Swann Battery Powered Indoor White Security Alarm

I read reviews prior to my purchase (less than a month ago) and people were complaining about connection issues. I am now experiencing this! I plan to take all 10 detectors back to Lowe’s!

Had bought 4 of the leak detectors!! Put three of them in certain areas in the house!! Had a new countertop and sink installed in our kitchen!! When I installed the garage disposal, we were in a rush to get it done because we had to leave to go to visit a friend!! And because of not be able to connect the dishwasher after a few days !! The dishes were added up and my wife wanted to get the dishwasher connected and turned on while we left!! I had the fourth detector and thought that I better connect it up. I was not comfortable of my plumbing work. lol!! Good thing I did!! Got over to our friends house and got a message that water was detected!! I call my neighbour and he rush over and found water coming from the connection to the disposal to dishwasher!! Wow!! Thank goodness for the Swann leak detection!! Thank you Swann !!

I just bought this after hearing about the very large number of braided flexible hose failures! These hoses are used on flic taps, toilet cisterns etc. Failure can flood the entire house if not detected! Like holiday homes etc. The device couldn't have been easier to setup using the Swann Security App. Make sure of WiFi signal strength in the devices location before sticking to surface. WiFi signal strength can be seen in the App under the "Settings" cog then under the device name. It does take a while to show any signal changes.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Swann's leak alert sensor is straightforward. There's an itty bitty teeny tiny screw that you need to manage with an included micro-screwdriver, but other than that, you pop in batteries, download an app, get everything synced to your WiFi network and you're done. The device will alert once or twice as you set things up and if you make contact with the sensor with your fingers/body, but it seems to perform as expected. Set it and forget it!

