FAQ
Subjects
Answers to the most popular questions about NOWA products, components and brand
Present in the detection systems market for over 15 years, NOWA is a leader in the field. Its products are in their fourth generation.
The water damage protection market is booming, with companies popping up left and right. Some stick around, while others are shooting stars… leaving owners on their own. This question is a true measure of the reliability of the company behind the product.
NOWA products are PREVCAN certified.
This aspect is important because most insurers require the system to be PREVCAN certified. If it is not, the insurer might consider you to be under-protected and may not offer any premium reduction or deductible decrease. Request proof that the manufacturer is PREVCAN-certified.
Notifications are available by email, on the online portal, and through the mobile app. The system can also be connected to your security or automation system using its dry contacts. On-site, the NOWA 4S screen clearly indicates which sensor is involved. The user, the administrator, and NOWA’s central office instantly receive an alert in case of a leak. Building managers and condominium syndicate members can also be notified.
All systems on the market issue a warning when a water leak is detected. But who is notified, and how? Inquire about alerts; not all water damage prevention companies offer the same flexibility.
The PRESENCE service provides you with lifelong 24/7 emergency assistance. The platform and mobile app allow you to monitor your system’s status in real time, no matter where you are.
After-sales service in the first few days after installation is fine. But your system won’t be in place for a limited time; you need protection for life, at any time of day. What will happen if you need help in 5 or 10 years? During the weekend, or overnight? NOWA meets these needs.
- 24/7 emergency support
- Customer service available on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- LTE connectivity of NOWA 4S panels
- Monthly and annual reports for insurers
- Management portal for condominium or commercial building managers
- System monitoring by the platform
- Monitoring of weekly valve shut-off self-tests
- Monitoring of daily sensor connectivity self-tests
- PRESENCE mobile app for all users
- Automated remote system updates
- Training for owners and managers
- Continuous data security enhancement
- Extended warranty on system components
Yes. You can download an annual activity statement from the web portal or the PRESENCE app. Send it to your insurer and make sure you keep your premium discounts.
Some insurers require such a report for all building systems. It can even be a condition for accepting your coverage.
Yes. By default, all sensors are programmed to shut off the main water supply in the event of an alert; however, this setting can be adjusted so that they only send a detection notification.
This option is particularly useful when a sensor is placed under an aquarium, an air conditioning unit, a coffee machine, or any other installation that isn’t directly connected to the property’s plumbing. It allows for a quick response in case of a leak, enabling cleanup without disrupting day-to-day activities.
That said, it is generally recommended to keep the automatic water shut-off function enabled. This remains the most effective way to notify NOWA users of a problem, especially in larger properties.
Round sensors must be placed directly on the floor, with their gold contact points facing downward. It is not recommended to mount them on a wall or upside down. Sensors with a base paired with a perimeter cable must also be placed on the floor, but the cables can be positioned either along the floor or around pipes.
Sensors should be installed in such a way that they can detect water accumulation. Since water follows the principle of gravity, it is often best to place the sensor at the lowest point. As for perimeter cables, it is important to ensure they remain in contact with the surface to be monitored.
To prevent sensors from being moved, you can use the protective cage included in the packaging. Secure it to the floor using screws, double-sided adhesive tape, glue, or silicone. Always fix the cage to the floor—not the sensor itself. The reason is simple: if the gold contact points are covered by any substance, it could reduce the sensor’s effectiveness.
Water sensors should be placed behind, under, or around installations that use water. The 2.0 water and freeze sensor is perfect for placement under the main valve pipe, sinks, washbasins, refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioners, and air exchangers. It can also be installed behind a toilet, next to the bathtub and shower, or under the water pipes of washers and steam dryers. Additionally, it may be wise to install a water sensor in alert mode under an aquarium or near a coffee machine.
Water sensors with a base and a perimeter cable are ideal for installations where space is limited. For example, install a sensor under the kitchen sink and use a perimeter cable to run along the pipe leading to the dishwasher instead of installing two separate sensors. The cable can also be installed under some bathtubs.
Perimeter cables are perfect for high-risk areas such as around water heaters, water dispensers, or along certain pipes inside a building’s walls. They provide extended leak detection, including slow drips and leaks occurring in critical areas where water accumulation may not be even.
The mini water sensor is particularly well suited for placement at the kickplate of a kitchen sink. Since it is submersible, it can also be useful in warning mode in a smart home setup with a sump pump pit or a rainwater collection barrel.
A motion sensor connected to a NOWA 4S system allows the water supply to be shut off when a property is unoccupied for an extended period. It is programmed to close the main water inlet after 24 hours of continuous inactivity, but this duration can be adjusted to suit your specific needs.
It’s the perfect accessory for people who are frequently away from home or for commercial buildings. Your offices are empty every evening after 6 p.m. and on weekends? No problem—water can be shut off after a defined period of inactivity that you set.
Motion sensors should be high on walls, with at least five feet of clearance in front of them to ensure proper detection. It is strongly recommended to place them in frequently used rooms to avoid shutting off the water unnecessarily. They are installed using double-sided adhesive tape and are simply affixed to the wall.
