Undeniably, "The Friendliest Catch" is one of our favorite events of the year. Part of the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival, "The Friendliest Catch" is a catch & release tournament in which local boat captains & law enforcement officials volunteer their time and boats to take special needs children and adults out on Sarasota Bay for a day of fishing followed by a picnic and awards ceremony at the Sarasota Outboard Club. We look forward to this event all year and, as you can see from all the smiling faces, were not alone in that.

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All dressed up and ready to go for the 34th Annual Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix starting June 23 and culminating in the Bayfront Fireworks Spectacular on the 4^th of July. Professional Plumbing will, once again, be sponsoring Powerboat S-111 as well as our favorite event of the year, the Friendliest Catch catch & release tournament!

You probably received a letter, not that long ago, on “official” FPL letterhead, encouraging you to sign up for “Exterior Water Line Coverage” or a “Water Heater Repair and Replacement Plan” from HomeServe for just $3.99 to $6.99 per month, which is conveniently added to your FPL bill.

The letter claims that it costs $2,587 to repair an exterior water line and you probably already know how much you paid for your water heater but, for a small monthly fee, you can rest assured that, if anything happens, it will be fixed at no cost to you. Sounds like a good deal, right?

Not so fast…

HomeServe is not an insurance company. It’s a privately-held company, owned by billionaire brothers George and Michael Karfunkel, and their products aren’t affiliated with, or officially endorsed by any utility provider. HomeServe contracts with local water and power companies to provide services that are financially beneficial to the utility company and HomeServe – not you.

HomeServe USA, HomeServe’s parent company, has attracted a lot of bad press over the years because of their controversial marketing practices. Homeowners across the country have alccused the company of engaging in deception by sending out mailers that appear

If you live in the United States, there’s a good chance you have “hard water”.

This means the water you’re using to cook with, bathe in, and wash clothes contains calcium, sulfur, iron, magnesium, lead, and limestone. In some areas, it’s even polluted with sewage waste and industrial run-off!

Hard water is not “technically” unsafe, but it does shorten the lifespan of your pipes and appliances, it’s terrible for your hair and skin, and it causes you to use considerably more dish soap, laundry detergent, and electricity. So why put up with all of these detrimental effects if you don’t have to?
The process of dissolving and eliminating these contaminants from water is called “softening”. By installing a whole-house water softening system, you can avoid all of this nastiness:

Clogged Pipes

If you’re experiencing frequent clogs, hard water could be the culprit. The calcium and magnesium in hard water builds up in your pipes impeding the flow of water and causing them to clog more easily. Eliminating these corrosive minerals will help prevent clogs and extend the life of your pipes.

Damaged Clothes

Washing your clothes with hard water actually damages the fibers of your clothes causing them to deteriorate

With a 50+ year life expectancy, pipe lining provides a long-term solution for cracked or leaky drain pipes without the need for digging up landscaping or tearing up walls and floors so it’s a cost-effective, minimally-invasive alternative to complete pipe replacement.

Pipe lining adds a durable protective layer inside the compromised pipe that enhances the structural strength of the existing pipe, prevents root intrusion, stops leaks, seals cracks, and increases flow.

Professional Plumbing & Design is a Certified Perma-Liner Industries installer.

Perma-Liner’s state-of-the-art is installation system uses a single point of entry to ensure that there is complete saturation and adhesion to the host pipe and, because the stand-alone design does not require a host pipe, Perma-Liner can even bridge missing sections of pipe!

Our Perma-Liner™ Drain Pipe Lining is the solution to your drain problems.

• Bridge missing sections of pipe
• Repair cracked or broken pipes without excavation
• Eliminate root intrusion
• Stop infiltration and exfiltration

All Perma-Liner materials are made in the USA and they carry a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty!

Professional Plumbing & Design is based in Sarasota Florida. We offer residential and commercial plumbing services for Sarasota and the surrounding areas including Bradenton, Palmetto, and Venice.

Suncoast Charities for Children & Powerboat P1 are pleased to announce that CBS Sports Network will be covering the 2018 Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Race scheduled for Sunday July 1, 2018.

The Sarasota Grand Prix is one of the most historic events on the off shore powerboat racing calendar in North America, having just completed it’s 33rd year and bringing in millions of dollars of tourism revenue for the state and local hotels every year. The 34th Annual Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival will take place June 29-July 1, 2018. For festival updates and information please visit our website. Sarasota Power Boat Grand Prix

We love the photo they used in the press release:

In 1974, Congress enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set national standards for drinking water.

The problem is that the list of regulated chemicals has not been updated in over 20 years and, in many cases, the contaminant levels by the Safe Drinking Water Act are higher than what scientific studies have found to be safe.

