LOUISVILLE, Ky., Jan. 30, 2026 — GE Appliances Air & Water Solutions will debut a fully connected whole-home water protection ecosystem at the 2026 AHR Expo, bringing together water heating, treatment and leak detection into a single platform designed to help homeowners prevent costly water damage while improving efficiency and control.
Water damage is rarely a minor expense, as the average insurance claim was $11,098 as of December 2025. As hidden leaks and rising insurance costs continue to put pressure on homeowners and contractors, the SmartHQ Wireless Leak Detect System, an Innovation Awards finalist at the 2026 AHR Expo, provides a connected approach to risk mitigation by linking app-based sensors and appliances to monitor and control water use in real time.
When paired with GE Profile™ connected water products, the system monitors the home with:
● Real-Time Awareness: Homeowners receive instant notifications via the SmartHQ app, allowing them to track water consumption and receive alerts the moment anything unusual occurs.
● Strategic Placement: Integrated sensors can be placed in high-risk zones near appliances connected to the SmartHQ system, creating a perimeter of protection.
● Active Mitigation: Appliances connected to the SmartHQ system include an automatic water shutoff valve, stopping damage in seconds, even if the homeowner is miles away from home.
● Future-Proof Engineering: The system is always improving with over-the-air updates, ensuring the technology matches evolving needs without requiring hardware changes.
“Contractors are often the first responders when a hidden leak turns into a disaster, but by the time they arrive, the damage is already done,” said Stephen Fetterman, executive director of sales for GE Appliances Air & Water Solutions. “By connecting leak detection, water treatment and water heating into one intelligent system, we’re helping pros offer their customers peace of mind with a complete water management solution.”
Pros can now deliver whole-house water control with GE Profile’s line of connected solutions:
GE Profile GEOSPRING® Smart Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater: This is the most advanced water heater in the industry.1 Smart features through the SmartHQ app give owners total control, enabling users to monitor energy and cost usage, join utility time-of-use plans, adjust temperature and capacity, set custom schedules and receive leak notifications.
Additionally, the GE Profile GEOSPRING is up to 4.7 times more energy efficient than standard electric water heaters and offers up to 20% more energy efficiency compared to other heat pump water heaters,2 earning it multiple industry honors:
○ Green Builder’s 2025 Sustainable Products of the Year Winner
○ 2025 CEE Integrated Home Competition Winner for Water Heating
○ 2025 Best of IBS Finalist for Best Energy Efficient Product
GE Profile Professional Smart Valve Water Softeners: An all-in-one solution for pros and homeowners, these softeners address scale buildup and soap scum while improving the feeling of hair and skin and extending the life of your home’s other appliances. SmartHQ also allows homeowners to monitor flow rates at any time of day, set reminders for salt status and refill timing, and remotely shut off water to the entire house.
GE Profile Smart Valve With Integrated Filtration: Powered by SmartHQ, this point-of-entry system features advanced filtration technology that reduces sand, sediment, chlorine taste and odor before it enters your home. The smart valve also allows users to remotely monitor water usage and safeguard from water leaks with remote water shutoff.
At AHR 2026, attendees can experience the full connected system in action, including live demonstrations of app-based monitoring and automatic shutoff. GE Appliances Air & Water Solutions will be located at Booth #C1225, where visitors can see how integrated water technology is redefining what it means to provide peace of mind to the modern home.
Visit GEAppliancesAirAndWater.com to learn more. For more information about GE Profile and its range of available products, visit GEProfile.com or follow @geprofile on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest or YouTube.
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1 Based on the combination of all GEOSPRING features available vs. leading industry competitors. 2 Source: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/water-heating#:~:text=Water%20heating%20accounts%20for%20about,energy%20expense%20in%20any%20home
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About GE Appliances Air & Water Solutions
GE Appliances, a Haier company, Air & Water Solutions is dedicated to serving the unique needs of the plumbing, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning industry. The division offers total property solutions from trusted brands, GE®, Haier and Hotpoint. Its robust product portfolio includes water heaters, water filtration, commercial HVAC, and ductless heating and cooling for light commercial and residential use. GE Appliances has never been in a stronger position to serve distributors, wholesalers and contractors with real-life solutions and the support they need. For more information, visit GEAppliancesAirAndWater.com.
About GE Profile™
GE Profile offers kitchen and laundry solutions with sleek aesthetics and leading-edge features that simplify daily life. At the intersection of meaningful technology and sophisticated design, GE Profile brings smarter innovation to life through its line of major and small appliances. For the latest products, visit GEProfile.com or @geprofile on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest or YouTube.
About GE Appliances, a Haier companyAt GE Appliances, a Haier company, we come together to make good things, for life. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, we are a leading U.S. manufacturer of home appliances with 15,500 team members nationwide. GE Appliances, found in half of all U.S. homes, is proud to be rated America’s #1 Appliance Company1 and trusted by millions of families nationwide. We manufacture and sell products under the Monogram™, Café™, GE Profile™, GE®, Haier™, and Hotpoint™ brands. Our operations support nearly 90,000 additional American jobs and represent an investment of more than $2 billion since 2016. We are deeply committed to the communities where we live and work, passionate about getting closer to our product users to understand their needs and driven by the belief that there’s always a better way.
To learn more about our company, brands, career opportunities, and impact, visit geappliancesco.com or connect with us on LinkedIn
1 OpenBrand Consumer Tracking Survey, Q1 – Q4 2024, Based on Volume of Total Majors/MO/RAC – Retail Units