But with increased time at home, appliances and fittings are being used much more frequently, which can, unfortunately, lead to problems under the increased strain.
For landlords, this extra strain can be challenging and costly. One of the most expensive and common causes of damage within a home is through water leaks. Unfortunately, a lot of these water leaks go unnoticed and a proportion will eventually lead to water damage that requires a home insurance claim. With toilets being flushed more often, taps being turned more frequently and hot water use patterns changing, this escape of water problem could become an even more pervasive issue during lockdown.
Water leaks are already a huge problem across the country, and our own data can reveal that the average flow rate of an average leak is around 20.63ml per minute. This adds up to a staggering 30 litres of water every day. With water leaking at this level over a long period, the potential for huge structural damage is significant. The last thing anyone needs at this moment in time is the added stress of hidden water damage causing the ceiling to fall through or creating significant damage to your kitchen units.
With many landlords not living on-site with tenants, damage from leaking water is a growing concern – especially if its presence is not immediately obvious until it’s too late. To tackle this, it would be wise to educate tenants on the location of the stopcock within their homes, so that they can turn their water supply off in the event of a major leak during this time. Similarly, there are building features that can increase the chances of a leak occurring and will be particularly difficult to identify; for example, concealed sinks or toilets. If a tenant is living in a property with these types of fixtures and fittings, it’s worth raising awareness of these areas as a potential source of a water leak if damp patches become visible as the water supply to these sinks & toilets will be hidden. Appliances should also be checked regularly by tenants during this period and maintained to a high standard; if a washing machine hose, for example, has become old and brittle, replacing it is essential.
However, to provide everyone with peace of mind during this time and beyond, smart home technology is an extremely beneficial and worthwhile investment for property owners and tenants, especially when you can’t physically check on a property, or are relying on others to relay information. Smart home technology monitors the inner workings of the home in real-time and alerts inhabitants to a problem before it becomes a major disaster.
A smart water leak alarm such as LeakBot, for example, can be installed quickly by simply clipping the device onto the internal mains water supply pipe near the stopcock. There’s no need for professional installation support as any landlord or tenant can install the device themselves and the device starts monitoring instantly once installed. The technology can then detect even the smallest of leaks and subsequently alerts landlords when there is an issue. If a leak is detected, a specialist LeakBot engineer can be deployed to quickly ‘find and fix’ the problem with minimal disruption – even during lockdown with the engineers abiding by social distancing measures, or over video call. In addition, you should use a water pressure gauge to monitor whether the pressure is too high for pipes and appliance hoses. If the water pressure reads too high, the installation of a pressure regulator can help to decrease the likelihood of burst pipes.
Smart home technology could eventually become part of an integrated, connected system of smart home products designed to protect properties from all manner of disasters. Homeowners may be able to benefit from devices that work together to enhance environmental efficiency and reduce the risk of burglaries or structural damage - as well as water leaks. These would give both tenants and landlords peace of mind that the property is always protected – even from factors quite beyond their control. Having an end-to-end system in place can not only help reduce the risk of damage in the short term but can also reduce unnecessary costs and claims in the future.
Investing in smart home technology could also help landlords benefit from lower insurance rates. For example, a responsible landlord who is looking after his property and can show insurers that he is leak-free provides a greater level of insight on the level of existing risk and therefore allows insurers to look at a lower policy premium. We’re already seeing this in the automotive industry through black box insurance, and an increasing number of home insurers are expanding this principle into the home with leak detection.
In essence, landlords that show an awareness that lockdown may be having on their tenants and house wellbeing will reap the benefits long term. Not only will they be able to better protect their properties but linking smart tech to insurance policies may impact home insurance rates as well as ensuring that properties are maintained to a good standard for longer. As such, investment in preventative smart home technology is a smart move for landlords not only as part of plans to weather the storm of the pandemic but also for years to come.
