Moen’s Sump Pump Monitor could bail you out if your basement floods

This story is part of CES, where our editors will bring you the latest news and the hottest gadgets of the entirely virtual CES 2021.

Flood sensors remain one of the best small investments into smart home tech you can make. Placing a few cheap gadgets strategically around your home can save you thousands of dollars in water damage when pipes burst in the night or while you’re out of town. But water fixture developer Moen is expanding the idea of the simple flood sensor into all different areas in the home — offering remote water valve shut-offs and now a specialized Sump Pump Monitor.

If you live in a house with a basement, you might have a sump pump — that pump that empties out the water collecting in the “sump” or pool in the basement, often in a corner or back room. The sump collects water from a few sources, but it generally helps divert water away from other parts of the basement; and the pump helps stop the sump from overflowing, flooding the basement.

Problem is, if the pump loses power, or any number of other problems arise, your basement can flood before you even know there’s a problem. Enter Moen’s Sump Pump Monitor, which tracks water levels, performance, power loss, humidity, temperature, leaks and Wi-Fi status, then alerts you if anything seems amiss.

It’s a clever device that won’t be for everyone, but it could have huge value for a certain subset of basement-anxious homeowners.

The Sump Pump Monitor will launch in the second half of 2021. Moen says the final price point is yet to be finalized.