A penetrable FortrezZ

[MUSIC] Today were talking a look When those leads make contact with water, they detect an increased conductivity and they set off an alarm of some sort. What distinguishes flood sensors from each other is their details. The problem is the FortrezZ Water & Temperature Sensor doesn't really have many of those details. It's a Z wave sensor, meaning that with a Z wave gateway like Smart Sayings or Piper, it can communicate with you using an app. It also chirps when it comes in contact with water. But other than that, it really doesn't do much. Although the device has temperature sensing hardware, the feature doesn't work with Smart Sayings or Piper, two of the biggest Z-wave gateways. Despite having so few features though the fortress Z earns a couple of points for its simplicity. It's pretty easy to set up and it's one of the easiest sensors to directly associate with other Z wave devices. Direct association is basically a process that helps you establish communication lines between Two Z-wave devices. That, in turn, decreases dependency on a hub in an emergency situation. These pros are pretty small in comparison with the cons of this product, though. Overall the Fortress Z water and temperature sensor really only kind of works. I really can't recommend it except to some DIYers Who want a really simple process for direct association. Be sure to check out more of our smart home coverage at cnet.com. For CNET Appliances, I'm Dave Priest. [SOUND]