While leaks can occur at any time, extended periods of cold are the biggest challenge. ProtectYourPipes.org outlines several good suggestions to avoid frozen pipes. The cheapest and easiest way to avoid major problems with frozen pipes is to turn off the water supply when you are not home.
See the water leak detection devices that are best sellers on Amazon.com HERE. Some devices will allow you to shut off the water via an app.
Name-brand systems such as Nest, SimpliSafe, and Blink also offer options to detect water leaks and notify you.
Affordable hardware and software are now readily available to detect water links and even turn water supply valves on or off using apps on your phone. For property owners who do not live at Wintergreen full-time, these systems can be a wise investment–especially on our mountain where low temperatures can be extreme.
Small water leaks can become big problems, especially in homes unoccupied for extended periods. What would have been a minor repair can end up costing tens of thousands of dollars and taking months to repair if not found quickly.
It's not just a problem for our owners but also guests, our water utilities, and, in condos and townhomes, your neighbors. Unoccupied residences with burst pipes can go undetected for days, weeks, and sometimes months. These leaks strain our community’s resources and can lead to water outages that impact everyone. Small leaks that become major issues can even impact the water supply available to fight fire.
The capacity of the water systems here are not unlimited. On the mountain, for example, while the Nelson County Service Authority maintains significant potable water storage on the mountain undetected leaks can draw down these resources, requiring NCSA to produce more drinking water to compensate for increased usage and loss. In extreme cases, major leaks can exceed NCSA’s ability to produce water, dropping water storage levels and causing outages.
“For property owners who do not live at Wintergreen full-time, these systems can be a wise investment–especially on our mountain where low temperatures can be extreme.”
Technical solutions are now readily available and affordable. The water leak detection technology ranges in price and sophistication. Some are very simple, while others require professional installation. All of them are better than nothing.