Flo by Moen smart water shutoff review
The most capable device on this site, aimed at a problem that is not quite the one this site is about. Worth understanding before you spend.
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This review exists mainly to draw a line that the marketing in this category blurs. Flo by Moen is an excellent device for plumbing failures and an irrelevant one for the water that most people reading this site are dealing with. Both halves of that sentence matter.
What it detects, and what it does about it
The unit installs inline on the main supply and continuously measures flow, pressure and temperature. A sustained flow pattern that does not look like household use triggers an alert and, if configured, closes the valve. Once a day it isolates the plumbing and runs a static pressure test, which is how it finds leaks far too small to show up in flow data.
Flo by Moen Smart Water Shutoff (900-006)
Flow, pressure and temperature monitoring on the main, with a motorized valve that closes on a burst.
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| Type | Whole-home water monitor with a motorized shut-off valve |
|---|---|
| Pipe compatibility | 1" to 1-1/4" pipe diameter |
| What it measures | Flow, pressure and temperature on the main line |
| MicroLeak | Daily pressure test that can find leaks as small as a drop per minute |
| Power | Standard AC adapter, 100 to 240 VAC, 10 ft cable |
| Hub | None required; Wi-Fi only |
| Operating temperature | 32 to 140 F |
| Warranty | One year, limited |
What makes this different from everything else on this site is that it acts. A leak sensor tells you; this closes the valve. For the failure mode it targets — a supply line letting go while the house is empty — that distinction is the entire value.
The daily MicroLeak test is the feature we would most want to keep. It isolates the house and watches for a pressure drop, which surfaces the slow leak inside a wall long before anything appears on a ceiling.
We rank the install experience down deliberately. Cutting into the main needs a plumber for most people, and the valve needs power nearby — two practical costs that rarely appear in the headline price.
What it gets right
- Automatically closes the main, which no sensor-only product can do
- MicroLeak daily pressure test can find leaks down to about a drop per minute
- No hub needed; Wi-Fi direct
- Flow and pressure history is genuinely useful for diagnosing plumbing oddities
Where it falls short
- Fits 1 to 1-1/4 inch pipe and normally needs a plumber
- Requires mains power at the valve, which is often not where power is
- One-year limited warranty is short for the money
- Does nothing about groundwater
Specifications from Flo by Moen 900-006 product page, Flo by Moen distributor listing.
The limit, stated plainly
| Scenario | Covered? |
|---|---|
| Washing machine hose bursts while away | Yes |
| Water heater connection splits | Yes |
| Slow leak inside a wall | Yes, via the daily pressure test |
| Pipe freezes and bursts | Yes, and it may warn on temperature first |
| Sump pump fails during a storm | No |
| Water table rises through the slab | No |
| Window well overflows into the basement | No |
Who should buy it
Anyone whose house is regularly empty, anyone with a finished basement sitting under old plumbing, and anyone who has already had one supply-line failure. In those cases it is the best-value device in this whole section, because it prevents the loss rather than reporting it.
If your concern is a wet basement after heavy rain, spend the money on a backup pump and a handful of leak detectors instead. Same budget, right problem.
Questions people ask
Does Flo by Moen stop basement flooding?
Only flooding that comes from your own plumbing. Groundwater and storm water never pass through the valve, so it has no effect on them.
Can I install it myself?
Only if you are comfortable cutting into the main supply line and local rules allow it. Most people need a plumber, and that cost should be part of the comparison.
What pipe sizes does it fit?
The 900-006 is specified for 1 inch to 1-1/4 inch pipe. Check what enters your house before ordering.
Will my insurer give me a discount for it?
Some carriers do offer discounts for monitored automatic shutoff systems. Ask yours directly, because the answer varies by company and by state.
Sources
Read next
Leak detectors with automatic water shutoff
A shutoff valve is the only device here that stops the water instead of reporting it. It is also powerless against the water this site is mostly about.
The best water leak detectors
No detector stops a leak. What it stops is a leak running unnoticed for two days, which is where almost all of the damage comes from.
The best battery backup sump pumps
The storm that fills your pit is the storm that takes the power out. This is the half of the system that works when the other half cannot.
The best Wi-Fi water sensors
The whole point is that the alert leaves the building. Which means the real specification is range and resilience, not sensitivity.
Your basement flooded. Do these things in this order.
Electricity first, source second, water third, drying fourth. Getting the order wrong is how people get hurt or lose the insurance claim.