Prevent Clean Water Damage with WaterCop Automatic Water Shut-Off Systems
As seen in Plumbing & Heating Contractor News, September/October 2003
Every contractor has in-depth experience repairing leaks that have resulted in water damage to a residential or commercial property.
The most common types of leaks are caused by water heater failures, washing machine hose ruptures, dishwasher and toilet fitting problems, and of course frozen and burst pipes. These types of plumbing problems are often disastrous to property owners.
Until recently, the only answer for property owners was to make a claim with their insurance company and then have teams of plumbing, remodeling, and water remediation experts repair the damage.
Today, making a claim such as this marks property owners as prime targets for non-renewal with their insurance providers. Many insurers are frequently dropping customers who file one or more claims, especially water damage claims that can indicate poor maintenance practices or the potential for future mold growth. Homeowners are especially at risk in these types of claims.
Obtaining adequate home insurance after making a claim is becoming more and more difficult and increasingly expensive. This is especially true if there is a history of claims by the property owner or on the property itself as reported by C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange), a database used by insurers to help measure property loss and risk factors.
WaterCop has an answer
"WaterCop is insurance for your insurance," says William Sasser, an attorney who owns three homes and says he spends time away from all of them. "I experienced water damage at my Florida home and had trouble with insurance. Then, I found WaterCop through a suggestion from my agent. I wish I had known about this device earlier. Now all of my homes are protected by WaterCop systems."
The patented WaterCop system detects water accumulation caused by common plumbing leaks and automatically closes a valve on the main supply line to prevent further flooding from within the home.
The system employs a network of wireless water sensors placed near known leak sources such as washing machines, water heaters, dishwashers, icemakers, and toilets. When leaking water accumulates and comes into contact with one of the WaterCop sensors, a wireless signal alerts the automatic ball valve to close.
The WaterCop uses a full port brass ball valve of industrial quality and is operated by a compact, heavy-duty, electric actuator. The system is available in several valve sizes. The ball valve carries a lifetime guarantee and the actuator and electronics are warranted for 3 years. WaterCop is listed with IAPMO and complies with UPC.
The name WaterCop was conceived by a marketing executive of a longtime industrial valve manufacturer, DynaQuip Controls Corporation.
Rodney Bryan, Jr. vice president of sales and marketing for DynaQuip Controls explains, "After experiencing a devastating water heater leak in our family vacation home I decided that it was time to package our existing automated valves with some common water sensors and additional electronic elements. Every year, more than a million homes are wrecked and valuables and property lost…we make valves that can help prevent this."
Bryan and one of his key design engineers, Mike Purvis, immediately went to work assembling a valve automation system that could accurately detect common types of residential plumbing leaks and shut them down before they became water catastrophes.
According to Purvis, "All of the key elements to a system such as ours were readily available in the current marketplace; water sensors, electronics, and DynaQuip automated valves of course! Actually, similar systems have existed in industrial and irrigation applications for decades."
Installation is simple
Installing a WaterCop valve is only slightly different than installing a regular ball valve in that a space accommodation must be made for the compact electric actuator. The basic brass ball valve can be installed by contractors at rough-in on new construction. Then, the contractor or the homeowner can easily install the electric actuator and sensor network, without tools, at a later date near completion of the home.
For existing retrofit applications WaterCop can simply be added as an additional main shut-off with a couple of simple cuts and some solder cup, compression, or union fittings. Installation may take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on the ease of access to the shut-off valve location and the type of building construction.
"In our area, water heaters are often located in second or third floor attics. We recently completed a $250,000 remediation project on a home damaged by a water heater leak", says Don McIver, of Pugliese & Associates, a high end custom homebuilder in Kiawah Island, SC. "Our customers are now demanding as much protection as possible and WaterCop systems are standard on every home we build. If you are building a new home it is almost negligent if you do not install a WaterCop."
Added sales and profits
Contractors now have another tool that they can carry in their truck that can provide them with added sales and profits. WaterCop systems are a prime product for annual service contracts and can help bolster a professional long term relationship with property owners.
Now when contractors enter a property to repair plumbing problems that caused water damage they can offer and install WaterCop protection against the future chances of clean water flooding.
"The WaterCop is a great addition to our product offerings," states Ed Craft, Sales Manager with Kinetico Water Pros in Eagle, CO. "In an area where 50% of the housing has absentee owners, the WaterCop has application in virtually every home here in the Rockies, I'm just glad to have found such a beneficial product."
WaterCop is manufactured in the U.S.A. by DynaQuip Controls Corporation, a leader in industrial valve automation and fluid control products. DynaQuip Controls is family owned and operated company and has been manufacturing premium quality products for over 65 years.
Previous Page
|
