By: Frank Engelman | Posted: August 6, 2021 | Updated: April 18, 2023
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The Problem to be Solved
Forget to Turn Water Off
As people grow older they often become somewhat forgetful. We start to worry about questions like “Did I leave the water running?” How do we make it so these sorts of questions are not things that we need to worry about?
I was worried about water leaks and about forgetting to turn off the water, so I installed an auto shut off faucet and a water leak sensor. Here is how to do it.
Who left that water running?
A touchless faucet in the kitchen is not only convenient, especially if your hands are dirty, but also includes an automatic shutoff for those who may be forgetful and leave the faucet running.
Since it was time to replace my old faucet, I thought it would be a great time to upgrade to a faucet with ease of use and handling the problem of forgetting to turn it off.
Caption: touchless faucet
Unfortunately, my kitchen faucet had a pull-out-type sprayer on the regular faucet versus a stand-alone sprayer so I couldn’t use a screw on adapter as I did in the bathroom. [See our article on the Smart Bathroom for the screw-on touchless faucet.]
The hardest part of installing a complete faucet is removing the old unit. Mine required a special tool that looked a lot like the old spark plug wrenches and it’s really no fun getting under the sink especially if it’s cramped with a garbage disposal.
See the exact product(s) I used in the Smart Kitchen Kit List (Sink Minder Kit List section).
Other than convenience, I needed to replace my faucet due to unnoticed water leaks which brings me up to my next feature, water leak sensors.
I suggest you add them around all sinks and appliances that have a water connection. In the Smart Kitchen Kit List you will find one that can be used to send a verbal message through Alexa if a leak is detected and also a notification to a family caregiver. I show two models in the kit.
Caption: leak sensor
The first type contains a long water-sensitive cable that is useful if you have a large area to cover or need to slide it under an appliance. The second type is easier to place in an area of “known leaks” such as under a drainpipe.
See the exact product(s) I used in the Smart Kitchen Kit List (Sink Minder Kit List section).
Leak Sensors: Useful Everywhere
Although the water leak sensor was only used under the kitchen sink in this “kitchen focused” article, I suggest you add water leak sensors under the fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, bathroom and near the water heater. I have family members who have experienced expensive floor repairs due to leaking appliances.
Sink Minder Feature
The Sink Minder Feature is designed to alert you if and when there is a water leak.
To Implement the Sink Minder Feature:
Add routines for leak sensor from YoLink
See a “sample” Alexa routine for this in the Smart Kitchen Kit List (Sink Minder Kit List section).
Caption: Sample Routine
*Disclosure: The research and opinions in this article are those of the author, and may or may not reflect the official views of Tech-enhanced Life.
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Retired Intel Engineer wanting to share DIY technology tips for the children of parents wanting to remain living independently. I like posting ideas and answering technical questions. If a product or software has an issue making it hard for seniors to use, I try to offer workarounds and also try to contact the manufacturer for solutions. I write a column for this website in the Innovation- Homebrew Solutions & Ideas section