Data collected by Environmental Working Group (EWG) at over 48,000 water facilities across the country found 267 of the 500 unique contaminants they tested for. Many of these contaminants have been associated with an increased risk of cancer, developmental problems, and fertility and endocrine issues.

Long-term exposure to unfiltered tap water, from many of the nation’s public water systems can lead to serious health problems, in particular for pregnant women and children under 6, and bottled water is not the answer. Unlike public water suppliers, bottled water manufacturers are not required to disclose contaminant levels in their water, so the only solution is a good filtration system.

EWG has made their data available in a Public Database (https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/#.WX99BIjyvGg) that allows you to see which contaminants were present in your water supply. If you’re concerned

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Check out the awesome commercial water softener that Jim, our water treatment specialist, just installed at the Tarpon Point Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Sarasota.

Professional Plumbing & Design is proud to be sponsoring the 19th Annual Jingle & Jog! Join us on Saturday, December 3 at Community Haven (4405 Desoto Road, Sarasota, FL 3423) and enjoy food from local restaurants, receive coupons to local vendors, and much more while you support The Haven!

All Participants in the 5K race or 1 mile walk will receive a performance T-Shirt, Goodie Bag, One Raffle Entry, and a Participation Medal. Winners receive Cool Cash Prizes!

Click Here to Register

Professional Plumbing is proud to have, once again, been one of the sponsors "The Friendliest Catch" tournament this past Wednesday, June 29, 2016.

Part of the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix​ Festival, "The Friendliest Catch" is a catch & release tournament in which local boat captains & law enforcement officials volunteer their time to take special needs children & adults out on Sarasota Bay for a day of fishing followed by a picnic and awards ceremony at the Sarasota Outboard Club. The 74 participants, the boat captains, and all of the other volunteers and liaisons enjoyed a great day on the bay!

Click here to view more images

Some plumbing problems are slow-moving, such as a faucet that drips, drips, drips.

The sound is annoying, the water loss a waste. But you can call us at your convenience to schedule a repair. But then there’s the dreaded plumbing emergency – there’s no such thing as a convenient time for disaster. Plumbing emergencies require fast action. If a pipe breaks, a washing machine hose bursts, a toilet overflows, a faucet won’t shut off, or an ice maker goes haywire… the obvious first step is to stop the flow of water.

Make sure you and others in your household know how to locate and turn off the water supply shut-off valves for fixtures and appliances, as well as the main shut-off valve for the house. You’ll usually find individual shutoff valves underneath a fixture or behind an appliance where it’s connected to the water supply line. The main shut-off valve that sends water flowing through your pipes could be on an outside wall or utility area.

 Another option: The water meter near the street has a valve where you could turn off the house side of the water line. If a fixture or appliance is creating the emergency, use the

Sometimes, you just need to scold your plumbing.

Without going into a physics lesson, heat and cold tends to expand and contract your pipes. The different rates of this ‘elasticity’ are what cause little leaks. That’s why early detection is the key to not having an indoor pond. Start here: Faucets, Showerheads, Toilet flappers. We find these are the most common culprits, and can do the most damage too. Check these first. Then move to… Washing machines. Make sure your hose here is braided stainless steel, not the dinky rubber one that may’ve come with it! We can swap this out for you with a quick call. Sink traps. This refers to the ‘U’ shaped portion under your sinks.

Do not neglect a drip here for even a day because it is on its way to a gross and gooey display right where you don’t want it. Water heaters. I can’t tell you the number of times we’ve found a pool of rusty water under the water heater. Go check yours now (at least annually thereafter) or call us out for an inspection. Outside Too! Check your hose bib connections for leaks, and irrigation heads if you have them. Also

Hello Friends, Is spring a time to slow down or speed up?

The milder weather certainly gives us a chance to get outdoors more often, take in fresh breezes and enjoy the green and blooming landscape. It’s great to relax and recharge. But being busy has its advantages, too! That’s why we’re so grateful to our customers for allowing us to serve you. Every day we have a chance to help our friends is time well spent.

Our winter was packed with opportunities to help folks like you with fast plumbing repairs and routine service. Some of you are enjoying the start of this season with a new, highly efficient water heater to keep you and yours clean, or you’re enjoying beautiful new fixtures and other upgrades that make your home more comfortable. We’re glad to help. Just let us know if you need us.

Sincerely,
Andy Wittman

The donation of all the plumbing-related labor and materials for Marlene’s House, the newest group home on the Community Haven campus, helped make the much-needed housing a reality.

