Sump Pump Failure? Check Out Home Hero PitBoss

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You’re thousands of miles from home, vacationing on a sunny beach, but your WeatherBug app tells you that a powerful storm has hit your hometown. Now, you’re fretting about the sump pump in your basement. What is happening?

Just as your attention starts to wander away from the umbrella drink you’re enjoying as you sit on your veranda, a text hits your mobile phone with an alert that reads: “PitBoss has detected a high water level for Pit #1 at 1:23 p.m.”

Before any damage can happen, you’re addressing the problem with a phone call to someone who can help.

Just that quickly, PitBoss, a wireless alarm system, has saved yet another homeowner from a failed sump pump catastrophe.

The device is easy to install. Plug the power cord into the nearest outlet and it will sync with the local cellular network. Drop the water sensor wherever you want to know about leaks, floods or standing water. Then, set up text message alerts to where you want to receive notifications.

How does this machine-to-machine (M2M) solution work?

It’s simple. If a sump pump begins to fail or electricity is shut off, the water sensor is activated and a homeowner receives a text message to his or her mobile phone. Typical water and power alarms just buzz, beep or sound a siren. But if no one’s home, who can hear it? Rather than coming home to the unpleasant surprise of flooding, the PitBoss alerts the person who receives the text message to take action immediately so they can call a plumber or designated caretaker to respond.

This peace-of-mind home device is the creation of Tom Ward, an Indianapolis businessman and entrepreneur.

About 150 of Ward’s made-in-Indiana wireless alarm products sell each month online via PumpAlarm.com. The device also earned the Hottest New Product nod at the 2013 Indianapolis Home Show, where more than 100 vendors showcased their products to more than 94,000 attendees.

According to the most recent data from the American Housing Survey of the United States, nearly 43 percent of U.S. homes have basements – where most sump pumps tend to reside – so Ward’s solution has plenty of potential users.

Verizon Wireless’ network coverage also counts when it comes to how this handy device delivers.

“We’re using Verizon Wireless for a reason,” said Ward, who has a Verizon Wireless coverage map on his website so customers can check their addresses for service. “It has advantages for a basement. The number one concern of our customers is, ‘Will wireless work in my basement?’. Reception is not a problem for us with Verizon.”

The PitBoss is just a little larger than a smartphone and weighs less than seven ounces. The solution is also fairly affordable for a homeowner or small business, costing $189 for the device and only $30 a year for the wireless connection.

And even if you don’t have a basement, you may still worry about other places where you have water in your home – think aquariums, refrigerators and water heaters. PitBoss can avert all types of potential disasters when the power goes out.

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