Our Motorized Water Shutoff Valve Packages have been hugely popular, saving thousands of dollars in damages caused by water leaks.
Although our shutoff valves can prevent catastrophic damage from massive water leaks, sustained freezing temperatures can still create considerable damage. Water trapped in the building's plumbing system expands as it freezes, splitting pipes and breaking fittings and fixtures. In many cases, this damage occurs inside walls, under floors and in crawl spaces. Damage in these areas can be difficult to locate and often require drywall tear out to repair.
Now, we have developed a way to minimize or prevent burst pipes caused by freezing temperatures in cold climates. For maximum protection in building at risk for freezing, the water supply should be turned off and the plumbing system drained.
There are a couple methods that can be used to automate this procedure. The simplest and least expensive method is to install a 3-way valve at the point the water supply enters the building. In the normal position, the valve connects the water supply to the building’s plumbing system and the 3rd drain port is closed off. When the valve is operated, it closes off the supply port and opens the drain port to allow water within the plumbing system to drain out.
3-way motorized valves are available through custom order. Contact us for pricing and availability. Note: In many cases, depending on the design of your home, this single operation solution may not be able to provide adequate draining to protect the plumbing.
In buildings that cannot be suitably drained using the single, 3-way valve solution, there is an alternative. Multiple 2-way valves can be installed when the supply location is not the lowest point in the plumbing system or when the building's plumbing system design requires multiple drain and/or vent locations. Unlike others, our valves can be synchronized to operate sequentially from a single INSTEON controller command. e.g. The supply valve closes completely before the drain valve(s) open. Additionally, feedback is provided back to the INSTEON controller when the close/drain process is complete. Inversely, the drain/vent valve(s) are closed before the supply valve is opened. This eliminates wasted water while the valves are in transition between opening and closing.
We recommend contacting a licensed plumber to determine the best method for draining your specific plumbing system. We are happy to work with you or your plumbing professional to custom design a shutoff and drain system specific to your needs. Best of all, Innovative Home Systems does not charge for this service. Can you say FREE?
