What “no internet” really means in a Canadian winter storm

Most people say “no internet” when they mean one of three different failures. Your shutoff plan should be different for each:

• ISP down: your Wi-Fi still exists, but the internet connection is dead.
• Router/Wi-Fi down: your local network disappears (router crash, firmware issue, hardware failure).
• Power outage: everything goes dark (and this is the one that matters most in winter).

Mandatory truth sentence (cluster-wide): local shutoff can still occur, but remote alerts/remote control generally require Wi-Fi/internet/app access. That is why “offline shutoff triggering” is valuable, and why outage power planning is part of the system—not an optional add-on.

What still works when internet/Wi-Fi fails

Failure mode	What can still work	What may stop	Practical action
ISP down (internet unavailable)	Local shutoff triggering can continue if the system supports a local sensor → controller → valve path.	Remote alerts and remote control may stop if they depend on internet/app access.1	Treat local shutoff as the safety layer; treat remote alerts as “nice to have.”
Router/Wi-Fi down (local network unavailable)	Local shutoff triggering can still occur if sensors communicate locally (RF) to the controller and the controller has power.	Anything that depends on Wi-Fi to reach the app will likely stop.1	Plan sensor placement + test triggering before winter-away travel.
Power outage (controller and network may be off)	Only what has power continuity. A shutoff motor still requires power to actuate.	Smart alerts, routers, hubs, and the actuator itself can all stop without power continuity.2	Add backup power where outages are plausible; test the full system cycle under supervision.

¹ Footnote: Local shutoff ≠ remote alerts.   ² Footnote: Hub/router power matters during outages.

Best “resilience-first” recommendation (simple, conservative)

Cloud-dependent vs local-trigger systems (why wording matters)

Two products can both claim “smart shutoff,” but behave very differently during outages:

• Cloud-dependent chain: sensor → Wi-Fi → cloud → Wi-Fi → valve. If the cloud link breaks, your automation can break.
• Local-trigger chain: sensor → local RF → controller → valve. This is the resilience logic buyers actually want when they say “no internet.”

Z-Wave note (hub reality)

Z-Wave setups can be excellent when your hub supports local processing and you’ve planned power continuity. The important point is that the hub becomes part of the reliability stack. If the hub or its power plan fails during an outage, your “smart” logic may stop—even if the valve actuator is installed correctly.

Do this once: your outage-ready test protocol

1. Identify the main shutoff and confirm it is a lever-handle quarter-turn ball valve.
2. Manually cycle the valve open/close to confirm it turns reliably without binding.
3. Run a full device cycle (open/close) after installation to confirm full travel.
4. Trigger a sensor test (per manufacturer pairing steps) and confirm the expected shutoff response.
5. Validate your power plan for the controller (and hub/router, if applicable) during outages.
6. Record proof photos (installed actuator + power + app/status) for support and insurance workflows.

Need the photo/clearance workflow? DIY install checklist (Canada). Need insurer documentation? Insurance proof pack (Canada).

FAQ

Does a water shutoff still close if my internet is down?

Sometimes, yes—if leak detection can trigger shutoff locally instead of relying on cloud automations. Limitation: local shutoff can still occur, but remote alerts/remote control generally require Wi-Fi/internet/app access. Action step: plan for ISP down, router down, and power outage separately, and test a sensor-triggered shutoff before winter-away travel.

What’s the difference between “internet down” and “Wi-Fi down”?

Internet down means your Wi-Fi network still exists but can’t reach the outside world; Wi-Fi down means your local network is gone. Limitation: anything that depends on the app/cloud may stop in either case. Action step: choose and test a setup where leak detection can trigger a valve close event locally, then treat app alerts as a secondary layer.

Will any automatic shutoff work during a power outage?

Only if the actuator/controller has power continuity, because the motor still needs power to close the valve. Limitation: backup runtime varies by load and conditions. Action step: if outages are plausible, add a backup plan (purpose-built or equivalent) and test the complete system cycle under supervision—including what happens when the router/hub is offline.

If I use Z-Wave, is it “more offline” than Wi-Fi?

Z-Wave can be very resilient when your hub processes automations locally and you’ve planned hub power continuity. Limitation: if your hub or its cloud dependency fails, your automations may not run. Action step: confirm your hub’s local processing behavior and include the hub/router power plan in your winter-away system design.

What is the minimum kit for storm/rural properties?

Start with a whole-home shutoff + sensors + power continuity + a verified test cycle. Limitation: remote alerts may stop during outages even if local shutoff triggering works. Action step: for many homes, a starter kit plus backup power is the conservative baseline; expand sensor coverage to laundry, mechanical room/HWT, kitchen, and any finished-basement areas.