The PRESENCE mobile app is the most advanced solution for leak prevention management. At all times, it allows property owners and building managers to: monitor the system status (valves, sensors, and panels) for each unit or property; open and close valves remotely; receive real-time alerts; precisely locate where a leak has been detected; view a complete event history; access installation certificates, reports for insurers and the system user manual; and perform multi-layer system management within the same property. For more information, consult this webpage.
As for caretakers and maintenance personnel, the PRESENCE app allows them to see the exact location of a leak and restart the systems once repairs are completed. Installers and plumbers can use the app to install systems and run validation tests to ensure proper operation.
NOWA 4S systems connected to LTE operate without interruption during a power outage when powered by our backup battery.
Unlike Wi-Fi, LTE remains operational during an outage, and the 4S panel is equipped with a battery for such situations. A backup battery can be added to your system for prolonged or frequent outages. It can keep the system running for up to 24 hours after a power failure. Water and freeze sensors are all equipped with batteries that last up to 7 years; they are therefore not at risk of stopping functioning during an outage.
Yes, the 4S control panel is a separate device from the valve. It is positioned in an easily accessible location. The panel has a screen that clearly displays the system status and identifies the specific sensor involved in an alert. Designed for simplicity, it can be operated by any user using just three buttons. And it allows for on-site and remote control of the valve.
Some manufacturers choose to eliminate the control panel; the brain that communicates with the sensors and the online platform is integrated into the inlet valve. This has financial benefits, but also a downside; it means there’s no way to view the system status or identify which sensor is in alert mode without using the online platform. This makes you totally dependent on the online portal and the reliability of the Wi-Fi connection. Furthermore, valve controls are usually located in hard-to-access areas.
Any NOWA 4S system installation project in a building with more than one unit is systematically entrusted to a certified installer recognized by insurers. Certification levels are based on the number of installations completed. And only the highest-certified installers are granted access to large-scale projects. If you choose to handle the installation yourself, NOWA still recommends having the valve installed by a certified plumber.
Installation quality standards vary from one manufacturer to another. Make sure to ask about the specific requirements for your type of building. Is there a certification program in place? Does the installer carry the required liability insurance? And most importantly, is the installer recognized by your insurer?
With NOWA, wiring through the building is generally not required unless the valve is located far from the control panel. The valve is directly wired to the control panel for single-source power and fast, bidirectional control. The sensors are wireless and can be placed within a range of up to 5,000. sq. ft. RF signal repeaters can be added to extend sensor range if needed.
A co-owner who decides to reopen a valve during an alert, completely disregarding why it had closed automatically in the first place, it’s happened before. Yet, this action can cause system usage or functionality issues.
With a NOWA 4S system, the sensors must be dry before a user or building manager can clear the alert and reopen the valve remotely. If the valve is reopened manually, a warning is triggered on the control panel. Additionally, the property owner only sees their own unit. They can control the valve to open or close it, for example when leaving for an extended period. However, if the 4S system enters alert mode in case of an event, their access level is not sufficient to reopen the valve.
For a condominium building, make sure to choose a system that compartmentalizes access and restricts permissions based on circumstances. No co-owner user should be able to deactivate the system.
NOWA sensors are tested daily. The valve is tested weekly, and any malfunction triggers an immediate alert.
Our state-of-the-art systems use endless test loops to detect any problems preventively. One test for the sensors, and one for the valve. And it is important to understand the difference between valve maintenance and a functional test. During maintenance, a signal to close and reopen the valve is sent without the system ever receiving feedback on the success of the operation. Some systems are limited to the maintenance part.
Data from NOWA systems is protected by hardware encryption on an isolated circuit. Data stored in the cloud portal is hosted in Canada with redundancy. The standards we use exceed the recommendations of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.
Digital threats are real, whether you’re a single person or a megacorporation. From the moment you purchase a technology product that uses personal data, security is key. And it should cover the entire data life cycle.
NOWA systems are continuously updated remotely, with no action required on your part. No planned obsolescence.
Since your system will need to continue protecting your building for decades, its scalability and ability to be updated are paramount. It should always remain compatible with the latest technologies and protect you from increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Not all systems are scalable. And among those that are, some require human intervention that falls to you.
The battery life of the sensors can be up to 7 years. The battery warranty is a minimum of 2 years, and it increases to 5 years with a subscription to the PRESENCE service. Each sensor contains a CR2450 battery with a price that may vary depending on the supplier (average cost between $5 and $10), and a typical property has 10 sensors.
Unlike NOWA, some competitors sell sensors with batteries that need to be replaced every two years—or even annually. That can put a serious strain on a budget. For a house or cottage, you have to account not only for this recurring cost but also for battery replacement time. Do the math for a building with 15, 30, or 100 units. And that’s not to mention the environmental impact of it all.
By default, each NOWA 4S panel has its own SIM card and synchronizes with the management portal and mobile app through the LTE network. Depending on your preference, it can also communicate via Wi-Fi. Note than an upgrade is available to convert the NOWA 360 model to LTE.
Systems on the market maintain the link either through Wi-Fi or LTE cellular network. The difference? Wi-Fi carries a much higher risk of disconnection: weakened bandwidth, hardware failure of the router or modem, maintenance required, password changes, accidental disconnection, etc. NOWA eliminates these risks thanks to independent LTE connectivity for each system, ensuring greater reliability and uninterrupted service.