Building protection · Quebec and Ontario
Commercial water leak detection system with automatic shut-off
A sensor detects water, a valve closes the supply, and the building manager is told where. Installed and supported by Vega Security like any other building system.
What a water leak detection system covers
Water damage spreads for as long as the water keeps running. A leak detection system shortens that time: sensors sit at the points where leaks start, a motorised valve on the supply line closes automatically, and an alert goes to the people responsible.
We install the sensors and valves, set up the alerts and the shut-off rules by zone, and show building staff how to test the system and reopen the water. In a building with many units, each unit or riser can be isolated separately.
In a managed building the system is designed for the manager, not for each occupant: one console showing every sensor and every valve, alerts that reach the maintenance team, and a clear rule on who may reopen the water, and when.
- Leak sensorsSensors placed by water heaters, under sinks, near appliances, in mechanical rooms and at other risk points.
- Automatic shut-off valvesMotorised valves on the water supply that close when a sensor detects a leak.
- AlertsNotification to the building manager or maintenance team, naming the location of the sensor.
- ZonesShut-off by unit, floor or riser, so that one leak does not cut water to the whole building.
- Testing and supportCommissioning tests, staff instruction and service afterwards.
Where water leak detection systems are installed
- Condo and rental buildings run by a property management company
- Mechanical and water heater rooms
- Server rooms and electrical rooms
- Hotels, offices and retail units
When building managers call us
- A leak on an upper floor damaged several units below before anyone noticed
- The building's insurer asks what is in place to limit water damage
- Water heaters or supply hoses in the units are reaching the age at which they give way
- A new building is being designed and the developer wants shut-off by unit from the start
- A server room, an electrical room or an archive sits under plumbing, or right beside it
- Units stay unoccupied for long periods and a leak there would go unseen
Often installed together with
Industries we install it for
- General contractors
- Property management
- Offices
- Hotels and restaurants
- Clinics and care facilities
- All industries
The system can be installed in one mechanical room, on one riser or throughout a building. It is quoted to the company that owns or manages the building.
How a leak detection project runs
Existing building or new construction, the sequence is the same; in a new building the valves are coordinated with the plumbing contractor.
- Building survey
We go through the mechanical rooms, the risers and typical units with the manager, locate the water entries and the shut-off points, and list the places where a leak would start or would do the most damage.
- Design and quote
You receive the list of sensors by location, the valves and what each one isolates, the way the devices communicate, who receives each alert, and a quote. Work on the piping itself is coordinated with a plumber.
- Installation
Sensors are placed and enrolled, valves are fitted on the supply lines, and the system is connected to its network and its power, with a battery or backup power where the equipment provides for it.
- Testing and handover
Each sensor is triggered and its valve is seen to close, alerts are confirmed on the phones of the people named, and building staff practise reopening the water and resetting the system.
What the building manager receives
On the night of a leak, the system is used by whoever is on call.
- Sensor and valve listEach device with its location and its name, as they appear in the alerts.
- Shut-off planWhich valve isolates which unit, floor or riser.
- Alert listWho is notified, in what order and by what means.
- ProcedureA short written procedure for testing the system, reopening the water after an alert and replacing the battery of a sensor.
Questions about water leak detection systems
Can it be installed in an existing building?
Yes. Wireless sensors and valves fitted to the existing supply lines allow installation without opening walls in most cases.
Who receives the alert?
The people you designate: a building manager, a maintenance team or a monitoring service. The alert names the sensor and its location.
Does the valve close on every alert, even a minor one?
You set the rule, zone by zone. A sensor can close a valve at once, or only raise an alert where cutting the water would cause more trouble than a small leak, for example on a line feeding equipment that must keep running.
What happens during a power or network failure?
It depends on the equipment chosen, and the question is settled at the design stage. Sensors generally run on batteries, and valves and controllers can be backed up so that a leak during an outage still shuts the water off. We tell you what keeps working and what stops.
What is the role of the occupants of the units?
The client is the company that manages the building and answers for all the units. It sets the rules, receives the alerts and holds access to the system. Occupants are told what the sensors are and what to do if the water is shut off; we supply a short notice the manager can distribute.
Who maintains the system afterwards?
Building staff can do the routine checks: a periodic test, and a battery replaced when a sensor reports it. We remain available for service, additions and changes.
A building to protect against water damage? Tell us about it.
Describe the site and what you need. We reply in English or French.