SMART WATER ASSISTANT

With one smart plumbing device under your kitchen sink, you can monitor all your home’s plumbing fixtures and water usage. When you connect the new Kohler H2Wise device to your hot and cold water pipes, it monitors water pressure, learns your wateruse habits and looks for unusual changes through the day.

The Kohler device uses technology developed by Phyn, a subsidiary of consumer electronics giant Belkin International. Phyn developed a leak-detection technology that uses ultrasonic sensors to sample a plumbing system’s pressure

240 times every second. The goal is to empower homeowners with information that can help them reduce water use and prevent major damage if a leak occurs.

As the Kohler H2Wise runs its diagnostic tests, it can alert you of water leaks—even small ones. It can also inform you of blockages and send you freeze warnings so you can protect your pipes. The H2Wise system ($300) is simple to install under a kitchen sink as long as a dedicated electrical outlet is nearby. Kohler’s H2Wise+ system ($500) is a device that a plumber installs on your home’s main water line. It also monitors water use and can shut off the water to your home in an emergency. Both products are available online and at home centers.