This year marks a meaningful milestone in Sarasota: the 41st annual Friendliest Catch Fishing Fun Day.

It also marks 41 years since Professional Plumbing & Design opened its doors. For our team, these shared anniversaries represent more than the passage of time. They reflect a long-standing commitment to tradition, service, and the Sarasota community.

Carrying on a Family Tradition

The Friendliest Catch, now in its 41st year, and Professional Plumbing & Design were both established in 1985 and will continue to celebrate this shared anniversary.

Professional Plumbing & Design’s connection to the Friendliest Catch began with Matt and Ben Wittman’s father, Ted Wittman, who was involved with the event from its earliest days as a member of the Sarasota Outboard Club. Today, Matt and Ben are proud to carry on that tradition.

For Matt and Ben Wittman, participating in the Friendliest Catch is an opportunity to continue a legacy built on generosity and community involvement. It is also a reminder of the values that have guided Professional Plumbing & Design throughout its 41 years in business: showing up, helping others, and building relationships that last.

A Special Day on Sarasota Bay

The Friendliest Catch Fishing Fun Day is an annual

Professional Plumbing & Design can install any type of water heater, but we’re seeing more and more customers choose hybrid water heaters for one simple reason: they deliver high efficiency and real savings.

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Why Hybrid Water Heaters Are So Popular 

Hybrid water heaters are designed to use advanced technology to heat water with less energy than traditional models. That means you can enjoy:

• Lower utility bills (especially electric costs)
• Efficient performance year-round
• More energy recovery using heat-pump technology

In fact, many hybrid units provide over twice the efficiency of standard water heaters—making them one of the smartest upgrades for homeowners and businesses.

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Gas or Electric Hybrid Options Available 

Whether you prefer natural gas or electric power, there are hybrid models available to match your setup. Your Professional Plumbing & Design technician will help you choose the best fit based on your:

• Hot water demand
• Fuel type and availability
• Existing plumbing and ventilation conditions
• Energy goals and budget

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How Heat Pump Technology Works

Hybrid water heaters use heat pump technology, which means they don’t rely entirely on direct heating. Instead, they:

• Pull heat from the surrounding air
• Transfer that energy into your water
• Maintain hot water efficiently—even when temperatures

Clean, high-quality water isn’t a luxury, it’s essential for your health!

At Professional Plumbing & Design, we specialize in installing advanced water filtration systems and water softeners that deliver reliable, long-term results. Whether you’re upgrading your home or outfitting a large commercial property, our team brings the expertise and premium products you can trust.

Complete Water Solutions for Every Property

Professional Plumbing & Design carries top names in water filtration systems and water softeners, ensuring you get dependable performance and superior water quality. We handle installations for:

• Residential homes
• Condos and apartments
• Hotels and restaurants
• Medical and educational facilities
• Commercial and industrial properties

No matter the size or complexity of your system, we provide tailored solutions designed to meet your water quality needs.

Premium Water Filtration Systems

We proudly install systems from industry-leading manufacturers, including:

Halo Water Systems, Aqua-Pure®, Everpure®, Watts®, Cuno®, 3M, and Nuvo H2O™

Our range of filtration options includes:

• Under-counter drinking water filters
• Reverse osmosis systems
• Inline icemaker filters
• Whole-house water filtration systems

Featured System: HALO Ultra PLUS Reverse Osmosis

For homeowners seeking the highest level of purification, the HALO Ultra PLUS Reverse Osmosis with Alkalinity Booster delivers exceptional performance. This advanced system:

• Removes contaminants

Professional Plumbing & Design delivers reliable, safe, and effective drain cleaning services across Sarasota, Bradenton, Palmetto, and Venice.

Whether you’re dealing with a slow drain or a complete blockage, our team uses advanced technology to quickly diagnose and resolve the issue.

With specialized waterproof video inspection cameras, we can thoroughly examine sewer lines and underground piping, even beneath concrete slabs or your home’s foundation. This allows us to accurately identify common causes of clogs, such as grease buildup, debris, or invasive tree roots, without unnecessary digging.

Our high-resolution color video equipment, combined with precise locating and tracing tools, pinpoints the exact source of problems like cracks, leaks, or sewer line breaks. This targeted approach saves both time and money while minimizing disruption to your property.

