Saved by the Sensor Alarm
One night recently, my wife and I were sitting in the living room watching the first episode of the Rings of Power series on Amazon. We were startled when a loud alarm sound went off, coming from a camera/hub sitting on a bookcase.
At first, we looked at each other, wondering what was going on. Then I got a message on my Apple Watch telling me that there was a water sensor alarm coming from the sensor in the utility room behind the washer.
I jumped up and moved briskly to the utility room. I discovered a leak from one of the washer water hose connections that was steadily dripping onto the floor. I turned the water off to the connection. The next morning I went to the hardware store and bought new heavy-duty hoses and the problem was fixed.
If it were not for the sensor alarm, we probably would not have discovered the leak until the next day. By that time, the utility room would have been flooded. It would have caused the loss or damage to many items we had on the floor of the utility room. It would have also been a huge amount of work to clean up.
What Motivated Me to Act and Install Water Sensors?
In July 2022, David Sparks (aka MacSparky) released a video in his MacSparky Labs Membership Program about his use of Aqara water sensors in his home. After watching the video, I thought, “That’s a good idea, I should do it.” But I did nothing.
A couple of weeks later, my wife and I went on an overnight trip to Prescott, AZ to get out of the heat of the Phoenix area and enjoy the town. Early the next morning, I took my iPad down to the breakfast area, where I got a cup of coffee and settled into my iPad-based morning routine.
After refilling my coffee, I noticed an older woman sitting close to where I had been sitting. I asked where she was from, and she told me she was from Prescott. She said that she’d been at the hotel for over two months, waiting for her home to be repaired. She’d suffered a water leak while she had been gone overnight, and it had caused thousands of dollars of damage and made her home unlivable.
I saw she had an iPhone and asked her if she knew about water sensors. She did not. I told her about the Aqara sensors and how she could set them up to work on the Home app. Later, I followed up with an email containing some articles and videos about using water sensors.
I admitted to her that although I was telling her about them and urging her to get some, that I had not done so myself! After hearing her story of disaster, I was resolved to do some more research when we got home, then purchase and install some sensors.
Buying Water Sensors and a Hub
After returning from our trip, I found some very helpful YouTube videos about using Aqara water sensors. In addition to the video in MacSparky Labs, these included “The BEST Aqara Hub for your Smart Home!,” and “HomeKit Water Leak Sensor – Aqara Water Leak Sensor Setup & Review.” An excellent comprehensive video that shows you how to set everything up is Everything You Need With The Aqara G3 Camera Hub!
The Aqara sensors require a hub to work with Apple HomeKit. I decided to buy the Aqara 2K Security Indoor Camera Hub G3 ($109), which also doubles as a camera and audible alarm. If you choose to buy the G3 Hub, there’s a very detailed YouTube video, “Everything You Need With The Aqara G3 Camera Hub!” that will walk you through the process of setting up the Hub, sensors, and camera controls. The Hub G3 comes with cat ears. They’re easily removed if you wish, but my wife thinks they’re cute.
You could also buy a dedicated hub for less money, such as the wifi-connected Aqara Smart Hub M1S Plus Aqara Water Leak Sensors ($63.99). There’s also a version that has an ethernet connection: Aqara Smart Hub M2 ($59.99).
The sensors themselves are fairly inexpensive. A single Aqara Water Leak Sensor cost me $18.99. There is also a 3 pack available: Aqara Water Leak Sensor Kit – 3 Pack ($54.99).
When I ordered my system, Amazon had everything in stock. I had all the components within a couple of days, and I was able to set it up. The total cost for the G3 Hub/Camera and 5 water sensors was less than $200.
Setup and Locations of Sensors
I bought the G3 Hub with the camera. After experimenting, I placed it on a bookshelf in my living room where it could see my front door, back doors and down the hallway to the bedrooms.
I purchased 5 water sensors. One went between the vanity and the toilet in each of our two bathrooms, one went under the kitchen sink, one went under the washer hoses, and one went next to the water heater. I’m considering buying another one to place under the refrigerator, since it has a water connection.
To set them up, I first activated and set up the Hub and camera unit. I downloaded the Aqara app to my iPhone and registered. Once that was done, I took MacSparky’s advice and marked each sensor with a Sharpie permanent marker listing its location.
The next step is to tap on the “+” in the upper-right corner of the app. This brings up a scrolling page that allows you to choose the accessory you wish to add. Once you tap on the accessory (water sensor), the app will walk you through the setup process. You’ll have to bring the sensor close to the hub and firmly press it to get a connection.
There’s also a process for connecting your Aqara Hub and devices to Apple HomeKit. The process kept failing for me until I restarted the Hub, after which it connected.
Just Do It!
When I first learned about water sensors, I procrastinated purchasing and installing them. I knew it was a great idea, but didn’t act on it.
It wasn’t until I spoke with the lady at the hotel who had her home devastated by an undetected leak that I decided to act. I followed through by purchasing the items I needed and setting up the system. As a result, when a faucet in my utility room started dripping, the water sensor alarm saved me money and time.
I hope the story of the woman’s water disaster in her home motivates you to act, as it did me. We’ve all either had flooding in our homes or know of others who have. It’s fairly common.
Just do it! Invest a little time and money to buy some water sensors and a hub and get it set up. It may save your butt someday. At a minimum, it will give you peace of mind knowing that if there is a problem, you’ll receive an alarm and can act quickly to prevent further damage.