Parks Associates and JCI Research: 26% of US Internet Households Have Experienced Water-Leak Damage, Yet Only 5% Use Smart Leak Detection Solutions

At ISC West, Parks Associates and Johnson Controls (JCI) released new research that reveals a significant gap between the widespread impact of water-related property damage and the adoption of technologies designed to prevent it.

According to the firms’ latest white paper, “Flooding the Market: Scaling Up Smart Water Management,” 26% of US internet households report experiencing water leak damage, yet only 5% of single-family homeowners currently own a smart water leak or humidity detector, highlighting a major opportunity for insurers, security providers, and property managers to expand preventive solutions. The research, released at ISC West in Las Vegas, examines the growing role of connected water management technologies, including leak detectors, flow meters, humidity sensors, and automated shut-off valves, in reducing costly property damage and insurance losses.

Water damage is one of the most common and most expensive causes of insurance losses. Industry data shows that water damage and freezing account for 22% of homeowner insurance losses, with the average claim totalling approximately $15,400 between 2019 and 2023.

Jennifer Kent, SVP & Principal Analyst, Parks Associates, said, “Smart water management technologies offer a proactive approach by detecting issues early and enabling automated responses that prevent small leaks from becoming costly disasters. As adoption grows, these solutions have the potential to significantly reduce losses while improving peace of mind for property owners.”

Travis Firth, VP, Sales, Johnson Controls, said, “For security dealers, this represents a natural next step in the evolution toward services-led growth. Water detection is one of the most common loss events in the home, and integrating leak detection and automated shutoff into professionally monitored systems allows dealers to deepen customer relationships while delivering meaningful, everyday protection. Johnson Controls is committed to enabling our dealer partners with proven technology that scales across residential and commercial markets.”

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