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This leak alert sensor can save homeowners money. It is a small compact device that I was able to simply install. Easy set up with downloading the app. It is battery operated. We used it under the kitchen sink and a few weeks later we got an alert on my phone letting me know we had a leak. Saved me a lot of headaches if I wouldn't have had it. A money saver and peace of mind. Recommended.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This is a great device for under a kitchen cabinet, near a large fish tank, hot tub ect... I put it down by my sump pump hole so if my pump fails I will get notified. The only thing is if you lose power and you're not home then you won't get notified because your wifi would be out. But it's a great little device that does exactly what it's supposed to. The set up was easy and the app is self explanatory. Highly recommend.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Swifi-Leak leak detector gives me peace of mind with my upstairs laundry room. I no longer have to worry about having a leak and not knowing until the damage is done. Any leak will be detected and I will get notified in order to save damage from occurring.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This is very easy to install and fairly priced. I truly think this product is essential in any and all residences. This easily connects to your home WiFi network. The best part is the app. The app is easy to access.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] As someone who worries about getting water in the basement, this is a useful product. It's small and compact, which allows you to place it anywhere you think it's needed. It has a long cord to the sensor and battery pack, plus an adhesive so you can mount it to a location. The app you download makes using this sensor even easier. Tested the sensor by causing a leak by the dehumidifier and got the alert on my phone app. Cleaned up the leak and it was reset for the next time. This little gadget will give me peace of mind when I'm at work, on vacation or just sleeping. The app lets you know when the batteries need replacing. However I will probably just change them when I change the batteries in my smoke detectors, just to be on the safe side. Great product and will buy a couple more to use in various places that are prone to water leakage in my home.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] A few years ago, my family experienced a flood in our basement – we came home to about a foot of water, after an older sump pump failed. Almost everything in the basement was a loss… over 10k worth of memories lost. Insurance covered half that. To avoid a similar situation, we installed a full mitigation system… full french drain surround, two sump pumps with backup pumps, and battery backups on both setups. But, a repeat situation is always in the back of my mind. When the rainy season hits in Spring in Central PA and the pumps start up again, I continually check them to ensure they’re in good shape. When the power goes (even temporarily), I come close to breaking a sweat. Where am I going with this story? For the longest time, I wanted a monitoring system that would allow me to keep tabs on the pumps in our house, without actually having to physically check them. I didn’t know that wireless leak monitors existed. So, when I came across the battery powered, wireless, Swann Leak Alert Sensor, which allowed me to monitor the pumps (or more accurately the failure of the pumps and any resulting water that starts to creep up in the basement), I jumped on it. What follows are my experiences with the device… setup, installation, and use. For a TL; DR, please skip to the last paragraph. In the box you get instructions and other paperwork, one 3M sticky double-sided sticky foam (which adheres to the back of the device to allow you to mount the main unit – which is not waterproof – above any potential leak/flood area), three 3M cable route tabs, the main unit and waterproof sensor, two AAA batteries, and a mini screwdriver to remove the main unit’s housing cover, allowing you to install the batteries. The main unit (at 3.15” x 1.65” x .80”) has a small footprint (a good thing when you’re trying to fit the setup in a tight space). The sensor is much smaller (about 1.5” x 1” x .75”). The cable that leads to the sensor is 6’3” (generously sized, ensuring that only the waterproof sensor will be submerged, and not the main unit, should a leak occur). After giving the device the “once-over,” I went straight to the instructions. The instructions are clear… but need some work. The very first part of the instructions, after the overview is “BATTERY INSTALLATION.” Note that you don’t slide the housing away from the cable. You must lift the lid up (as shown in the instructions). Having said this… please learn from my efforts and do the following, conducted with an Android phone. ***Pull the security screw and lid off the device housing. (Do not insert the batteries.) ***Turn the device lid over (the QR code needed, alluded to nowhere else, is on the lid’s underside). ***Download and install the app. (Do not open the app yet. Also, you must install the app. The device does not have a built-in siren/alarm. Although you can purchase a separate alarm and pair the alarm with the device). ***Disable mobile data on your phone; and, if your wireless router has a 2.4Ghz and other channels (e.g., 5Ghz and 6Ghz) to make setup as easy as possible, make sure that your phone is on your 2.4Ghz WiFi channel, as the device only supports 2.4Ghz. (This step is crucial for the main unit to see and use your WiFi connection during app setup). ***Start the app and run through the process. (When you get to the QR code step, you must enable camera access. You cannot do a device manual setup. There is no Leak Detector selection in the list of the devices. ***When the app set up prompts you, insert the batteries.*** A blue light on the device will pulse to let you know the device is in pairing mode. Also, if the app can’t find your router (mine couldn’t), choose the manual option to enter your network SSID and password). ***After the app confirms that the leak detector is set up, you should be good to go. ***Make sure that the app sees your device. When the app sees your device put the lid and security screw back on/in the housing. ***Re-enable your phone’s mobile data. Once setup completes, the device appears in the Swann app as “armed.” The app provides a summary of events (i.e., leak detected [number], leak fixed [number], and total activities number]). I did the device pairing on a desk, away from water. Why is this noteworthy? 13 seconds after the device was armed, the app indicated that a leak was fixed. At 22 seconds, the app indicated that a leak was detected (again, no water near the sensor). At 31 seconds, the app indicated that the leak was fixed… ummm, what leak? Maybe the device was performing a diagnostic of some sort. Interestingly, the in-app modes (Home, Night, and Away… Home is the default and was enabled) are set to send push notifications when a leak is detected and/or cleared (the only notification options available for all three profiles). I received no notifications - by phone or by email. The app also provides a Settings section. Here you can purchase premium plans (not necessary for basic monitoring), pair other Swann devices (e.g., a siren, as the device doesn’t have an onboard siren), and/or view your paired device’s information and/or edit certain information. The Settings section is helpful. It shows the device status, battery life, WiFi SSID and signal strength. You can remove the selected device from the Settings area and view other technical data… including model, software version, MAC address, and IP address. There seems to be no way to force update firmware. One point of interest, the device is 6ft from the router at this point. The settings show the device with an 88% signal reception strength. Again, I intend to use the leak detector in my basement, next to my sump pump pit (about 15ft) down (through a wood floor and subfloor) and to the right of where I currently sit. I was concerned about the signal strength given the distance, but, fastforwarding, once I set the device in the basement, the signal actually increased to 92%. To test whether the device detects a leak (and to see how it reacts to the situation), I placed the sensor in a flat-bottomed plate on a level surface. I exited the app (as I’m not likely to have the app open when a leak hits). I used a small watering can to pour water, slowly, in the plate and see when/if the sensor detected a leak. As soon as water touched the sensors, the blue light on the detector lit and, less than a second after, the app sent my phone and email a notification. Truly impressive. Now, to test how well the device sees the issue as resolved. I soaked up the water with a towel so as not to disturb the sensor. Despite the water soaking up, a pool remained around the sensor’s feet (sort of expected). So, the leak didn’t appear to be fixed until I lifted the sensor and the pool dissipated. Once I cleared the pool, the app indicated (via push notification and email) that the leak was fixed. For my use, the sensor will sit flush, slightly off a sump pump cover. Given the sensors are just a hair shorter than the sensor housing’s feet (which they really need to be to detect a leak as quickly as possible), there’ll have to be less than a 16th of an inch of water over the run of the entire basement floor before the sensor trips (unless there’s a sudden rush of water that hits the sensors). But, it’s better than the foot+ water we came home to years ago. Overall Thoughts: In the box you get everything you need for a solid device with a small footprint. The device and app works… and, once set up, works well. In my tests, the sensor picked up a simulated leak instantly and sent push notifications to my phone and email within crucial seconds. The device didn’t see the simulated leak fix due to water remaining trapped between the device’s feet (at least until I lifted the device, releasing the water from between the feet). Device pairing to your phone and WiFi network can prove VERY daunting if you don’t conduct setup in a very specific way (not indicated by the included printed instructions). Setup will likely prove frustrating for people not willing to “tinker” and may result in folks returning the device without realizing just how well it works. The app is easy to use and is intuitive. While there is no onboard siren/alarm (meaning you must use the app and set up a Swann account to receive app/email push notifications), you can purchase a separate siren and/or tie the device to other Swann devices and premium plans. Premium plan purchase isn’t necessary though, as the device works OOB. For my purposes, the Swann Leak Alert Sensor is a great little device… needed for a number of years now. When our sump pumps are running full-tilt, and I can’t be home to monitor potential floods, the Swann will provide much-welcomed peace of mind. The convoluted setup deserves a 3-star rating. But the device offers a 5-star experience. We’ll split the difference at a 4-star, which is still a solid rating for a good device.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This is such a cool little device! It was easy to download the app and sync it up. I tested it out and immediately got an alert on my phone that it had detected water. You get another alert once it's dry. I put one next to my water heater, so it's nice to know I'll get notified immediately if there is ever a leak. It has a battery, so you can put it anywhere and doesn't need to be plugged in.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Had a different brand water sensor that I was using but it had way too many false alarms and I started to have issues with it connecting to my phone. So I tried this one out and I like it much better. The other one was one piece but this one comes with the sensor attached by wire to another piece that gets stuck on somewhere that won't have the leak. Connected this senser without issue and so far it hasn't been setting off any false alarms. Recommend this

