Back-to-school season has a funny way of making the entire family feel like they’re constantly coming or going. There are school drop-offs, workdays, practices, appointments, grocery runs and the occasional frantic trip back home for the lunchbox sitting on the kitchen counter.
Once the school year gets into full swing, your house may also be empty for longer stretches of the day. And while locking the doors and checking the security system might already be part of your routine, there’s another part of the home that deserves some attention: your water.
A small plumbing problem doesn’t necessarily wait until someone is home to notice it. That’s where smart home technology like the Moen Flo Shutoff can add another layer of protection.
The Home Security Issue We Don’t Always Think About
When we hear “home security,” most of us immediately think about doors, locks, cameras and alarm systems. Protecting a home from damage, however, goes beyond keeping unwanted visitors out.
Water leaks can start quietly. A slow leak somewhere in your plumbing may not announce itself until there’s visible damage, and a more serious plumbing problem can become a much bigger headache when no one is home to catch it.
The Moen Flo Shutoff is installed on a home’s main water line and constantly monitors the pressure and flow rate of water moving through the pipes. It can detect leaks as small as a single drop per minute.
That means your plumbing doesn’t have to be completely out of sight and out of mind just because you’re away from home.
It Learns What’s Normal for Your House
Every family’s water habits are different. Morning showers, laundry, dishwasher cycles and the nightly rush to get everyone ready for bed all create a pattern.
Using FloSense Technology, the Moen Flo Shutoff learns a home’s typical water usage patterns so it can recognize activity that doesn’t look quite right. If it detects something abnormal, such as unexpected running water or a small leak, the system can take action.
Most importantly, the device isn’t limited to simply telling you that there’s a problem. When necessary, it can automatically shut off the home’s water supply to help prevent further damage.
For parents already juggling approximately 47 things at any given moment, that’s the kind of smart home feature that actually feels useful.
You Can Know What’s Happening Even When You’re Not Home
Imagine you’re sitting in the school pickup line when you receive an alert that something unusual is happening with the water at home.
Instead of wondering whether you’ll return to a plumbing disaster, the Moen Flo Shutoff can send real-time notifications about potential leaks through the app, as well as by phone call and email.
Through the Moen Smart Water App, homeowners can also monitor and control their water remotely. If something doesn’t look right, you don’t necessarily have to be standing next to the main water valve to do something about it.
It’s especially useful during the school year when families may spend hours away from home between work, school, sports and after-school activities.
Even Tiny Leaks Matter
Not every plumbing problem begins with water pouring through the ceiling.
Some leaks are much less dramatic, which also makes them easier to overlook. The Moen Flo Shutoff performs daily microleak tests and is designed to identify leaks as small as a single drop per minute.
Catching those smaller problems can give homeowners a chance to investigate before a minor issue has time to become something much larger.
The system can also alert homeowners when it detects freezing conditions, giving families another opportunity to act before vulnerable plumbing potentially becomes a bigger problem.
Another Benefit: Seeing Where Your Water Goes
The system isn’t only about emergencies. It can also give families a better look at how they’re using water throughout the home.
That can be especially interesting once everyone settles into a new school-year routine. Maybe the kids’ “five-minute showers” aren’t quite five minutes. Maybe a fixture is using water when it shouldn’t be. Or maybe there’s water being wasted somewhere that no one realized was happening.
By monitoring household water use and identifying leaks, the system can help homeowners spot unnecessary water consumption and set conservation goals.
It’s a practical way to make the home a little smarter while potentially wasting less water in the process.
## Don’t Forget to Check With Your Home Insurance Company
Here’s another potential benefit that’s easy to overlook: having a Moen Flo Shutoff may help you save on your homeowners insurance. According to Moen, many homeowners may qualify for a discount or rebate from their insurance carrier for having an automatic water shutoff device installed, with some policyholders receiving up to $200 back. Discounts and eligibility vary by insurance carrier and policy, so it’s worth contacting your insurance provider to see what’s available.
Moen also provides an Insurance Verification Letter that Flo Shutoff owners can submit to their insurance carrier as proof that their home’s water supply line is being proactively monitored and protected.
One Less Thing to Worry About During a Busy Season
Back-to-school organization usually focuses on what’s leaving the house each morning. Backpacks? Check. Lunches? Check. Homework? Hopefully.
But this is also a good time to think about what’s protecting the house while everyone is gone.
The Moen Flo Shutoff adds a different kind of protection to a smart home by monitoring what’s happening inside the plumbing system, alerting homeowners when something looks wrong and, when needed, automatically shutting off the water.
Because if there’s one thing no parent wants to add to an already packed school-week schedule, it’s coming home to an unexpected water emergency.
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