Frequently Asked Questions & Detailed Information

Water Hero can pay for itself by discovering just one leak and Water Hero has seen a payback as soon as six weeks after installation. Water Hero alerts you to water leaks so you catch them early, saving money on your water bill.

Many Water Hero customers install our product after a “surprise” water bill where a leak drove up their costs by thousands of dollars.  60% of users catch a non-damaging leak within the first year.

Many Water Hero customers receive reductions in homeowner’s insurance premiums after installing Water Hero in their homes.  Each insurance agency has its own policies and rebates. We encourage you to contact your insurance agency to see if they can offer you an insurance discount. We can provide the necessary owners certificates and other documentation required.

Water Hero measures time of continuous flow.  If water is running for too long, it senses a leak and shuts off the water.  The user is in control of the amount of time by adjusting set points on our web dashboard or mobile app. The benefit of this (over Artificial Intelligence) is keeping control in the users hands to lower false positives and keep you (not a computer) in control of whether your water gets shut off.

Water Hero is (1) a whole home system (2) uses reliable, standard plumbing components and (3) is totally user configurable.

Traditional leak detectors or moisture sensors rely on sensors placed around your whole home and trip an alert if moisture hits those sensors. You’ll likely need 10-15 sensors and some “luck” that a pipe bursts near a sensor to protect a typical home.  Water Hero is a next generation whole home system that uses flow to detect leaks rather than sensors.

Water Hero uses standard plumbing products cut into the pipe including unions, a motorized stainless steel ball valve and a traditional brass water meter built to AWWA (American Water Works Association) standards. Our electronics fasten on top of this traditional  meter and make it “smart.”   Plumbers like that old, proven, plumber-friendly technology gets plumbed into the pipes, with new technology outside of the pipes for easy repair and maintenance, if required.

Water Hero is user configurable to enable the user to control how they’d like their settings to be. This places full control in the hands of the homeowners, lowering the number of false positives while ensuring that homes are protected.

The Water Hero P-100 comes with our standard plumbing components that are cut into the pipe – a water meter, unions, and a motorized stainless steel ball valve – these have NPT, threaded fittings for a simple installation.  It also comes with the Water Hero Electronics & Cables – the Water Hero Main Controller, Sensor, Sensor Cable, Ethernet Cable, and Power Supply.

The Water Hero K-100 straps on to an existing water meter on the street or in your home. The trade-off is that it is a non-invasive installation (not requiring a plumber) but it can not shut off the water. Call 877-662-4496 or e-mail info@waterheroinc.com to learn more about the Water Hero K-100.

Water Hero provides a 5 Volt power adapter, valve cord and Ethernet cord, each of which are 6’ long.  All cables can be extended if needed.  Water Hero needs to be plugged into a standard outlet to operate.

Yes, there is a manual override on the motorized ball valve as well as a button that you can press on the main controller to exercise the valve with the motor.

Water Hero P-100 is offered in ¾”, 1″, 1.5″ and 2″ sizes.  Please call us at 877-662-4496 if you’d like to order the 1.5″ or 2″ P-100 units.

All wetted components are NSF-61-G Certified Lead Free and safe for drinking water.  Water Hero is certified in the state of Massachussetts.

Water Hero has a one year warranty.

Water Hero currently only connects over WiFi. A hardwired version that can cable directly into a router or modem is under development.  Please contact us to be put on the waiting list to be notified when this version is available.

Water Hero is primarily a leak detection device. It also provides very useful water usage data that helps find non-damaging, but costly leaks such as running toilets.  The accuracy of Water Hero flow readings are typically within 10% of exact usage, but please don’t rely on Water Hero as an exact water measurement device.

As new features are developed, you will have the option to upgrade your plan to have access to these new features.  These new features can be conveniently added to your device via over the air updates.  

Water Hero can notify one mobile phone number and one e-mail for leak and temperature alerts.  If you want multiple emails notified, you can use a group email that you can configure with your email provided to go to multiple emails.  

Yes, more than one Water Hero be connected to one account.

If the power goes out, the Water Hero starts processing all water flow data locally.  Automatic shut-off occurs based on the last input settings in the device.  The rechargeable backup battery can power your system for several days. When Power and/or WiFi goes back up Water Hero automatically connects back to the internet, starts accepting power and is then controllable over the internet.

Water Hero’s main controller unit has dry contact terminals that allow it to be hard-wired to a home security system panel that has spare terminals. We do not integrate with other smart home devices like Alexa or Nest at this time, but it is on our technology development roadmap.

Water Hero does not integrate with other leak sensors – whole home leak detection is generally considered the most robust option.

Not at this time, but we are close to developing this feature as an upgrade option.

Water Hero is designed for leak detection.  Please consult with Water Hero directly to discuss if this is a requirement for your system.

Water Hero has a list of 100+ Authorized Installers who receive benefits such as being pushed Water Hero Installation Jobs.  Please reach out to Water Hero directly to participate in our training and installation program in order to become an Authorized Installer.

Water Hero is installed by cutting the water meter, unions and motorized ball valve into the pipe right where the water enters the home.  Note that Water Hero should be installed after a fire suppression system.  Typically, Water Hero is also installed after an irrigation system to enable more sensitive set-points for water leak detection. Please contact us to discuss options for installing before your irrigation system. 

Water Hero can only be installed outside, above ground only, in climates that are above freezing year-round, with our optional outdoor install kit.  This kit includes a sealed sensor cap that mounts on our smart meter and an enclosure box to protect our main controller unit from water such as rain or lawn irrigation. IMPORTANT NOTE: these units are not freeze proof, and will break if subjected to freezing temperatures, voiding your warranty. 

The Water Hero P-100 comes with its own water meter and motorized ball valve and has nothing to do with your existing utility meter. You install Water Hero where water first enters your home, typically a basement, so it can certainly work for you!

Water Hero installation must comply with federal, state and local requirements.  Water Hero can be installed in the US and Canada and has the necessary certifications required for installation in Massachusetts.

Yes, Water Hero offers units for 2″, 1.5″, 1” and ¾” pipe sizes.  Please contact us for details on our 2″ and 1.5″ units.

Water Hero is connected to your home network with a laptop or smart phone.  Water Hero emits a wireless network that you connect your phone or laptop too. Then, you point your home WiFi network to connect with the Water Hero network and follow the procedure to get it on the internet. It is similar to connecting any other smart home device and is detailed in our manual and quick start guide above.

If your home WiFi doesn’t reach the Water Hero, you can purchase a cheap range extender and plug it in nearby where your Water Hero will be installed. We recommend the Netgear EX2700, which retails for under $30.