What we watch · Water
Water is patient. It only needs you to not be looking.
Water damage was the most common failure type in our October 2024 survey — 42% of operators had dealt with leaks or moisture issues. We learned it the harder way.
What an invisible leak looks like
In September 2022, an underground leak at our own Port Stanley rental moved 2.4 million litres through the meter in one month — about 80,000 litres a day — with nothing visible from inside the house. The bill was $14,811.25. A second leak the following year brought the total past $21,000. The bills are on our story page.
How we watch water
A flow meter on the water main measures consumption continuously, so abnormal flow is visible as a pattern, not a surprise on a bill. Leak sensors sit at the named suspects — water heater, laundry, under-sink, sump. Where the property has a shutoff valve, it can close automatically at the device level the moment a leak is sensed.
Where the human comes in
Flow data is ambiguous on purpose: a hot tub fill and a burst line can look similar for the first ten minutes. A trained person reviews every abnormal water signal against the property's context — occupancy, season, history — and escalates only what's real. When it is real, you get a call with a recommendation, and with your authorization, a plumber is dispatched. Per incident, our survey put average direct costs at $1,000–1,500; the entire point is to catch problems while they cost less than that.
Install photo — flow meter and leak sensor placement