How Technology Can Be Used to Monitor a Plumbing System
Plumbing might seem relatively low-tech to an outside observer. Rows of pipes and drains seem to function without any outside intervention, and it doesn’t look like they need much in the way of sophisticated electronics to run. This has historically been a major benefit of plumbing systems, since their simplicity has translated into excellent reliability.
Nevertheless, tech-savvy plumbers are finding countless ways to incorporate modern computer-based solutions into their workflows. So-called IoT devices use what’s called Internet-of-Things technology to watch pipes and sewage systems. These usually consist of sensors and cameras that can monitor the situation. When something seems off, one of these sensors can send an alert out to a human plumber, who can go and check out the potential trouble spot. Representatives from larger municipal water works have used these to figure out the chances of something happening before a serious leak does.
Predicting the Odds of Problems
As with almost everything in the technology field today, there has been a great deal of talk about the possibility of using artificial intelligence to better streamline the work done by municipal plumbing specialists. Over time, information collected from a set of sensors can be fed into a database. By examining this, a machine learning algorithm could start to spot trends that suggest a leak or ruptured pipe may be on its way. Regulatory officials would then have the option of dispatching crews on a preemptive basis, thus reducing the risk that a leak even occurs..
Homeowners don’t usually have access to the huge staff that such concerns employ. They can instead call out affordable licensed plumbers if they get any notifications about possible leaks. There’s an increasingly large market for technology solutions that can help those who find themselves in this position.
Looking at Residential Plumbing Systems
Individual consumers can use cellular-connected devices to keep tabs on their home’s own plumbing fixtures. If a moisture sensor suddenly spots a leak, then it would send them an update on their phone that they could respond to whenever it’s convenient. Several security system manufacturers have recently entered this space, and it’s likely that a number of tech startups are right behind them.
When homeowners do hire a plumber, they’ll find that any professionals who pay them a visit have a greater number of tools to rely on as well. New types of portable equipment include specialized cameras that let plumbers see deep inside pipes. A plumbing technician could run a camera deep inside a sewer drain system to monitor the situation and see where the wastewater goes. If there’s any part of the drain that seems clogged or overflowing, then it would be easy to spot using a video display terminal.
Network connections make it possible to even send such a feed to a remote location. That’s opening up entirely new avenues when it comes to residential plumbing monitoring. No matter what solutions become popular, however, they’re certain to put a stop to many of the problems that necessitate expensive repairs.
These are just a few of the ways technology can be used to monitor a plumbing system. Clearly, technology is an asset to a plumbing system.
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