How PlumBuddy Works

The Detect, Notify, Protect Flow

PlumBuddy uses a three-stage system to keep your home safe from water damage. Every PlumBuddy device follows this same core principle: detect anomalies in your water system, notify you immediately, and protect your home by taking action before damage occurs.

Stage 1: Detect

PlumBuddy continuously monitors water flow through your main supply line. The built-in sensors measure flow rate, pressure, and temperature in real time. When something falls outside normal parameters — a sudden spike in flow at 3 AM, a slow drip that never stops, or a pressure drop that suggests a burst pipe — PlumBuddy flags it immediately.

The system learns your household’s water usage patterns over time. It knows the difference between a washing machine cycle and an abnormal flow event. This adaptive detection reduces false alarms while catching real problems fast.

Stage 2: Notify

The moment an anomaly is detected, PlumBuddy sends push notifications to everyone on the account. You’ll see exactly what triggered the alert: which sensor, what reading, and how it compares to your normal baseline.

Notifications are delivered through the PlumBuddy mobile app on both iOS and Android. Critical alerts — like a detected leak or a frozen pipe risk — are sent as high-priority notifications that bypass Do Not Disturb settings.

Stage 3: Protect

With the PlumBuddy Valve, protection is automatic. When a leak is confirmed, the motorized valve shuts off your water supply in seconds, stopping damage before it spreads. You can also trigger a manual shutoff from anywhere using the app.

For PlumAssist users without a valve, the protect stage means getting clear, actionable guidance on what to do next — including which shutoff valve to close manually and whether to call a plumber. When paired with a PlumBuddy Valve, PlumAssist pucks can trigger automatic shutoff directly.

Operating Modes

PlumBuddy supports three operating modes that control how aggressively it responds to anomalies.

Home Mode

The default mode for everyday use. PlumBuddy monitors normally and sends alerts for unusual activity. Auto-shutoff triggers only for high-confidence leak detections to avoid interrupting legitimate water use.

Away Mode

Designed for when nobody is home — whether you’re at work for the day or on vacation for two weeks. In Away Mode, the sensitivity is increased and auto-shutoff thresholds are lower. Any unexpected water flow triggers an immediate alert, and the valve closes automatically if flow continues beyond a short grace period.

Standby Mode

Monitoring continues, but auto-shutoff is disabled. Use this mode during plumbing work, when filling a pool, or in any situation where you expect unusual water activity and don’t want the system to intervene.

Product Overview

PlumBuddy offers three products designed for different needs and installation scenarios.

PlumBuddy Valve

The flagship product. Installs on your main water supply line and provides full detect-notify-protect capability including motorized auto-shutoff. Requires professional installation on most homes. Works with 3/4” to 1-1/4” pipe diameters.

PlumAssist

A WiFi leak detection puck that you place anywhere water damage is a risk — under sinks, near water heaters, behind appliances. PlumAssist is battery-powered, connects to your WiFi, and sends instant alerts when its water-sensing pins detect a leak. When paired with a PlumBuddy Valve, a PlumAssist detection can trigger automatic water shutoff.

PlumSense

An extension detection cable that plugs into a PlumAssist puck to expand its coverage area. PlumSense wraps around pipes or stretches across surfaces where water might collect, giving you a larger detection zone. PlumSense is not a standalone device — it requires a PlumAssist to function.

How the Devices Work Together

The real power of PlumBuddy comes from combining devices. A PlumBuddy Valve on your main line provides whole-home shutoff capability. PlumAssist pucks placed at high-risk points — water heater, washing machine, dishwasher, bathrooms — give you precise leak location data. PlumSense extension cables plugged into those pucks expand the detection zone to cover more area around pipes and appliances.

When a PlumAssist puck detects water (either through its built-in sensing pins or through a connected PlumSense cable), it tells the PlumBuddy Valve exactly where the problem is. The valve shuts off your supply, and you get a notification that says not just “leak detected” but “water detected near your water heater — main supply shut off.”

This layered approach means faster detection, more accurate alerts, and automatic protection that works even when you’re not home.