Water damage protection system and method of preventing water damage for domestic water supply systems

A fluid flow protection system comprising:

• a servo motor actuated ball valve operatively connected to a fluid conduit and biased toward an open position to allow fluid flow therethrough, the valve movable toward a closed position upon actuation thereby preventing fluid flow through the fluid conduit;
• a sensing device for detecting fluid flow through the fluid conduit, the sensing device sending a fluid flow signal upon detection of fluid flow;
• and
• a controller for receiving the fluid flow signal from the sensing device, the controller actuates the control valve when the fluid flow signal occurs continuously for a predetermined length of time and the control valve moves to a closed position.

A flow control system, comprising:

• a conduit;
• a flow sensor on the conduit for indicating fluid flow through the conduit;
• a control valve on the conduit for controlling fluid flow through the conduit;
• a controller in communication with the flow sensor and the control valve, the controller in an initial mode wherein the flow control valve is bias toward an open position,
• if the flow sensor indicates any flow occurring through the conduit the controller initiates a time-monitoring mode wherein elapsed time of continuous flow indicated by the flow sensor is compared to a first preset amount of time, if the elapsed time of continuous flow stops and is less than the first preset amount of time the controller returns to the initial mode,
• if the elapsed time of continuous flow equals or exceeds the first preset amount of time the controller initiates an intermediate mode wherein the controller causes actuation of the control valve for a second preset amount of time, actuation of the control valve moves the control valve to a closed position preventing fluid flow through the conduit, after the second preset amount of time the controller allows the control valve to open for a third preset amount of time,
• the controller initiates a no-flow mode after the third preset amount of time wherein any amount of flow indicated by the flow sensor causes the controller to enter a closed mode which actuates the control valve until the controller is manually reset to the initial mode, no-flow indicated by the flow sensor in the no-flow mode causes the controller to automatically return to the initial mode.