Once the issue is identified, Professional Plumbing & Design uses industry-leading solutions such as drain cabling and high-pressure hydro jetting to clear blockages, remove buildup, and restore proper flow. For ongoing maintenance, they also offer BioOne®, an eco-friendly treatment that safely breaks down fats, oils, and grease without harming pipes, septic systems, or the environment.

From inspection to repair, Professional Plumbing & Design combines expertise and cutting-edge tools to keep your plumbing system running smoothly.

Sarasota's top residential and commercial plumbing service and pipelining company is celebrating 40 years in business.

Family-owned and operated since 1985, Professional Plumbing & Design was founded by Ted Wittman with the help of his brother, Andy. Ted officially retired in 2013, handing the reins of the business to his sons, Matt and Ben, and Uncle Andy, who retired in 2023 - leaving another pair of Wittman brothers at the helm.

Over the past 40 years, their trucks have gotten bigger and the range of services broader, but the desire to be the area's best plumbing company that drove Ted and Andy to go out on their own hasn't changed. Of course, all companies want to be the best at what they do. What sets Professional Plumbing & Design apart from the rest is the family’s culture of treating their employees as well as they treat their customers.

With so many franchises coming into the area and local plumbing companies selling out to investment groups, Matt and Ben Wittman are proud of their company's long family history and the fact that their employees are not on commission so that customers can trust their professional advice.

1^st Sign: Your Water Heater Is Too Old

And how old is too old you ask? You really should replace electric water heaters after 10 years and gas water heaters after 8. But what if you don’t know how old your water heater is? Well, the year and month of production is on the serial number, but it’s not always obvious.

In the case of Bradford White Water Heaters, one of our favorites, the first two characters of the serial number represent the year and month of manufacture, but it’s coded as follows. Other brands, use different codes, but a quick online search will help you solve the puzzle.

2^nd Sign: The Tank is Rusted

If hot water comes out of the faucet rusty or you see rust around the water inlet or pressure relief valve on the water heater, there’s a good chance the inside of the tank is rusted. Rusty water, in and of itself, isn’t great, it’s also a harbinger of leaks which means you’ll need to replace your water heater soon.

3^rd Sign: The Water Heater is Making Noise

Like rust, noise is never a great sign. More often than not, the cause

Angie’s List offers “FREE access to ‘top-rated pros’, exclusive online deals and more than 12 million verified reviews from real people” so how can you go wrong with a recommendation from Angie’s List?

Well, for starters, only advertisers are described as “top-rated pros” and they’re listed ahead of other contractors. They’re also given special treatment when it comes to negative reviews and, when a consumer asks for a recommendation – they’re only given the names of advertisers.

In fact, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) warns “If you use Angie’s List, ignore their recommended companies.” CFA recommends that “When possible, consumers should rely on nonprofit organizations that evaluate businesses and are not funded by the companies they are evaluating.”, but Angie’s List isn’t a great deal for advertisers either…

When consumers are sent 4 or 5 recommendations, they tend to choose the lowest priced option. On top of that, advertisers are encouraged to offer discounted prices and onsite search results seem to favor businesses that offer coupons. For this reason, established contractors who are unwilling to sacrifice quality in order to offer bargain prices avoid Angie’s List.

Angie’s List started out as a subscription-based service in 1995. In 2017, IAC

If you are a Home Owners Association Manager, chances are you have all had that 5am call regarding water pouring through the ceiling from the unit above.

Neighbors are knocking on the door of the resident upstairs and there is no answer. He isn’t answering because he’s in the shower and doesn’t know his shower water is pouring thru three floors. And he can’t hear the neighbor’s urgent knocks on the door, or their phone calls.

By the time the shower is over, three floors of units are wet and need drying out. What happened? One of the cast iron pipes in the bathroom burst and flooded three units below. The resident getting out of the shower is blissfully unaware of the situation, until he checks his messages.

By now the neighbors have all used the emergency number to reach the manager. The manager has dispatched the crew to look at the problem. The building maintenance crew is on their way to the unit or already knocking on the door.

The plumber will be called to make the repair. The resident is instructed not to use the shower until the plumbing problem is fixed. A remediation company will be called