Water Alert Ceiling Guard water leak sensors are used to sense small amounts of water (or conductive liquid) leakage above 2’x4′ or 2’x2′ suspended acoustical ceiling tiles. These ceiling tile water leak detectors are made up of low-profile (1/2″ ht.) “troughed” sensing trays which contain small water leak detectors.


Top views of Ceiling Guard Sensing Trays: 2 X 4 (left), 2 X 2 (right).
Leak sensing trays are fastened to the top side of conventional drop-in ceiling tiles and interconnected to form zones of protection:
Sensing trays are low-profile and easy to install.
Plastic (PVC) sensing trays are flame-retardant. The non-corrosive gold-plated liquid sensing contacts are protected by dust covers.
Each zone is terminated in a Water Alert detector. The zoned water leak sensors are designed to detect small amounts of leakage before liquid accumulates to the point of leaking through, or along the edges of the tiles to the area below.
Once installed, the ceiling leak detection sensors provide a very high degree of protection against leakage from concealed piping, the building roof, or floors above the suspended ceiling.
CSS-2000 Ceiling Water Alert Detector
How Ceiling Guard Works
Each Ceiling Guard sensing tray contains small sensing contacts which are parallel connected on the underside of each tray. When all trays in an array or zone are dry, a very high electrical resistance exists across the sensing contacts. If any tray comes in contact with water, the electrical resistance changes abruptly. This change is detected at the end of the connection by a Water Alert Detector.
Dropped Ceiling Water Detectors: Simple & Versatile
Installation of the Ceiling Guard water detection sensors is very simple and typically handled by building maintenance staff using the provided instructions. Individual panels can easily be removed, and overall ceiling appearance is retained.
1500 sq. ft. computer room after Ceiling Guard water detectors were installed
More advantages:
- Can be used with new or existing suspended ceilings
- Ceiling leak detection system will not activate due to high humidity
- Tray end ribs trap liquid, ensuring detection of even minute amounts of leakage
- System is low voltage
- 5 Year Limited Warranty
Typical above-ceiling view of a single zone of protection:
- Galvanized barbed fasteners or staples (provided) fasten trays to ceiling tiles
- End ribs stiffen panel and retain liquid leakage
- Non-Gender Panel-to Panel connector (any connector engages any other)
- Latched engage/release
- Gold plated contacts
- To CGM Series 2000 Monitor
- CSS-2000 Water Alert Detector. Each Zone (up to 5 tray packs, 320 sq.ft.) will terminate in a detector which provides audible alarms for water sensed or sensing tray cable break, and signals Ceiling Guard Monitor (CGM) alarm panel.
- Non-corrosive, gold plated sensing contacts covered by dust covers
The ends of each tray have panel-to-panel connectors which are engaged to adjacent trays during installation. Genderless tray-to-tray connectors have latched engage/release and gold-plated contacts. Sensing trays are fastened to the ceiling tiles using galvanized barbed fasteners or staples (provided).
Top view of typical ceiling plan with 6 zones:
1 tray pack per Zone shown, 5 tray packs per zone maximum. Each Water Alert detector can be positioned up to 2500′ away from the Ceiling Guard Monitor. Wiring is simple using a single low-voltage cable from each detector to the monitor.
Each CGM can monitor, power and test the connected Water Alerts. The monitor has rechargeable battery backup and can provide 2 days of monitoring without AC power. Battery recharges when AC line returns.
When one or more detectors senses liquid, it activates and signals the monitor. The monitor then activates, providing:
- An audible alarm
- Red flashing lamp
- LED indication of which detector was activated
- Transfer a set of isolated relay contacts (SPDT)
Dorlen’s ceiling water leak detectors are an extension of, and work in conjunction with, all of Dorlen’s Water Alert water detectors.
Explore all water leak detection devices in our Standard Series line or see Ceiling Guard Specifications.
Ceiling Guard Application Areas
Uses for the Ceiling Guard water leak detection system are endless, but primarily used in the following areas:
- Data Centers / Computer Rooms
- Hospital Diagnostic Departments
- Electrical / Telecommunication Rooms
- Archives
- Art Galleries / Museums
- Military / Aerospace Control Centers
- Telephone Centrals
- Record, Tape, Disc Storage Areas
- Libraries
- Utility
- Labs & Cleanrooms
- Industrial Process Control Centers
Product Sales & Support
Dorlen Products Inc. is dedicated to providing the Water Alert systems needed to detect ceiling water leaks as soon as they happen, preventing lost revenue and protecting your facility from significant damage. Water Alert leakage sensor systems have been installed in over 25,000 commercial and industrial buildings since 1975.
We’re happy to help with product selection and system configuration.