Is your home flood proof? Security systems can now detect leaks, prevent damage

(NC)—Over the years most homeowners can expect to experience at least one form of water damage to their home. It could be their washing machine hose that splits, their pipes that freeze and burst, the dishwasher that leaks, toilet that overflows, or water heater that fails.

Any one of these conditions can lead to expensive property damage, and destruction of personal belongings such as photographs, furniture or computer data – items that are often irreplaceable.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, more than seven times as many insurance claims are caused by water damage and freezing (17 per cent) than by theft (2 per cent). Of those water related claims, 60 per cent were caused by faulty indoor appliances or plumbing leaks, 25 per cent were caused by heavy rain or flooding and 11 per cent caused by sewers or sump-pumps that overflowed.

Preventing a water leak from causing extensive damage is even more crucial now with the trend towards homeowners investing thousands of dollars in their basements creating home theatres, play rooms, guest rooms and laundry rooms.

These flooding events can lead to several inconveniences and unexpected costs such as having to relocate while the problem is cleaned up (in severe cases), having to replace damaged items and most importantly dealing with the health problems from the mold and mildew caused by the water damage.

“Flooding events often go undetected for hours causing extensive damage to your home and personal belongings,” said Patrice De Luca, vice president of marketing and business development for Reliance Protectron Security Services, a leader in home security services who offer, among their suite of products and services, affordable solutions to help thwart the threat of water damage.

According to De Luca today's security systems are capable of monitoring much more than just intrusion detection devices like motion detectors, door/window contacts and glassbreaks. Flood sensors, water flow switches, temperature sensors and many other devices can be installed and linked to a remote monitoring centre that protects homes 24 hours a day to help minimize and, if detected early enough (like for a sump pump with a high water level sensor), prevent losses due to environmental factors with specially trained professional operators standing by and dispatching appropriate emergency services if required.

De Luca says “the latest technology in security systems (when monitored by a professional monitoring centre) can even allow for the monitoring and detection of water damage in your home from a distance by wireless transmission (TeleGARD) on your cell phone or PC at work for example.” More information on protecting your home while you're away is available online at www.protectron.com.

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