In Use - IRIS by Lowes Hub (continued):

With that said, the app allows you a multitude of ways to interact with the devices. First selecting the Menu, then Devices will bring up a list of all devices paired to the hub. Selecting the valve will allow you to remotely open/close the valve, verify current power state and date of last self-test. You can also rename the device and see product info as can be seen in the screen caps below.



The leak sensors provide less info, you simply see the date of the last leak and battery status is listed as OK, even if it is not. To see true battery levels you need to use the web portal mentioned above. These values more or less matched the values provided by the leakSMART app. Not sure why Iris captures this data correctly but displays it so poorly.



Similarly selecting the Safety Alarm card will show you what safety devices are connected. In the caps below I only had the test sensor connected so the device count is only 1. Selecting the more tab will allow you to configure what to do should a leak be detected. In my case I have it set to shut off the water and to alarm using the house siren. At the bottom you can also create your alarm notification list, up to 6 people if you pay for the premium service.



On the Water card you can chose to open/close the valve as well as set schedules. I never really saw a need to utilize this but I guess for some this may be useful. Maybe if you have a summer cabin you only visit on weekends, you could set the water to only be on from Friday night to Monday morning.



Conclusion - IRIS by Lowes Hub:

Overall the Iris system works well and provides some ways to customize the system but its current lack of local processing means you could be left with a flooded home if your internet goes out. Iris does offer a 4G LTE modem, but this adds to the upfront and monthly costs. I do wish the system allowed you to configure some sensors to be in detection only like the leakSMART app but I prefer the notification method used in Iris. Not only will I get a push notification but I will also get a phone call. Since my phone is almost always on silent, a single vibration for a text or push notification doesn’t get my attention as much as several long vibrations from an incoming call.

In the end, if Iris could finally offer local processing I could deal with possibly having outdated firmware and shortened battery life in favor of better alerts.

Pros:

» Loud audible alert forces even my wife to react
» Actual phone call when leak detected
» Can be used with any Iris supported leak sensor

Cons:

» Rules require pay service
» No local processing
» Apparently very outdated firmware
» Battery indicator in app is useless