Curious if anyone’s tried those smart water meters? Do they actually help you catch stuff like that before it gets out of hand?
I’ve wondered about those too. I’ve seen some new builds get them installed, but I’m not sure how sensitive they are to small leaks. Like, would a slow drip under the sink even register, or do you need something bigger to trigger an alert?
On a bigger scale, I keep thinking about how cities could actually incentivize people to use less water—like, if you could prove you fixed leaks or cut your usage, maybe you’d get a rebate or something. Not sure how practical that is, but it seems like it could motivate folks to pay more attention. Has anyone seen a city actually try that? Or is it mostly just higher rates for heavy users?
Like, would a slow drip under the sink even register, or do you need something bigger to trigger an alert?
I’ve got a Flume meter and it actually picked up a leaky toilet flapper once, but it missed a tiny drip under my kitchen sink. Seems like they’re better for stuff that’s more than just a trickle. As for rebates, my city only does higher rates if you go over a certain amount—no rewards for saving, which feels kinda backwards.
Seems like they’re better for stuff that’s more than just a trickle.
That’s been my experience too. I put in a Moen Flo when we moved in, and it’ll flag anything like a running toilet or if someone leaves the hose on, but those super slow drips under the sink? Not so much. I actually found one by accident while cleaning out under there—no alert, just a little puddle.
If you’re worried about those tiny leaks, I’d suggest putting a cheap water sensor (like those battery ones that beep) right under the pipes. They’re not smart-home fancy, but they’ll catch what the big meters miss.
As for city rebates, yeah, it’s weird how most places only penalize high use instead of rewarding low use. You’d think they’d want to encourage people to save. I track our usage out of habit now, but it’d be nice if there was some kind of bonus for being careful. Maybe someday…
If you’re worried about those tiny leaks, I’d suggest putting a cheap water sensor (like those battery ones that beep) right under the pipes.
That’s actually a great tip. We did something similar after finding a slow drip in our laundry room—just one of those $15 sensors from the hardware store. It’s not fancy, but it definitely gives peace of mind. I totally agree about the rebates too. It feels backwards that careful folks don’t get any kind of break. Maybe if enough people start asking for it, cities will catch on...
Honestly, those little sensors are underrated. I’ve seen way too many folks spend thousands fixing water damage that could’ve been caught early with a $20 gadget. As for rebates, it’s wild—cities love to talk conservation but rarely reward the people actually doing it. Feels like the incentives are always backwards...
