geo has unveiled a solution that will significantly reduce the risk and cost of water damage following leaks and flooding. WaterLock is a connected leak detection and water shut-off system that is powerful enough not only to detect standing water, but excess humidity and freezing conditions too, and will automatically close the mains water supply to minimise damage.
Despite the insurance industry paying out £2.5 million every day to policy holders in the UK alone for escape of water claims, this covers less than half the actual cost to consumers. WaterLock, therefore, is said to provide consumers with peace of mind, ensuring that even if they are away from home, the system will detect leaks and take action to avoid or minimise damage.
WaterLock is based on smart technology that has been designed by geo’s team of home energy specialists. It uses sensors to test for changes in humidity and temperature levels or the presence of standing water. If it detects a potential risk, geo’s Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS) approved stopcock and control system will take action.
The system connects wirelessly to the WaterLock Hub and the cloud, allowing it to be activated from inside and outside the home. Consumers can access a user-friendly app on their smartphone to simply manage the water supply and remotely open and close the stopcock, check system status reporting and share the information with a group, so that in a rented house, for example, both the landlord and tenants receive notifications.
The WaterLock sensors, hub and stopcock connect wirelessly using long-range 868 MHz wireless communication, which means the product lends itself well to larger properties or those with outbuildings where higher-frequency wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and ZigBee struggle. In addition, WaterLock can supply data over a home’s broadband connection directly to insurance companies and property management organisations with the user’s permission.
“There are some obvious cost and hassle saving benefits to consumers using WaterLock,” commented Patrick Caiger-Smith, CEO at geo. “However, we have also designed the solution very much with the insurance industry in mind. The constant, connected risk assessment and data gathering that goes hand in hand with WaterLock means that the incidence of damage from water loss is vastly reduced. This, in turn should reduce risk for the insurer and lower premiums for the customer.”
Visitors to EUW will be able to see demonstrations of WaterLock on geo’s stand at EUW (3A51).
