London, April 4 (IANS): A Finnish innovator has developed a new sensor that can detect concealed water leakage before it causes wide damage.

The Watector water leakage sensor developed by Jani Alatainio consists of a sensor mat and an alarm unit, reported Good News from Finland.

The mat can be cut to any shape and size with normal scissors and it detects if there is any dampness or water on its surface. If it detects water or dampness on the mat, the attached alarm unit is alerted and sounds in a manner similar to a smoke detector, the report added.

"My background is in real estate and construction and over the years I have seen water damage of all shapes and sizes," Alatainio, CEO of NWD Technologies, the company he founded in 2012 to develop the product, was quoted as saying.

"Typically water alarms only measure a very limited area, about the size of a thumb. Our mat can cover a much larger area which is a clear benefit," Alatainio pointed out.

"According to the novelty examinations we have conducted there is nothing like our product, even internationally," Alatainio said.

Watector is also easy to install and Alatainio's patented water leakage detector has already gone on sale, the report noted.