and ask about discounts
Every connected device depends on something that can fail. Plan for those gaps instead of assuming the app will always ping you.
| Weak point | What happens | Workaround |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi or internet goes down | Alerts stop reaching your phone | Choose devices that also sound locally; put the router on a battery backup |
| Power outage | Plug-in hubs and routers shut off | Battery backup for networking gear; battery-powered sensors |
| Dead batteries | Sensors go silent without much warning | Replace on a schedule; turn on low-battery notifications |
| Nobody responds | An alert arrives but you're traveling | Share alerts with a neighbor or family member who has a key |
| Company discontinues the product | App or cloud features may stop working | Favor devices that work locally and use common standards |
Free download
The smart home protection checklist
A room-by-room placement plan for sensors and alarms, plus a maintenance schedule so nothing goes quiet.
- Leak sensor placement map
- Freeze alert settings by room
- Smoke and CO alarm coverage check
- Battery and test schedule
- Questions for your insurer about discounts
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