Wall sensor that spots condensation risk and runs the fan first
Software: Basic alerts included · optional plans up to $2 per month per unit (landlord portal only)
Concept, not for sale yet. Tell us if you want it; that decides what we build.
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How it fits together
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01
The whole MouldGuard
A weighing board and a wall sensor tag let a hub run your dehumidifier on wall dampness, log litres removed and flag a full tank.
02Brain
XIAO ESP32-C6
The brain: it runs the drybase hub firmware program
03
Load cells + HX711
Weigh the dehumidifier to track water removed and tank state
XIAO ESP32-C6 · HX711 two-wire (GPIO) · Weight readings
04
Wall tag
Reads air and wall-surface temperature at the coldest corner
XIAO ESP32-C6 · RJ12 cable (I²C) · Air and wall readings
05
E-paper display
Shows wall risk, litres today and tank state
XIAO ESP32-C6 · SPI · Screen image
06
BOOST key
Forces the dehumidifier on for 2 hours
XIAO ESP32-C6 · GPIO pin · Key press
07
Metering smart plug
Switches the dehumidifier and reports its power draw
XIAO ESP32-C6 · Wi-Fi (local API) · On/off and watts
08
All connected
6 key parts, one program, and your phone
What it is
A wall sensor that checks how close your coldest wall is to condensation and runs the fan.
What it does
Who it's for
Households, social landlords, letting agents and housing managers.
How the parts connect
Every part, what links it to the brain, and how the data reaches your phone. A solid line is a cable; a dashed line is a radio link.
The program
void loop() {
every(60000, [] {
Tag t = wall_tag_read(); // SHT45 air + wall NTC
float rh_wall = surface_rh(t.air_c, t.air_rh, t.wall_c);
if (rh_wall > 70 && can_switch_on()) plug_set(true); // local API
if (rh_wall < 65 && can_switch_off()) plug_set(false); // 15 min on, 10 min off
if (boost_active()) plug_set(true); // BOOST key: 2 h
grams = scale_mean_1min(); // HX711, 4 cells
watts = plug_power();
events_update(grams, watts, rh_wall); // tank full, emptied, moved
epaper_draw(rh_wall, litres_today());
});
}To your phone
Phone on the home Wi-Fi
One screen for each job MouldGuard does.
Wall dampnessOvernight the bedroom's outside corner gets cold. The wall tag sees damp air reaching it and the hub runs the dehumidifier, whatever the room dial says.
Tank fullThe tank fills at 2 am and the dehumidifier stops itself. The scale and plug notice, so the family doesn't lose a night of drying.
Weekly pageEvery Sunday the family gets one page: litres pulled out, energy used and hours the wall spent damp. They can share a link with the landlord.
Wall too coldIn a cold north bedroom no realistic room humidity keeps the wall dry. After three nights the hub says so plainly, for the tenant and the landlord.
App screens with sample data. The interface is in development.
| Wall surface RH | 68% | Every 60 s |
|---|---|---|
| Litres removed | 2.1 L today | Hourly |
| Tank state | Full, stopped | On change |
| Energy per litre | 0.42 kWh/L | Daily |
| Drying not enough | Wall too cold | After 3 nights |
Data stays on the hub and the family's phone. A landlord sees it only through a link the tenant shares.
CAD design · Rev B design complete (stages 1–6), not built; rev A survey kit unchanged
| AI processor | ESP32-C6-MINI-1 (Thread, Wi-Fi 6 and BLE) |
|---|---|
| Sensors | Sensirion SHT45 temperature and humidity · Melexis MLX90614 IR thermometer (wall surface) · Sensirion SCD41 CO2 (ventilation) · Optional MLX90640 32 × 24 thermal array (planned Pro model) |
| Connectivity | Matter over Thread · Wi-Fi 6 · BLE (setup) · Optional LoRaWAN for housing estates |
| Power | Battery version: lithium cell, no CO2 sensor (it cannot run for years on battery). USB-C version adds CO2. A mains fan relay is not planned for v1. |
| Enclosure | White square wall sensor with a small dark IR lens at the bottom edge angled toward the wall corner, a green status dot and a vented side grille; plus an optional fan relay module |
| Dimensions | Wall sensor 8 × 8 × 2.5 cm; optional fan relay module 5 × 5 × 3 cm |
| Weight | Wall sensor ~110 g with batteries (est.); relay module ~60 g (est.) |
| Wall surface | IR temperature of the nearest corner, ~±0.5 °C (target) |
|---|---|
| Room | Temperature and relative humidity |
| CO2 | 400–5,000 ppm |
| Reading interval | Every 5 min (faster on USB power) |
| Fan relay module | Optional, switches an extract fan |
|---|---|
| Smart plugs | Matter plugs for dehumidifiers |
| Status dot | Green, amber, red |
| Portal | Per-home history and risk ranking |
| Wall sensor power | 2 × AA or 5 V USB-C |
|---|---|
| Wall sensor | 8 × 8 × 2.5 cm |
| Fan relay module | 5 × 5 × 3 cm, installed by an electrician |
| Mounting | Screws or adhesive pad |
Targets for production units; they may change during development.
Hardware: $49–$69 per room (with fan relay module)
Software: Basic alerts included · optional plans up to $2 per month per unit (landlord portal only)
Target pricing. The home app is free. The landlord portal is planned at about $1.50 per unit per month. Fan relay installation by a qualified electrician is extra.
$49 per room
Wall sensor with app and smart-plug control.
$69 per room (target)
Adds the fan relay module for an extract fan.
Hardware + ~$1.50/mo per unit
For social landlords, letting agents and housing managers.
Indicative launch pricing in USD, excluding taxes and shipping. Final pricing is confirmed before any balance is charged.
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MouldGuard is in development. Rate the idea, tell us what to change about the features, specs or price, and we'll build it with your feedback.
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From the product lab · ideation phase
Only temperature, humidity, wall-surface temperature and CO2. There is no camera or microphone, and the IR sensor reads a single wall temperature, not images. In rented homes, landlords should tell tenants what is collected and why; we plan to support data-protection requirements such as UK GDPR, with tenant access to their own data.
No. It is in development and holds no certifications yet. Matter certification and UKCA/CE radio, EMC and electrical-safety testing (for the fan relay) are planned before sale. MouldGuard is not a health device, and using it does not on its own make a landlord compliant with Awaab's Law or any other duty.
The wall sensor screws or sticks to the wall with its IR lens aimed at the coldest corner, and runs on AA batteries or USB-C. The optional fan relay module connects to mains wiring and must be fitted by a qualified electrician.
Matter over Thread or Wi-Fi in homes. Housing estates can use optional LoRaWAN so tenants' Wi-Fi is not needed.
No. It is a new concept in development. Specifications are target specifications. It is a concept: we are not taking orders, reservations or deposits, and it has no ship date yet.
We are planning a 2-year limited hardware warranty covering manufacturing defects. Final terms will be published before shipping begins.
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