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Recently we received and installed a leak alert sensor by Swann. The directions were very easy to understand, and installation was very simple. I installed the sensor near my sump pump to let me know in the event it would not work and my basement would flood. To date I have not had any issues, but the leak alert sensor gives me peace of mind in the event something bad would occur. I will be buying another one of these for my dishwasher and most likely all my sinks and toilets.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] After running into a few hiccups due to my own personal stupidity, I finally got this thing running right. This leak sensor is really easy to use and set up in practically any spot where you may run into a leak. Just place it next a source that may have liquid and let the sensor do its job. I really enjoy that everything you need is in the box. There's the sensor with a little over 6ft wire span. Also included are 3M adhesive pads. There's one to place on the battery case and a few clip on ones to hold the wire. There's even a tiny screwdriver to open the battery pack (batteries also included). Connecting the device is easy. Just follow the included instructions, download the Swann App, and you're on your way. Set up the sensor by placing the battery end on a wall, for example, and place the sensor next to the source you would like to have maintained. Easy peesy. It detects liquid very well. I placed it in the sink and ran some water. Within a few seconds it notified me of a leak. Great response time. There's not much more to say other than this device is a solid piece of equipment and works great. The app is easy to use and works very well.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Had a different brand water sensor that I was using but it had way too many false alarms and I started to have issues with it connecting to my phone. So I tried this one out and I like it much better. The other one was one piece but this one comes with the sensor attached by wire to another piece that gets stuck on somewhere that won't have the leak. Connected this senser without issue and so far it hasn't been setting off any false alarms. Recommend this

