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.

The post Back to School, Back to Busy: The Smart Way to Protect Your Home From Water Damage appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Summer is finally here and the last thing that you want to be doing is spending all of your time in the kitchen! Get ready for five products to make cooking and cleaning a breeze.

First thing first, lets start this like I start every day, with coffee!  There is nothing wrong with the good old fashion coffee pot, except when everyone in your house likes different drinks!  From light roast to dark roast coffee drinkers, tea to hot chocolate my family has it all.  Instead of the hassle of strategically scheduling the coffee pot and shelves of various types beans, boxes, and cans, try a Keurig Brew Station.  The Keurig K-Cup Single Cup Brewer is the mess-free way to brew a single cup of your favorite hot or iced drink.  Pop in a K-Cup of your favorite coffee, tea or cocoa, and in less than a minute you have the perfect cup of your favorite beverage!  With Keurig’s huge selection of different K-Cups you are sure to find the perfect one for everyone in your house.  As someone who recently moved from the Minnesota to New York, I love that I can still enjoy my favorite coffee shop, Caribou Coffee, in K-Cups available right on the Keurig website, http://www.keurig.com/KCupSystem

Ok, now that we have caffeinate under control, let’s move on to food!  My go to speedy kitchen mini-appliance is definitely my food processor.  I use it for super fast salsa, soups, chopping veggies and my favorite summer snack: hummus!  My beloved food processor is at the end of its life so I am in the market for a new one and the KitchenAid Architect™ Series 13-Cup Food Processor in Candy Apple Red is at the top of my list!  What is so special about this food processor (other than the super cute color)?  It has the first-ever externally adjustable slicing level, so you don’t have the fuss with the messy blades to change from thick to thin slicing!  Check it out here: http://www.kitchenaid.com/shop/-[KFP1344CA]-403903/KFP1344CA/

Want a basic hummus recipe?

Ingredients:

• 1 16oz. of chickpeas (reserve the liquid from the can)
• 4 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Throw all of the ingredients in your food processor, with the blade on a fine setting, and blend until smooth.  Add the chickpea liquid to adjust the consistency, if needed.

Once you have mastered the basic hummus, try adding new ingredients to mix it up.  My favorite combo is jalapeños, cilantro and lime juice!

Has the idea of smoking your own meat sounded like fun “in theory” but a nightmare in practice?  The Orion Cooker produces tender, fresh smoked meat with that slow-cooked taste at an unbelievably quick speed.  This outdoor charcoal grill is small, portable, and super easy to use.  Simply load the cooker, light it and you are free to go enjoy the summer!  This would be perfect for a hassle-free main dish for a backyard party, your guests will be awed and your can spend your time enjoying the party rather than being stuck in the kitchen.  Try these “Hush Yo’ Mouth Baby Back Ribs” or check out one of their other recipes at http://www.theorioncooker.com 

Hush Yo’ Mouth Baby Back Ribs

Preparation Time: 1hr 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• Baby Back Ribs (1-6 racks)
• Cayenne Pepper (1 tsp)
• Orion’s Dry Rub Garlic (2 cloves)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (1 cup)
• Salt (to taste)
• Ketchup (1 cup)
• Mustard (5 tbsp)

Cooking Instructions:

Remove the ribs from the package, rinse, and pat dry. Apply Orion’s Dry Rub evenly. Affix the ribs to the rib hangers and place in the cooker. Then, fire up your Orion Cooker and cook for 1 hour 15 mins*, or until done. Best if cooked with mesquite chips.

Barbecue Sauce (optional): Mix vinegar, ketchup, and mustard until it’s a light orange color. Add the cayenne pepper, garlic, salt and Tabasco sauce to taste. Apply before and after cooking.

Additional Comments:

*This time is for six racks of ribs. For fewer ribs the time will be less.

Now it is time for some help with the clean up.  There are few things more annoying than wasting time washing the faucet after getting it messy trying to turn it on with dirty hands, that’s why I am obsessed with the Moen Motion Sense Arbor Faucet!  This touch-free unit is the perfect solution to the messy-hand situation or when you have your hands full.  The sleek design and cool finish of the Oil-Rubbed Bronze complements almost any style of kitchen!  http://www.moen.com/arbor-with-motionsense/oil-rubbed-bronze-one-handle-high-arc-pulldown-kitchen-faucet/_/R-CONSUMER%3A7594EORB 

Finally, if you want some serious cleaning done but you’re not a big fan of elbow grease, there is nothing better than the Shark Sonic Dou floor cleaner.  Watch the scrubbing pads do the hard work for you, cleaning your floors like nothing else.  This one device will take care of just about every floor in your house including wood, hardwood, stone, vinyl & tile, carpets and rugs.  Spend less time scrubbing and more time with your feet up, enjoying a nice summer drink!  http://www.sharkclean.com/shark-sonic-duo/ 

The post It’s All in a Days Work… 5 Hot Products for the Home! appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.