Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor Review: Ensures a Good Night’s Sleep During a Storm

Some people want to lose 20 pounds. Some people pledge to get 8 hours of sleep. But for us, our 2024 resolution was to finally address our water issues in the basement. An integral part of our plan to prevent future disasters included a sump pump monitor like the Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor.

A Strategy for Averting Sump Pump Disasters

We rang in the new year with brand-new interior French Drains and a shiny new sump pump. After learning way too much about basement waterproofing and sump pumps, we knew that once we refinished our basement with new sheetrock and flooring, we wanted to add extra safeguards to prevent any future disasters.

The Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor has all the alerts and notifications necessary to alert you to any issues with your sump pump and keep our minds at ease when we are home and away. The Moen Smart Sump Pump monitor setup was extremely easy and straightforward.

All you do is plug it into your outlet near the sump pump, plug your sump pump into the passthrough power outlet in the unit, and hook up the sensors inside your sump pit, and you’re good to go. We had a little trouble getting the internet connection to work, but after a quick phone call to customer support, it was up and running in less than 30 minutes.

How the Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor Works

Here are some examples of how the Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor works to protect your home:

Potential Issue #1: The water level gets too high

Solution: The Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor measures the pump’s performance to identify potential issues. The monitor attaches to a pipe in the pit and has a sensor that can measure where the water level is.

As the water rises, the monitor reads the movement in real-time and updates the water level graphic on the app so you can see how high the water is.

The app also lets you know if the water level is stable, rising, or falling (due to the sump pump discharging the water). If the water surpasses a safe level, you will receive an alert via text message, email, and phone call.

Potential Issue #2:The water overflows from the pit and begins flooding the basement.

Solution: If the water actually overflows out of the sump pump pit, the spillage will set off the included standalone leak detector and alert you through digital communication and an audible alert, which is great if someone else is home and does not receive the alerts.

The leak detector is sitting on our floor outside of the sump pit.

The brains of the monitor with the sump pump power cord

Potential Issue #3: The sump pump malfunctions

Solution: The Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor schedules tests for the primary and secondary sump pumps to ensure their functionality.

Potential Issue #4: Your house loses power

Solution: If your monitor loses power, you will receive an automatic alert that you have either lost communication with the device or lost all power. This alert is important because if your house loses power, your primary pump will likely not work.

The monitor is equipped with a battery backup and will send audible alerts if there are any issues.

Potential Issue #5: Freezing pipes

Solution: The Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor is equipped with a thermometer to measure the water temperature in the sump pump pit. If it senses extreme abnormalities in temperature, you will receive an alert, which may help you prevent frozen pipes.

Potential Issue #6: Too much humidity

Solution: As we all know, too much moisture in the air can lead to mold growth. The Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor measures humidity in the pit and alerts you to any abnormalities.

One feature I like is how the app keeps track of how often the pump runs, which is important to know because if your sump pump is old and runs every 1-5 minutes for an extended period, you risk the motor burning out.

Such knowledge can help you plan for the next storm by purchasing a second sump pump in case the one you have fails or by ensuring you have a portable sump pump ready to go if needed.

Two Areas Where the Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor Needs Improvement

Currently, only one phone number and email address can receive alerts. There should be a way to add more people to the alerts.

WiFi communication needs to be improved. I receive several false alarms each day that I completely ignore at this point. As we know from The Boy Who Cried Wolf, the alerts must be accurate and truthful!

Below are a few screenshots of the different error notifications we’ve received:

Should you get a Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor?

Despite those two flaws, the Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor has given me peace of mind. I am confident that during a bad rainstorm, I will be alerted to any potential issues with my sump pump and any water spillage.

I truly love what the Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor does, and I’ve already recommended it to several of my friends who have also been dealing with water problems in their basements.

The Flo by Moen Smart Sump Pump Monitor sells for $179.99; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer Supplied review sample

What I Like: The monitor is easy to install; Great information is provided in the app; Having it gives us peace of mind!

What Needs Improvement: WiFi communication needs improvement as it sends multiple false alarms; There needs to be a way to add additional notification recipients