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I got this leak alert sensor because I have been having issues getting water in my basement when we are experiencing storms. I put this near where the majority of the water leaks into the house. This is great because am able to get notifications when there is water coming in. Great product, and it works when I am outside the house as well.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] We got these as an add on to our Ring system - note that these are designed to be added on, so they were great but you need the hub to communicate effectively. That said, these are a no-brainer to add if you want additional peace of mind for monitoring your home from flood or water leaks. We use them in our main room in between the laundry and kitchen rooms. Easy to add and definitely feeling better when going on long trips!

The order of the set up instructions in the Guide are published in the wrong order. Do the steps on Page 2, then the steps on page 4 (this is because steps on page 3 have a time deadline before it fails to link). Once you've done page 4, return to page 3 however DO NOT PUT THE COVER BACK ON YET. This is because if you run into any set up failures you must remove the battery again. The steps on page 5 come next but are in the wrong order. Read the second paragraph first because it's critically important! do not proceed to the first paragraph if your network is NOT 2.4 GHZ. A work around is with the help of a friend's cellphone have them make a mobile hotspot using the same sign in as your other broadband range. Unplug your router and use the mobile hotspot instead. While doing this step your device may timeout. Take out the battery and put it back in. Aren't you glad you didn't screw the cover back on yet? STEPS WHEN IT FAILS TO PAIR: Unfortunately Manual Setup does not work because you can only select a camera or other device because the software developers have not added this water leak sensor to the list of devices to select it from. There is a workaround: Go to your Wifi Settings and look for the sensor device name in the list of "networks". Click it to connect. Then go back to the app and select where it says something like "did you connect manually? click here" Click that and it should pair. As long as you see the device listed in the list of devices, then it paired correctly. It may appear offline. Don't worry. Exit the app. Turn your router on and the mobile hotspot off. Relaunch the app. Your device should appear and be working normally. I bought two of these one for under my dishwasher and one to go under the jetted tub but too soon to tell how well they will work. I'd like to be able to get email or SMS notifications to more than one phone (my husband's phone for instance) so that if I'm not around my husband or handyman would get the alert also.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] My house was just built in May 2021. I wasn't expecting to find any leaks but this sensor is a beast. We actually did have a small leak underneath the kitchen sink. The sensor sent me an alert to my phone. My husband was shocked and amazed as we weren't expecting a leak in a brand new house. Thanks to this sensor we were able to get this fixed.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] We recently purchased a home and needed water leak alert sensors that can be placed in our basement which would alert us if there was water coming in through the rain or floods. We are in a flood prone area so the leak alert sensor is a must. Most of the sensors these days make a sound which may be difficult to hear depending on where the sensor is located. In our case since this is to be placed in basement, there is no way we could hear the sound on the second floor. This sensor comes with a smart phone app and can alert about the leak by sending a notification on the phone. The wireless sensor sends early warning of leaking water from pipes and appliances too. Since this is based on Wi-Fi connection, make sure the signal is there in the location where this is placed. It is battery powered so can be used for several months before the battery needs to be replaced.