Aeotec Water Sensor 7 Pro & Shipshape Water Leak Detector

Homeowner Summary

Water damage is the most common and most expensive homeowner insurance claim in the United States, costing an average of $12,000 per incident. The Aeotec Water Sensor 7 Pro and the Shipshape-branded water leak detector are designed to catch leaks within seconds of water contacting the sensor, giving you and your service professional time to act before a small drip becomes a catastrophic flood.

These sensors sit on the floor in high-risk areas — under your water heater, behind your washing machine, beneath kitchen and bathroom sinks, near toilets, and next to your dishwasher. When water touches the sensor's detection probes, it immediately sends a Z-Wave alert to your hub, which triggers a push notification to your phone and an alert on your dealer's dashboard through SAM. The difference between a $50 repair and a $20,000 restoration often comes down to minutes. These sensors buy you those minutes.

Both the Aeotec and Shipshape-branded sensors are battery powered (CR123A), require no plumbing connections, and can be placed by your service professional in under a minute per location. There is no maintenance required beyond replacing the battery approximately every two years.

How It Works

The water sensor uses a simple but effective detection method: two metal probes on the bottom of the sensor body sit slightly above the surface it rests on. When water rises to contact both probes simultaneously, it completes an electrical circuit between them (water is conductive). This circuit closure triggers the sensor to immediately send a Z-Wave alarm signal to the hub.

The Aeotec Water Sensor 7 Pro (ZWA019) adds a temperature sensor to the base unit, which serves a dual purpose: monitoring ambient temperature near water-prone equipment (useful for detecting freezing conditions that could burst pipes) and providing additional environmental data to SAM.

Both sensors use Z-Wave Plus technology with S2 security. The alert signal is sent at the highest Z-Wave priority level, meaning it takes precedence over routine sensor reports in network traffic. The sensor continues to send alarm signals at regular intervals as long as water is detected, ensuring the alert is received even if the first transmission is missed.

The Shipshape-branded water leak detector is functionally similar to the Aeotec model but is tuned for the Shipshape monitoring ecosystem. It uses the same Z-Wave protocol and pairs with the Aeotec Smart Home Hub identically. The Shipshape model features a slightly different form factor optimized for placement under appliances with low clearance and includes a longer detection cable (3-foot probe extension) for covering a wider area around water heaters and washing machines.

Placement Guide

Proper placement is critical. Water follows gravity, so sensors should be placed at the lowest point where water would accumulate from a leak.

Priority Placement Locations

1. Water heater — Place directly on the floor next to the base of the water heater, on the side where the drain pan overflow would spill. Water heater failures are the single most common source of catastrophic residential water damage.
2. Washing machine — Place on the floor behind or beside the washing machine, near the supply hose connections. Burst washing machine hoses cause approximately 250,000 claims per year in the US.
3. Under kitchen sink — Place on the cabinet floor beneath the sink basin, near the supply lines and drain connections.
4. Under bathroom sinks — Each bathroom sink with supply lines is a potential leak source. Place on the vanity cabinet floor.
5. Near toilets — Place on the floor at the base of each toilet, near the supply line connection.
6. Dishwasher — Place on the floor in front of or beside the dishwasher, accessible from the front panel gap.
7. Basement/utility room — Place near the sump pump, floor drains, or any location where groundwater intrusion has occurred historically.
8. HVAC condensate drain — Place beneath the HVAC air handler's condensate drip pan overflow point.

Placement Tips

• Sensors should rest flat on the floor with probes facing down. Do not place on carpet or thick padding that could prevent water from reaching the probes.
• Keep the sensor accessible for battery replacement. Avoid burying it behind heavy appliances.
• For areas with irregular floors, use the included adhesive pad to ensure the sensor stays in position and does not tip.
• The Shipshape model's extension cable can be routed around the base of a water heater to monitor a larger area. Secure the cable with small adhesive clips to prevent it from being kicked out of position.

Maintenance Guide

DIY (Homeowner)

• Battery replacement — Replace the CR123A battery when SAM alerts you to low battery. The battery compartment is on the bottom or side of the sensor depending on the model.
• Test the sensor — Every 6 months, place a damp paper towel across the probes and confirm you receive an alert. Remove the towel and confirm the alert clears.
• Check position — During routine cleaning, verify sensors have not been kicked, shifted, or removed. Confirm they are still in their designated locations.
• Keep probes clean — If you notice mineral buildup on the metal probes (common in areas with hard water), wipe them with a damp cloth. Dirty probes can reduce sensitivity.

Professional

• Annual verification — Test every water sensor during annual service visits. Document test results in SAM.
• Battery proactive replacement — Replace batteries that are below 40% during service visits rather than waiting for low-battery alerts.
• Assess coverage — Review the home's plumbing layout and confirm all high-risk locations have sensors. Recommend additional sensors for any gaps.
• Check for corrosion — Inspect the probe contacts and battery terminals for corrosion, especially in humid locations like basements.

