When it comes to protecting your home from water damage, there’s no device quite as reliant as a smart water monitor and leak detector. These ingenious little devices attach to your water meter and constantly gauge outflow rates, letting you know when any abnormalities arise.
Today, we’re going to look at two water monitor and leak detector systems made by Flume to determine which of the two is the better fit for your home. Spoiler alert: both of these devices are pretty awesome!
Flume
24/7 Monitoring
One of the most impressive things about the Flume is its constant monitoring. Whether you’re at home or out, Flume is constantly on the lookout for leaks and unusually high water usage. In the event that you’re either using more water than you normally would or there’s a leak somewhere in your pipes, the Flume will alert you via text messages, emails, or push notifications.
99.9% Precision
The Flume is programmed to be a highly sensitive device that can calculate leaks mere fractions of a gallon per minute. Flume claims that its sensors are 99.9% accurate, and based on customer responses, this seems to be the case. Many users found their Flumes could catch 0.02 gallons of water consumption every minute, even when all of the faucets were shut.
Extremely Easy Installation
Setting up the Flume is a no-brainer. The entire process takes under a minute, even if you’re not particularly handy. Just locate your water meter in your basement, strap the device around it, plug the Wi-Fi bridge into a nearby wall outlet, open a valve or faucet to give the Flume a good idea of the waterflow through your pipes, and you’re all done. For those who love fiddling around with electronics and going through dozens of steps to get their water monitor set up, this isn’t for you.
Programmable Periodic Water Usage Counters
One of the weirdest things about water is that it’s very easy to go overboard. With the Flume, you’ll never be shocked into silence by spiked water bills ever again. After downloading the app on your mobile device, you have the option to set daily, weekly, or monthly budgets. You’ll receive notifications on the app when you’ve approached your limit.
However, please note that the Flume and Flume 2 are simple water monitors and do not give you the option of shutting your water valve via the app. You’ll need to rely on a completely different wireless system to shut your water valves remotely.
Flume 2
Enhanced Look
In all honesty, the Flume and Flume 2 share the same specs. They both use Wi-Fi to send notifications to your phone, take less than a minute to set up, and offer the same level of customization. In short, the two are one and the same, though the Flume 2 does come with a few upgrades.
For starters, the Flume 2 is objectively more eye-pleasing than the original. The bridge doesn’t have strange antennas popping out, nor are there any wires that get in the way. In addition, the Flume 2 has a latch closure instead of fasteners to gain access to the batteries.
Longer-Lasting Battery
Both devices draw power from four AA batteries. By Flume’s estimates, the original water monitor can last for two years per set of batteries, which isn’t bad at all for a device that you’ll very rarely need to fiddle around with. As for the Flume 2, thanks to the improved radio frequency connection, it uses less power to run while also delivering the same level of consistent monitoring.
In addition, you can double the lifespan of the Flume 2’s battery pack by purchasing and installing a second battery pack alongside the first.
Backup Storage
Customers of the original Flume were frustrated with how the device couldn’t back up data in the event of power outages. This problem was solved with the release of the Flume 2—everything that it records is automatically stored into the app for future access. When the power comes back on and your internet is up and running, the Flume 2 will automatically compare the before and after of water consumption without missing a beat.
Farther Connectivity Range
The final most significant difference between the Flume and Flume 2 is that the latter has an increased connectivity range between the sensor and bridge. In many cases, customers could leave the sensor in their basement while the bridge sat comfortably in the living room. This is definitely a nice addition for those whose basements are exposed to heightened moisture levels during the spring and winter seasons.
Flume Water Monitor
Flume 2 Smart Home WiFi Water Monitor and Leak Detector
