North Olmsted, Ohio... Water damage can be catastrophic to the home building process when leaks occur and go unnoticed in an unoccupied home. To help construction and plumbing professionals protect their builds and renovations from potentially devastating leaks and other vulnerabilities in the plumbing system, Moen has launched new Local Mode for the Flo by Moen_™ Smart Water Shutoff – offering offline, on-site leak protection with no internet connection required.

The Flo by Moen Smart Water Shutoff connects to the home’s main water line and calculates pressure and flow rate within the home’s water supply system, as well as temperature of the surrounding area, to monitor for water leaks and fluctuations. While typically the device is connected to Wi-Fi, Local Mode allows the system to work offline to detect leaks and will automatically shut off water if a leak is suspected, a key benefit for new homes that do not have internet connections yet.

“Many job sites don’t have Wi-Fi up and running during the construction or renovation process,” says Suzy Street, product manager, digital & IoT, Moen. “With Local Mode, a Wi-Fi connection isn’t needed for the Smart Water Shutoff to be effective in helping prevent water damage. By installing the Smart Water Shutoff early in the construction process, professionals can now protect their new builds and major renovation projects from leaks every step of the way.”

How Local Mode Works

The new Flo by Moen Local Mode feature can help plumbers and builders protect against the unexpected by detecting pipe bursts or small leaks on their job sites. In Local Mode, the Smart Water Shutoff works offline and only requires pressurized pipes and AC power to function.

Plumbers can adjust the leak detection sensitivity level as needed to fit the property. If the device senses a potential leak based on the selected sensitivity, Flo by Moen will turn off the water to the home or job site to help prevent costly or potentially catastrophic damage.

Installation is made easy with the Flo by Moen Spacer Kits which allow plumbers to pre-plumb a home for a future Flo by Moen Smart Water Shutoff installation during the construction or renovation process.

Upon completion of the project, the homeowner can activate the Smart Water Shutoff’s full features once connected to Wi-Fi, including: daily health tests to check the home’s plumbing network for abnormalities, water temperature and pressure monitoring, the ability to turn the home’s water on/off remotely, and monitoring of water usage to help optimize savings.

Flo by Moen Smart Water Detector

Builders and plumbers can protect their projects even further against unforeseen environmental factors with Flo by Moen Smart Water Detectors. These discreet 3.5” sensors can be placed in areas of the home such as the basement, laundry room, attic or other areas that are susceptible to water damage by environmental factors or fixture malfunctions. The sensor enables users to identify not only when but also where water may be leaking in their builds or renovations to inhibit any possible damage.

When operating in Local Mode, the Smart Water Detector will sound an audible alert and blink if the device senses the presence of water – no connection to Wi-Fi necessary. The sensors are battery operated with a two-year battery life.

For additional information on Local Mode and the Flo by Moen Smart Water Security System, visit moen.com/flo.