Under Sink Leak Detectors

Under sink leak detectors are a simple and affordable way to prevent a household mold problem that could end up costing you thousands of dollars. Most people don’t look under their sinks every day, especially sinks with cupboards underneath. It could be days or weeks before a small water leak is discovered and by then, you may discover a lot of slimy mold along with some water.

A leak detector lets you know right away when there is a leak under a sink. We’ll explain how it works, let you know why early detection of a leak is so important, and tell you which leak detector we recommend for use under sinks.

How Do Water Leak Detectors Work?

Under sink leak detectors have sensors that detect water. Most are battery-operated and easy to install. An audible water leak detector alarm goes off if water comes into contact with the sensor. It’s similar to how a smoke detector works to tell you if there is smoke in your home. If you travel a lot, you might want to spend a bit more for a model that will email or text you if a water leak is detected, but an audible alarm works well enough for most people.

Why Do You Need Under Sink Leak Detectors?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), addressing a water leak within 24 to 48 hours of when the leak starts almost always prevents mold from beginning to grow. If a leak is not discovered and water is allowed to continue dripping under a sink for more than 48 hours, you are likely to end up with mold under your sink. A little mold under a sink may not seem like such a big deal, and it’s true that very small amounts of mold are usually not harmful. Most types of mold grow and spread rapidly, however, so a small amount of mold can quickly become a huge mold problem.

Leak detector placed under sink

We’re not exaggerating when we say that addressing a water leak in a timely manner can save you thousands of dollars. Mold remediation can cost upwards of $10,000 in severe cases.

To complicate matters, the act of cleaning up mold often spreads mold spores to other areas. Mold spores are very small and very light and easily become airborne. Then they settle on other household surfaces and, given sufficient moisture, mold begins to grow there.

The act of cleaning up mold also exposes you to mold spores that can be harmful to your health. Microscopic mold spores are easily inhaled and, depending on what type of mold it is, can cause a wide range of health problems, including things like allergic reactions, sinus infections, asthma attacks and pneumonia. You can read more about mold-related health problems.

A simple water leak alarm can alert you to a leak as soon as it starts, allowing you to prevent mold that can damage both your home and your health.

Of course, mold is not the only problem that can result from a leak under a sink. Items stored under the sink may be ruined by water. Keep your hair dryer or curling iron under the bathroom sink? Those may not work or may not be safe to use if they get too wet. The cabinet under your sink or even the floor below may also be ruined by a prolonged water leak.

Should You Use Leak Detectors Under All Your Sinks?

We recommend using them under any sinks you don’t look under regularly. They aren’t expensive and they can save you so much money in the long run, it’s worth the investment.

Our Preferred Under Sink Leak Detector

The leak detector we like best for use under sinks is made by Honeywell. It’s affordable, so you can install under sink leak detectors under all of the sinks in your home if you want. It’s simple to use – when we say “install,” we mean pop a battery into it and put it on a flat surface where you want to detect a leak, like just below the water pipes under your sink. It really is that simple.

It detects water only 1/16 of an inch deep, so it will let you know right away if water is leaking under your sink. The audible water leak detector alarm will sound for up to 24 hours, letting you know there is a problem. To find out more about why this is out top rated under sink water leak detector, just follow the link.

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