Let’s Get Connected

Cutting-edge IoT softeners and apps help you connect to, and control, your water at home

Smart Devices. Connected Homes. The Internet of Things. All an integral part of modern living, having tangible and positive benefits for each and every one of us. More and more home appliances are becoming connected every year. According to data from IoT Analytics there were over 12.3 billion internet enabled devices in 2021, and that number is growing exponentially.

Pentair products have always been at the forefront of digital connectivity and we have big plans for 2022. So why would you need a connected water softener and why would you choose one from Pentair?

We lift the lid on smart water softeners and the home water ecosystem to find out.

IQ Soft: The era of the connected softener

Pentair Scan is still a great app for supporting our softeners. However, the wider adoption of home routers, improvements in chip sensors and WiFi reliability has truly unleashed the full potential of product connectivity to our end users.

In 2018 we launched IQ Soft, our first water softener that was internet enabled and all the possibilities that brings. Like many ‘connected’ devices, it’s only when you start using the features you realise how useful they are. For a water softener, often hidden in the basement, remote monitoring is a big plus. Notifications of system performance, errors, even if the softener has been inadvertently turned off, are all good to know about on an app – before you start seeing scale building up around the home! But perhaps the most useful everyday notification on a water softener is a timely reminder that it’s time to top up, or order, more salt, rather than checking under the lid of the salt bin.

The IQ Soft was our first connected softener and we are upgrading our mid- and high-end softener ranges to add WiFi connectivity. There is a lot more that remote monitoring has yet to offer to home users. For example if a leak is detected by a softener, it will send a push notification to your smartphone prompting you to shut-off the water, so preventing major damage.

Pentair Home and Pro app keep users one step ahead

In parallel to the connectivity hardware in the softener, we have been busy developing a new generation of powerful apps. This year in Europe we will launch the Pentair Home app for softener owners and a companion Pentair Pro app for installers and dealers. These are both feature-rich and take connectivity to the next level – connecting devices, owners, service professionals and Pentair, so we are all talking to one another.

The Pentair Home app puts the owner fully in charge of their home water. As well as locally reporting on salt levels, predictive salt usage, daily peak flow and higher than normal water consumption, the Pentair Home app also allows owners to connect with their nearest, or preferred, water professional who is part of the Pentair network and using the Pentair Pro App. With that connection and necessary permissions in place, that professional can remotely monitor the appliance, checking it is functioning correctly, automatically receiving any service or maintenance alerts. In addition, the professional receives detailed diagnostic information so, if a mechanical fault is detected, the engineer will be able to bring the right part first time and any problems are fixed faster.

In turn the Pentair Pro App means service professionals can provide peace of mind to their customers by monitoring their devices, giving them real-time support and remote diagnosis which can save hours on service visits. These new Pentair apps are a win-win for both owners and dealers alike.