Somerville-based eProperty Care’s smart-building platform notifies building owners of maintenance emergencies and inefficient plumbing systems. Image courtesy of ePropertyCare

As the weather stays cold and the pandemic rages on, pending restrictions loom on the horizon and the need for social distancing and limiting interactions outside the household remain paramount. 

This can be extremely difficult for landlords and property managers who must still provide support and services to tenants, responding to customary maintenance issues and bringing contractors into units. Fortunately, property owners are finding solutions to increase resident, landlord and contractor safety during the ongoing pandemic through the installation of building protection and automation solutions.  

These solutions, such as ePropertyCare, bring peace of mind to property owners and operators by installing a secure and scalable smart building platform that allows users to protect, monitor and control buildings over a cellular connection. The reliable network capabilities allow landlords and property managers to access the state of the building through their cell phone, thereby avoiding in-person interactions, which has been extremely useful in the age of COVID-19 and the accompanying social distancing measures.  

A Watchdog for Leaky Pipes 

As temperatures drop, frozen pipes become a growing threat. The cold months increase the chances of weather-related flooding, an expensive repair that can also result in the loss of irreplaceable items with great sentimental value in residential basements. The water protection system includes point water sensors near high-risk areas such as water heaters and washing machines, and an integrated water flow meter and shut off valve on the water main that monitors water flow rate. This technology will then alert property owners of any leakage or proactively shut off the water supply depending on the users’ specifications, and implementation of the technology can result in credits that will reduce insurance premiums. 

Charles Hadsell

Until now, there has never been a reliable, cost-effective and cellular-connected front-end solution to protect against loss resulting from water damage. The ePropertyCare platform gives property managers the ability to stop water events before they occur, mitigating the risk of damage and eliminating the costly aftermath. Additional platform features include video monitoring, temperature control, electronic access, smart locks and alarm systems. 

ePropertyCare recently partnered with Titan Insurance, a Boston-based home and business insurance agency to bring new solutions to landlords with properties of all sizes. Through the partnership, Titan will promote the ePropertyCare water protection solution to existing and potential clients in order to minimize the risk and costs associated with water damage, resulting in credits that will reduce insurance premiums. 

Significant Savings on Routine Operations 

The savings that result from using this technology are not limited to major catastrophic events. Property managers and owners are alerted to minor issues such as running toilets and smaller leaks, which without proper attention will drive up water costs that landlords typically bear. The technology grants a financial benefit along with the serenity of knowing that if anything were to go wrong, the fix can happen immediately rather than hours, days or weeks later, depending on when the problem is found. 

Mike Mullaney

ePropertyCare gives insurance companies the confidence that no significant issues will arise, and as a result, they pass onto their consumers the incredible financial incentives through discounts on premiums to continue to use the technology to monitor their properties. The mitigated risk goes beyond pipes and water damage, as the platform allows property managers to set one-time codes for maintenance workers to use at the set time of arrival to enter the building and make repairs.  

Residents and landlords do not have to be present and are put at ease knowing this single-use code will only grant the necessary temporary access. This feature has been extremely beneficial in the time of COVID-19, decreasing interactions and lowering the chance of any further spread of the virus. 

Charles Hadsell is CEO and co-founder of Somerville-based ePropertyCare and Michael Mullaney is CEO and co-founder of Titan Insurance. 

Cellular-Based Warning System for Building Emergencies

by Banker & Tradesman time to read: 3 min
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