Keeping Your Home Safe from Water Damage
Sonic by Watergate works silently to detect leaks early and prevent water damage. Enjoy peace of mind knowing your home is protected.
Automatic Leak Detection and Shut-Off
Sonic continuously monitors your water system for leaks and automatically shuts off the water supply to prevent damage.
Stay informed
Receive immediate information from your landlord or property manager if a leak is detected, ensuring prompt action and minimal disruption.
Asset Protection
With Sonic, cherished personal belongings are shielded from unforeseen water damage.
Meet Sonic: Advanced Water Management Technology
Sonic by Watergate uses cutting-edge AI technology to monitor your home’s water system 24/7. With its precise leak detection and automatic shut-off capabilities, Sonic ensures that any water-related issues are identified and resolved quickly, protecting your home from potential damage.
FAQ
Have questions about Sonic by Watergate? Here are some of the most common inquiries tenants have, along with detailed answers to help you make the most of your smart water management system.
What’s Sonic’s main purpose?
Sonic is designed to detect abnormal water usage (which may be indicative of a leak) and raise an alert.
How it works?
The Ultrasonic Sensors detect water flowing at over 40ml per minute. Our AI algorithm understands your usual water consumption behaviour and highlights if there is an abnormal increase.
Pressure tests are carried out once a day, typically set for when everyone is asleep. The pressure tests are currently in beta but they try to validate smaller leaks not detected by the Ultrasonic Sensor (where the flow is less than 40 ml per minute). During a pressure test, the valve will close for 10 minutes, stopping the flow of water, and we will test the pressure changes of the water over a few samples.
If a pressure test fails, it will send a “Check-Up Alert” to the property owner in the app, so they can check if there is any unusual activity with the appliances.
Where is Sonic installed in my home?
Sonic is typically installed near the main water supply line, often in a utility room or a similar location where it can monitor the entire water system.
What is the difference in using Sonic for tenants and homeowners?
Homeowners can use the Sonic app to monitor water usage in real-time, receive instant alerts, and manage the system remotely. Tenants, on the other hand, benefit from Sonic’s automatic leak detection and shut-off features, with notifications and updates provided through their landlord or property manager.
Will Sonic affect the pressure of the water in my house?
No, installing Sonic won’t change or affect the water pressure in your home.
Other appliances could affect the pressure, however, such as:
- An unvented water heater
- A water softener
- A water tank/accumulator
- A fire sprinkling system
- An electric water filter
These appliances can show pressure changes or spikes during the pressure tests that Sonic runs each day, and potentially cause your pressure check-ups to fail.
Do I need to install an app to use Sonic?
No, as a tenant, you don’t need to install an app. Sonic automatically detects leaks and notifies your landlord. Your landlord will then contact you to discuss and agree on the next steps to address the issue.
How can I check if Sonic has shut off the water?
If Sonic detects a leak and shuts off the water, you will be notified by your landlord or property manager. Additionally, you can inspect the valve handle; if it is at a 90-degree angle, Sonic has shut off the water.
In an emergency situation, you can use the manual handle/arm lever on Sonic to physically move the valve position.
What is the function of the LED indicator on Sonic?
The LED indicator provides visual feedback on Sonic’s status.
- Solid red = error
- Flashing blue = set-up mode; bluetooth active, ready to connect
- Flashing purple = attempting to connect to WiFi
- Solid blue = operating normally
- Solid green = operating in offline mode
In an emergency situation, you can use the manual handle/arm lever on Sonic to physically move the valve position.
Does Sonic still work if there is no internet connectivity?
In the event of an internet outage, Sonic WiFi retains its automatic shut-off capability based on the criteria established in the app. Therefore, it continues to safeguard the property. However, the ability to close the valve through the app and receive live data updates will be unavailable until connectivity is restored. If you need to change the valve position during an outage, please use the manual handle (arm lever) on the device itself.
How is Sonic powered?
Sonic uses an AC-DC Power Supply with a US plug and a UK/EU adaptor. It also has a battery backup with 4x AA Lithium batteries but for emergency use only.
Sonic can’t operate on alkaline – it will only work with lithium batteries. We suggest you use lithium batteries that are not rechargeable, as we cannot guarantee the functionality of rechargeable batteries. We recommend these batteries as they seem to last the longest.
What should I do if I suspect a fault with Sonic?
If you suspect a serious fault, immediately turn off the water supply, disconnect Sonic from the mains power, and remove the batteries. Promptly contact your landlord and inform them of your concerns.