February. The ‘cruelest month.’ Especially for plumbing, when the risk of leaks from frozen pipes is high. The worst-case scenario, says Matt LaMartina of Tony LaMartina Plumbing Company, is when a pipe bursts and no one is home. “Depending on the problem, water can run for hours, or even days.” According to insurance statistics, he says, a house is six times more likely to suffer water damage than be burglarized. LaMartina remembers one particular occasion when a toilet tank split in half. “The homeowners were out to dinner and, in the space of two hours, the bathroom flooded and caused $30,000 in damages.” In each year from 2007 to 2009, water caused $9.1 billion in annual homeowner policy property losses—approximately 23 percent of all such losses, he says.
But new technology is here to help us, to give us peace of mind. Whether you’re a snowbird going south for winter or simply popping out for a quick dinner, LaMartina says a whole home leak detection system is the best defense against a water disaster. The system works by shutting off water at the main line as soon as an abnormal flow is detected. “If there’s no one in the house, anything beyond a trickle from the ice-maker or a dripping tap is something to pay attention to,” LaMartina says. “With a whole home system, you could be sitting at a desk in China and an app on your smartphone can tell you if something is wrong.”
A whole-home system also allows the homeowner to turn the system on and off remotely. “If the gardener is coming to water the plants, you can deactivate it,” LaMartina says. There are a few different systems on the market, some of which can be integrated into the home alarm. Whole home leak detection systems range in price from $2,500 to $5,000.
LaMartina has been in business with his father, Tony, for the past four years. The company was started in 1982. Last year it launched a blog of D.I.Y. plumbing tips and information. “We wanted to educate our customers and become their trusted advisers,” he says. The blog tells how to eliminate kitchen sink odors, waterproof your basement and what the new Department of Energy water heater energy standards mean. The LaMartinas make use of other technology to keep clients informed. “We send text and email alerts with the plumber’s photo and bio when they’re on their way to your home. It provides flexibility and lets the client know who to expect,” LaMartina points out.
Also detailed in the blog is the ‘Flush for Good’ program, which helps provide toilets to developing nations. For every American Standard ‘Champion Pro’ toilet the LaMartinas install (at discount), American Standard donates a special lidded pan to communities in need of better sanitation. One billion people still dig holes to relieve themselves, LaMartina says. And according to NPR, 2,000 children die every day from easily preventable airborne diseases. The sanitary pan is a simple device with a weighted lid that prevents insects from spreading bacteria and pathogens. Between September 2014 and December 2015, the Tony LaMartina Plumbing Company helped donate 95 such pans.
Tony LaMartina Plumbing Company offers a whole home leak detection system that cuts off water at the first sign of a leak. The company supports the ‘Flush for Good’ program, which helps provide sanitary toilets to developing countries.
Pictured above: Lucy, Tony, Lauren and Matt LaMartina
Photos: Chris Bauer, courtesy of Tony LaMartina Plumbing Company
Pictured on the cover are Tony LaMartina and some of his team.
