I’ve heard about a variety of smart devices you can get for your household plumbing. Are they worth it?

Utility costs can really add up. Some smart devices may be worth considering because they can help reduce spending on utilities by modifying your household plumbing. There are some smart devices and water-saving gadgets you can connect to your plumbing and appliances to help keep costs down and spending under control.

What kinds of smart devices should I consider for my home?

There are a few water-saving devices you can install in your home:

• A kitchen faucet with touch technology enables you to turn the water on and off by touching any part of the handle or faucet. This can save you money by keeping the water from running continuously during hand and dish washing, thus reducing the amount of water that is used overall. And hands-free faucets are also available for the home. These use sensors to detect your hands before they turn on the water - just like you’ve seen in public restrooms.

• Smart toilets save water by sensing how much water is needed and flushing just the right amount. Some flush without being touched, which also helps prevent germs. And some have overflow protection, which can prevent a huge mess in your bathroom if the toilet were to get clogged.

• There are smart lawn irrigation systems that work by monitoring the weather conditions and adjusting sprinkler settings automatically, distributing more water in hot, dry conditions, but cutting back or even shutting the sprinklers off when the weather is cooler and wetter.

• Consider a connected device such as a smart water shut-off valve, which attaches just inside your water meter. This can help leak-proof your home, because with this valve, you are able to connect remotely to your plumbing system to turn your water off immediately if a leak is detected.

For help installing smart devices in your household plumbing system, or for more ideas on reducing water consumption, contact a Roto-Rooter plumber.