Preparing for Your Shipshape Installation

Overview

Your Shipshape installation is coming up, and you want to make sure everything goes smoothly. The good news is that Shipshape's monitoring equipment is designed for fast installation.

That said, a little preparation on your part can make the process even faster and ensure you get the best possible monitoring setup for your home. This guide covers what to expect during the installation visit and a few simple things you can do ahead of time to help.

What to Expect During Installation

Here is a high-level overview of what your service professional will do during the installation visit:

1. Set up the gateway. They will connect the Shipshape Gateway to your internet router using an ethernet cable, usually as soon as they arrive. Most gateways are ready in a few minutes, but a brand-new one can take up to 15 minutes the first time. See Connecting Your Shipshape Gateway for details.

2. Walk through your home. Your service professional will tour the home with you to identify key appliances and systems that should be monitored. This includes things like your HVAC system, water heater, sump pump, dehumidifier, and major appliances.

3. Place sensors. Based on the walkthrough, they will place sensors at the appropriate locations throughout your home. Each sensor pairs wirelessly with the gateway.

4. Verify everything is online. Before leaving, your service professional will confirm that every sensor is communicating properly with the gateway and showing up in the app.

5. Give you a quick overview. They will show you the Shipshape app, walk you through the main features, and explain what kind of alerts and insights you can expect.

The entire visit is straightforward and conversational. Your service professional is there to help, so do not hesitate to ask questions or point out areas of your home you are concerned about.

How to Prepare Your Home

A few simple steps before the visit will help your service professional work efficiently and ensure nothing gets missed.

1. Know Where Your Router Is

Your service professional will need to access your internet router to connect the gateway. If your router is in an unusual location (inside a closet, in the attic, behind furniture), make a note so you can point them to it quickly.

Also check: is there an open ethernet port on the back of the router? If all ports are in use, let your service professional know. They can bring a network switch, or you can pick one up ahead of time (any basic 5-port switch from an electronics store will work).

2. Clear Access to Key Equipment

Your service professional will need to reach several areas of your home to place sensors. Before the visit, make sure the following areas are accessible:

• HVAC system (furnace, air handler, indoor unit). This is often in a basement, attic, utility closet, or garage.
• Water heater. Usually in a basement, garage, or utility closet.
• Sump pump (if you have one). Typically in a basement or crawlspace.
• Dehumidifier (if you have one). Often in a basement or crawlspace.
• Electrical panel. Usually in a garage, basement, or utility room.
• Major kitchen appliances (refrigerator, freezer). The service professional may need to access outlets behind these appliances.

You do not need to move heavy appliances yourself. Just make sure the general area is not blocked by storage boxes, furniture, or clutter that would prevent access.

Good to know: If any of these areas require a key, code, or special access (like a locked utility room in a condo building), make arrangements ahead of time so your service professional can get in without delays.

3. Make Sure Your Internet Is Working

The gateway needs an active internet connection. Before the visit, confirm:

• Your internet service is active and working
• Your router is powered on
• You know the WiFi network name and password (in case the service professional needs to verify connectivity)

If you have recently changed internet providers or moved your router, make sure everything is stable before the installation date.

4. Download the Shipshape App

If you have not already, download the Shipshape Home app before the visit:

• Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store
• Search for "Shipshape Home"
• Create your account and set up your home profile using the steps in Getting Started with Shipshape

Having the app ready means your service professional can connect sensors to your account in real time during the visit, and you will see everything come online as it is installed.

5. Make a List of Your Concerns

This is your chance to tell your service professional about any areas of your home that worry you. Think about:

• Has there been water in the basement before? Extra leak sensors can be placed in problem areas.
• Does one room always feel too hot or too cold? A temperature sensor shows how that room's temperature changes through the day.
• Is your HVAC system older and you want to keep an eye on it? Monitoring can track performance decline over time.

The more your service professional knows about your concerns, the better they can customize the sensor layout for your home.

What Your Service Professional Brings

You do not need to purchase or prepare any equipment. Your service professional arrives with everything needed, including:

• Shipshape Gateway and power adapter
• Ethernet cable for the gateway connection
• Smart Power Plugs for appliance monitoring
• Leak Detectors for water-sensitive areas
• Humidity/Temperature Sensors for environmental monitoring
• Range extenders in case any sensors are too far from the gateway
• Backup sensors in case any unit has an issue during installation
• Network switch in case your router has no open ethernet ports
• Extension cords and pigtail adapters for tight outlet situations

They come prepared for common challenges, so you do not need to worry about having the right cables or adapters on hand.

For Installers: Five Things to Prepare

If you're the service pro doing the install, these five habits save the most time on site.

1. Pre-pair the equipment before the visit

On a fresh install, you can pair all of the sensors to the gateway you'll be installing before you arrive at the home. It can save a lot of time on site.

2. Bring everything the job needs, plus spares

If you're installing a system with two sump pumps and two dehumidifiers, make sure you have all of the sensors and equipment for them, plus backups in case the homeowner asks you to connect another appliance while you're there.

3. Mark each sensor with tape or a sticker

During or after an install it can be hard to tell which sensor belongs to which appliance. Use different colored tape, sticker labels or another marking to keep them organized. Sensors get moved and plugs get switched to different outlets, so these markings save the next person who services the home a lot of time, and that person could be you.

4. Leave extra time

Some installs are quick and some are not. The homeowner might ask you to connect more equipment, or a sensor's signal might not reach the gateway and need a range extender. Be ready to spend the extra time if it's needed. Plugging in the gateway first, as soon as you arrive, gives a brand-new one time to finish its first-time setup while you work (see Gateway Won't Come Online During Installation).

5. Be ready for common problems

• Bring several range extenders.
• Bring backup hardware.
• Bring extra water sensors, in case the homeowner wants to watch for leaks around the fridge or in a bathroom.
• Bring a network switch, in case the homeowner's router has no free ethernet port.

The Water Sensor 7 Pro measures water, temperature and humidity, so one sensor can sometimes watch two appliances. In a crawlspace with a sump pump and a dehumidifier, for example, its water probe can watch the sump pump while its humidity reading tracks how well the dehumidifier is working.

How Long Does It Take?

Installation time depends on the size of your home and the number of sensors being placed. A brand-new gateway can take up to 15 minutes to finish its first-time setup, so your service professional plugs it in first and works on the sensors while it does.

After the Installation

Once everything is installed and verified, here is what happens next:

• Monitoring starts right away. Alerts are based on each sensor's readings from the start, so you don't wait for a learning period.
• Your Home Health Score begins building. As data flows in, your score will become more accurate and comprehensive.
• Your first monthly home report arrives by email early next month, with a look back at how your home did.

Tip: After the installation, take a few minutes to explore the app. Tap on each appliance to see its sensor data, check your Home Health Score, and try chatting with SAM to ask a question about your home.

Quick Preparation Checklist

Use this checklist the day before your installation:

• Internet is working and router is powered on
• You know where your router is located
• Key equipment areas are accessible (HVAC, water heater, sump pump, electrical panel)
• Shipshape Home app is downloaded and your account is created
• You have noted any specific concerns or problem areas to discuss

Need Help?

If you have questions before your installation, contact our support team. You can also chat with SAM in the app. SAM can answer questions about what to expect and help you prepare.