Is a water leak detector worth it? Here’s what home experts say

I reached out to home experts to learn more about water leak detectors and exactly how they work. Here’s how you can use them to avoid frozen pipes.

With all the content available online these days, it can be hard to figure out what’s real and what’s hype. While we don’t always have the answers, we have a direct line to people who do — which is why we present to you our series The Internet Made Me Ask, where we have experts break down the truth about some of the buzziest trends (and questions) on our timelines, like whether bath sheets are actually different from towels. It’s expected that homeowners have things like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in their homes to keep them and their families safe. But another type of home-related detector that’s also worth considering is a water leak detector.

Depending on where you live and what type of home you have, a water leak detector can be a very beneficial tool, since it can help track water pressure and temperature, and help you get ahead of frozen pipes in the winter, which can be a major inconvenience — and a costly one if the pipes burst. To learn more about how water leak detectors actually work and how to shop for one, I spoke to Lou Manfredini, a seasoned home expert at Ace Hardware*, who says that there are several different types of detectors to consider. *Any inclusion of products sold at Ace