Warning Signs

• Sensor is no longer reporting to the SmartThings app (dead battery, Z-Wave disconnection, or sensor failure)
• False alarms in dry conditions (condensation buildup, corrosion on probes, or sensor positioned where condensation drips)
• No alert during a known water event (sensor may have been moved or probes are dirty)
• Battery life significantly shorter than expected (sensor in a high-humidity area using extra power for frequent wake-ups)

Pro Detail

Specifications

| Spec | Aeotec ZWA019 | Shipshape Water Leak Detector | |------|---------------|-------------------------------| | Z-Wave | Plus v2, 700 series | Plus v2, 700 series | | Security | S2 Authenticated | S2 Authenticated | | Frequency | 908.42 MHz (US/CA) | 908.42 MHz (US/CA) | | Detection | Dual-probe water contact | Dual-probe + 3-ft extension cable | | Temperature sensor | Yes (+/- 1 F) | Yes (+/- 1 F) | | Battery | CR123A (3V lithium) | CR123A (3V lithium) | | Battery life | ~2 years | ~2 years | | Alert type | Z-Wave Alarm (Water) | Z-Wave Alarm (Water) | | Alarm repeat | Every 5 minutes while wet | Every 5 minutes while wet | | Operating temp | -10 to 50 C (14 to 122 F) | -10 to 50 C (14 to 122 F) | | Dimensions | 70 x 36 x 17 mm | 65 x 40 x 20 mm | | IP rating | IP44 (splash resistant) | IP44 (splash resistant) |

Z-Wave Configuration Parameters

| Parameter | Number | Default | Range | Description | |-----------|--------|---------|-------|-------------| | Alarm repeat interval | 1 | 300s | 0-3600 | Seconds between repeated water alarms (0=single alert) | | Temperature reporting | 2 | 300s | 0-65535 | Seconds between temperature reports | | Temp report threshold | 3 | 20 | 0-100 | Report on change of N x 0.1 F | | Low battery threshold | 101 | 15 | 0-50 | Percentage at which low-battery fires |

Common Failure Modes

• Probe oxidation — In humid environments, the metal probes can oxidize over years, reducing conductivity. A light cleaning with fine sandpaper restores sensitivity.
• False alarms from condensation — In very humid basements or near HVAC systems, condensation can bridge the probes. Elevate the sensor slightly on the included rubber feet to increase the water level threshold.
• Battery leakage — If a dead battery is left in the sensor for months in a humid environment, it can leak acid and destroy the circuit board. Replace batteries promptly.
• Displacement — Sensors placed on smooth floors near washing machines can "walk" due to vibration. Use adhesive to secure.

Diagnostic Procedures

1. Sensor not alerting on water — Place sensor probes in a shallow dish of water. If no alert after 30 seconds, check battery. If battery is good, clean probes. If still no response, exclude and re-pair. If still no response, replace the sensor.
2. False alarms — Inspect the area for condensation, dripping pipes above, or HVAC condensate overflow. If the environment is legitimately dry, check for probe corrosion or damage.
3. Temperature reading incorrect — The temperature sensor may read slightly high if the sensor is near a hot water pipe or water heater. This is expected behavior. Apply a calibration offset if needed.
4. Alert delay — If alerts take more than 10 seconds to appear on your phone, the issue is likely Z-Wave network latency (too many hops) or cloud processing delay. Adding a range extender near the sensor location reduces Z-Wave latency.

Cost Guide

| Item | Price Range | Notes | |------|-------------|-------| | Aeotec Water Sensor 7 Pro (ZWA019) | $40 - $55 | Retail per sensor | | Shipshape Water Leak Detector | $30 - $45 | Per sensor, included in monitoring kits | | CR123A battery (2-pack) | $5 - $10 | Name-brand lithium recommended | | Extension probe cable (Shipshape) | Included | 3-foot cable, additional cables $8-$12 | | Typical home coverage (4-6 sensors) | $120 - $330 | All major water risk points | | Average water damage claim (without sensors) | $12,000+ | Insurance industry average |

Shipshape Integration

Water leak detection is the single highest-value monitoring capability in the Shipshape ecosystem. SAM treats water leak alerts with the highest urgency of any sensor type.

SAM Monitoring:

• Water leak alerts are classified as critical and trigger immediately, with no delay or batching. The moment the sensor detects water, SAM processes the alert within seconds.
• SAM correlates water alerts with location context. A leak near the water heater prompts different diagnostic guidance than a leak under a sink.
• Temperature data from the water sensor feeds into SAM's freeze risk model. When indoor temperatures drop below 40 F (4 C) near plumbing, SAM issues a freeze warning before pipes actually burst.
• SAM tracks water sensor test results. If a sensor has not reported a test event in 6 months, it flags the sensor for verification on the dealer's next visit.

Home Health Score:

• Homes with water leak sensors at all high-risk locations receive the maximum water protection score.
• Each unmonitored high-risk location (water heater without a sensor, washing machine without a sensor) reduces the water protection dimension of the Health Score.
• A water leak event that is detected and resolved quickly has minimal long-term impact on the score. An undetected leak (sensor was offline or missing) causes a significant score reduction.

Alert Routing:

• Water leak alerts route simultaneously to the homeowner (push notification + SMS) and the dealer (dashboard alert + optional Slack/email).
• SAM includes location-specific instructions in the homeowner alert: "Water detected near your water heater. Locate the cold water shutoff valve on the top of the heater and turn it clockwise to close."
• If the homeowner does not acknowledge the alert within 15 minutes, SAM escalates to a phone call (if configured) and elevates priority on the dealer dashboard.
• Dealers can configure auto-dispatch for water leak alerts in homes with elderly or absent homeowners.

Dealer Dashboard:

• Water sensor coverage map shows which homes have complete water monitoring and which have gaps.
• Historical leak events are logged with response times, enabling dealers to demonstrate monitoring value during service renewals.
• Fleet-wide water sensor battery health is tracked, allowing dealers to batch battery replacements during seasonal service rounds.