Automated plumbing system sensor warning system and method

A method of detecting a blockage in a building drain system comprising a drain pipe, the method comprising the following steps:

• measuring a parameter at two or more locations within the drain pipe, a stack, a cleanout, or a combination thereof within the building drain system;
• comparing the measured parameter from at least a first location to a threshold value or range of values;
• and
• sending a signal to a remote user or remote device or triggering an alarm when the comparing step indicates there is a blockage;
• and
• wherein the parameter is a pressure or an acoustic profile.

An alert system for detecting when a filter through which fluid in a fluid filtration system flows needs to be cleaned or replaced, the alert system comprising:

• a first sensor connected to a pipe or conduit downstream of the filter to measure a parameter within the fluid filtration system at a location of the first sensor;
• a control system configured to receive signals from the first sensor, compare the measured parameter from the first sensor to a threshold value or range of values and to send a signal to a remote user or remote device or trigger an alarm when at the measured parameter is above or below the threshold value or outside the range of values indicating the filter needs to be cleaned or replaced;
• and
• wherein (1) the first sensor is a pressure sensors and the parameter is a pressure, or (2) the first sensor is an acoustic or vibration sensor and the parameter is an acoustic profile.

A method of detecting when a filter through which a fluid in a fluid filtration system flows needs to be cleaned or replaced, the method comprising:

• periodically measuring the pressure or acoustic profile at a first location downstream of and adjacent to at least a first filter;
• optionally periodically measuring the pressure or acoustic profile at a second location upstream of and adjacent to the first filter;
• comparing the measured pressure or acoustic profile from the first location to a threshold value or range of values or comparing the measured pressure or acoustic profile from the first location to the optional measured pressure or acoustic profile of the second location to determine a pressure drop across the filter or a change in acoustic profile across the filter;
• and
• sending a signal to a remote user or remote device or triggering an alarm when the comparing step indicates the first filter needs to be replaced or cleaned.

A method of detecting a blockage in a building drain system comprising a drain pipe, the method comprising the following steps:

• periodically measuring a pressure with at least one sensor located within the drain pipe, a stack, or a cleanout within the drain system;
• comparing one or more of the measured pressures to a threshold value or range of values;
• sending a signal to a remote user or remote device or triggering an alarm when at least one of the measured pressures is above or below the threshold value or outside the range of values;
• and
• determining an approximate location of the blockage as downstream of the pressure sensor when the measured pressure is higher than the threshold or upstream of the pressure sensor when the measured pressure is lower than the threshold.

A drain alert system for detecting changes indicating a blockage in a building drain system comprising a drain pipe, the drain alert system comprising:

• two or more sensors, each sensor connected to the drain pipe, a stack, a cleanout, or a combination thereof in the building drain system to measure a parameter within the drain system at a location of the sensor;
• a control system configured to (1) receive signals from the sensors, (2) compare the measured parameter from at least a first sensor to a threshold value, a range of values, or the measured parameter from a second sensor, and (3) send a signal to a remote user or remote device or trigger an alarm indicating a blockage in the drain pipe or the stack when at least one of the measured parameters from the first sensor is above or below the threshold value, outside the range of values, or there is a differential in the measured parameter of the first sensor and the measured parameter of the second sensor;
• and
• wherein (1) the sensors are pressure sensors and the parameter is a pressure, or (2) the sensors are acoustic or vibration sensors and the parameter is an acoustic profile, or (3) a combination thereof.

A method of detecting when a filter through which fluid in an fluid filtration system needs to be cleaned or replaced, the method comprising:

• periodically measuring a parameter at a first location downstream of the filter;
• optionally periodically measuring the parameter at a second location upstream of the filter;
• and
• (1) comparing the measured parameter from the first location to a threshold value or range of values and sending a signal to a remote user or remote device or triggering an alarm when the measured parameter from the first location is above or below the threshold value or outside the range of values or (2) determining if there is a variation between the measured parameter at the first location and the optional measured parameter at the second location and sending a signal to a remote user or remote device or triggering an alarm the variation indicates the filter needs to be replaced or cleaned;
• and
• wherein the parameter is a pressure or an acoustic profile.

A method of detecting when a filter through which a fluid in a fluid filtration system flows needs to be cleaned or replaced, the method comprising:

• periodically measuring a parameter at a location in the fluid filtration system, wherein the parameter is a pressure or acoustic profile or both and wherein the location is upstream of one or more filters, or downstream of one or more filters, or both;
• optionally determining a pressure drop or change in acoustic profile across one or more filters by comparing the measured pressure or acoustic profile upstream of one of the filters to the measured pressure or acoustic profile downstream of one of the filters;
• comparing (1) the measured parameter at a first location with the measured parameter at a second location, (2) the measured parameter at a first location to a previously measured parameter at the first location, (3) the optional pressure drop from one filter to a measured pressure at a location for another filter or to the optional pressure drop of another filter, (4) the optional pressure drop from one filter to a previously determined pressure drop from the same filter, (5) the optional acoustic change from one filter to a measured acoustic profile of another filter or to the optional acoustic change of another filter, (6) the optional acoustic change from one filter to a previously determined acoustic change from the same filter;
• and
• sending a signal to a remote user or remote device or triggering an alarm when any comparison is above or below a threshold value or outside the range of values.