It’s Monday morning in the office. An employee is on his way to the office kitchen to make coffee. There he discovers an unpleasant surprise: the entire office kitchen is under water. The dishwasher caused water damage over the weekend. Water damage caused by dishwashers is an annoying, sometimes costly and time-consuming problem that regularly occurs in offices. However, with an IoT-based solution, the risk of water damage can be minimized very easily and cost-effectively.
Causes of water damage
Water damage in office kitchens is not only annoying, it can quickly become expensive. Leaking pipes, especially in and around the dishwasher, are a common cause. These pipes have to withstand high pressure and temperatures and can leak over time, leading to undetected water damage. It is therefore important to check the pipes and connections regularly.
Another cause of water damage is a damaged dishwasher water inlet. Uncontrolled leakage of water can cause considerable damage. It is therefore advisable to regularly check and, if necessary, repair or replace the water inlet.
Leaky seals on the dishwasher are also a frequent cause of water damage. These seals must be checked regularly and replaced if necessary. Regular maintenance of dishwashers and pipes is crucial to prevent water damage. Preventive measures are cheaper and save more time than repairing water damage. It therefore makes sense to invest effort in the maintenance and inspection of office kitchen equipment.
Financial aspects and possible consequential costs of water damage caused by dishwashers
Water damage not only incurs direct costs for repairing the damaged areas, but often also indirect costs, for example due to business interruptions and possible downtime if the repair is very extensive. It is often not just the obvious damage, such as soaked walls or floors, that leads to high costs. Hidden damage, for example to the electrics or masonry, can also cost considerable sums of money. In addition, consequential damage such as mold growth can also drive up costs.
Simple preventive measures against water damage caused by dishwashers – without any technology
Simple preventive maintenance of a dishwasher does not require any specialist knowledge. Moving parts such as spray arms and filters should be checked for wear. This allows potential weaknesses to be identified and rectified at an early stage.
Another key aspect is checking the seals, which prevent water leaks and ensure efficiency. Cracks or damage should be repaired immediately to avoid future problems.
The dishwasher’s connections and joints should also be checked carefully to prevent water leaks and other problems. Regular checks ensure secure and tight connections.
Safe from water damage in the office kitchen with IoT technology from Kentix
Kentix offers companies an easy-to-install and effective IoT-based solution to prevent water damage in the office kitchen. This only requires two components: A leakage sensor and a multisensor. Strategically placed underneath the dishwasher, the leakage sensor enables an early response to potential moisture leaks before major damage occurs.
The big plus: the MultiSensor-TI (Thermal Image) is capable of detecting a wide range of other hazards in the office kitchen. This includes monitoring the surface temperature and analyzing the air quality. This means that, for example, hotplates that have not been switched off or a defective toaster that is heating up dangerously can be detected in good time before a devastating fire breaks out (read more about early fire detection ).
Comprehensive protection with just one system
Kentix offers companies more than just protection against water damage. The IoT-based system is part of an integrated security solution for office and industrial buildings as well as data centers. In addition to leakage monitoring, Kentix also offers early fire detection, environmental monitoring, access control and video surveillance. With Kentix, a company can not only detect possible water damage in good time, but also protect itself against other risks such as fire or burglary.
A total of eight conventional security systems are combined in just one. Everything is controlled via the IoT-based KentixONE platform. This makes company monitoring convenient for the responsible personnel and simplifies processes considerably. KentixONE detects more than 40 physical hazards and sends automatic and immediate alarms so that action can be taken immediately before serious damage occurs. Kentix provides companies with a holistic security strategy that takes physical security to a new level.