SARASOTA, FL (December 1, 2015) – Professional Plumbing & Design has just completed work on Marlene’s House, the fifth group home on the 32-acre Community Haven campus. The plumbing contractor, which has been in Sarasota for over 30 years, donated all of the plumbing labor and materials for the 4,800 sq. ft. home which boasts 5 bathrooms, a large kitchen, and a laundry room.

Community Haven for Adults and Children with Disabilities provides a continuum of services from cradle to seniorhood, including full-time residence and respite living options for adults with disabilities on their campus in Sarasota. Marlene’s House is different from the previous four group homes in that it offers single-occupancy rooms for eight adults with disabilities and a house parent in a family-style setting.

“Community Haven helps thousands of individuals with disabilities live fuller, more independent lives, and that is good for everyone in our community” said Matt Wittman, Professional Plumbing & Design President. “We are committed to helping charitable organizations like Community Haven continue to provide these much-needed

The donation of all the plumbing-related labor and materials for Marlene’s House, the newest group home on the Community Haven campus, helped make the much-needed housing a reality.

SARASOTA, FL (December 1, 2015) – Professional Plumbing & Design has just completed work on Marlene’s House, the fifth group home on the 32-acre Community Haven campus. The plumbing contractor, which has been in Sarasota for over 30 years, donated all of the plumbing labor and materials for the 4,800 sq. ft. home which boasts 5 bathrooms, a large kitchen, and a laundry room.

Community Haven for Adults and Children with Disabilities provides a continuum of services from cradle to seniorhood, including full-time residence and respite living options for adults with disabilities on their campus in Sarasota. Marlene’s House is different from the previous four group homes in that it offers single-occupancy rooms for eight adults with disabilities and a house parent in a family-style setting.

“Community Haven helps thousands of individuals with disabilities live fuller, more independent lives, and that is good for everyone in our community” said Matt Wittman, Professional Plumbing & Design President. “We are committed to helping charitable organizations like Community Haven continue to provide these much-needed services”

From 8/15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Professional Plumbing & Design Celebrates 30 Years of Excellence!

SARASOTA, FL (August 18, 2015) – This September will mark 30 years since Professional Plumbing & Design, Inc. opened its doors in Sarasota, Florida. Over the past 30 years, the company has steadily grown to become one of the leading plumbing contractors on the Suncoast.

Professional Plumbing was founded in 1985 by Ted Wittman and operated by Ted, his wife, Marjorie, and brother, Andy. The company started out doing general plumbing repairs, drain cleaning, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, and new construction. Since then, they have added a variety of specialized services like water filtration, re-piping, jet cleaning, video inspection, and pipe lining to their repertoire.

Ted officially retired in 2013, handing the reins of the business he started and helped grow to his sons, Matt and Ben Wittman, and their uncle, Andy Wittman, who has been there since the very beginning.

"Professional Plumbing would like to thank the loyal customers who have helped us grow into the company we are today by giving them a $30 coupon, valid on any plumbing service, for the 30 great years they have given us" said company president, Matt Wittman. The 30th

Is a tankless water heater right for you?

Tankless water heaters are just one of the many products that Professional Plumbing & Design offers our clients throughout Sarasota and the surrounding communities of Bradenton, Palmetto, and Venice.

Tankless water heaters offer an endless supply of hot water, so you never have to take a cold shower and, by instantly heating only the water you need, when you need it, these suitcase-sized units save more than just space; they save energy, which means you save money!

In the past, installation of these units was complicated and costly, but recent improvements in their design have made it easier than ever to switch from a conventional, tanked water heater to an energy-saving tankless model. Many of the top manufacturers have even started offering tankless units that will work with existing 1/2-inch gas lines; this makes retrofit installations faster and less expensive than before.

Many of the older tankless units had trouble keeping a steady flow of hot water, but the newer models have addressed this problem by adding a recirculation pump that ensures that water comes out hot from the very beginning and stays hot for as long as it is running.

If

Enacted in 1975, the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) creates uniform efficiency standards for household appliances, including refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers, clothes dryers and water heaters.

Residential water heaters manufactured after April 16, 2015 must meet the minimum efficiency standards mandated by NAECA. This will result in $63 billion in energy savings over the next 30 years and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 172.5 million metric tons – that's equal to taking 33.8 million automobiles off our streets!

In order to achieve these new higher standards, manufacturers must increase the amount of insulation in the water heater. This means that newer models are much larger and substantially more expensive. They are also more expensive to ship and, in some cases, additional installers may be required.

In some cases, manufacturers have reduced the number of gallons, in order to accommodate replacement applications where the consumer does not have the additional space required by a larger unit.

Electric water heater larger than 55 gallons must now be of the Hybrid Electric heat pump water heater type design and, which are also much larger, and they will require a condensation drain. This eliminates the 65, 80, and 120 gallon models.