AW Spotlight
Hi-Tech Plumbing and Air
Interview by Krista Martinelli
It’s always reassuring to have a good plumber or a/c person to call when you need it – and now Hi-Tech Plumbing is able to cover both services. According to Jathy Garcia, co-owner of Hi-Tech along with her husband Abel, there are many advances in “green,” water-saving products in the plumbing industry.
“Also we have some great new gadgets and gizmos that we’ve acquired, like our full color video camera which inspects drain lines of up to 4” for cracks or root intrusions. Experiencing a foul odor from a sewer leak? Possible critters coming into your sewer? We’ll inspect all your sewer lines with our TV/ Video Camera which shows you exactly where your problem is and we’ll provide the remedy and answer to flush away those pipe problems,” says Garcia.
Hi-Tech’s plumbing services include:
- Sewer line locating
- Locating Sewer Odor
- Septic location, dry well, leach lines
- Locating sewer blockages or root intrusion, collapsed or broken line
- Camera and video inspection of lines
- Trenchless Pipe Replacement Available
Hi-Tech offers a hydro-jetting system which scours the inner walls of the drains and sewer lines leaving them clean and free of debris and buildup. These are used in residential and commercial instances.
“One of my favorite products is our instant hot water systems- innovative hot water recirculation systems deliver hot water to fixtures quickly without waiting for the water to get hot,” says Garcia. This consists of a pump, an integrated electronic controller, and a zone valve. When the activation button is pushed, or when another type of control turns the system on, the pump starts re-circulating cooled water that’s been sitting in the hot water line and sends it back to the water heater through the cold water line. When the water reaches a desired temperature a control closes the zone valve and turns off the pump. It is much like turning on the hot water faucet and letting the water run until it gets hot, but instead of the water going down the drain, the water is simply returned back to the water heater. When the hot water faucet is turned on, hot water is readily available only one pump is necessary to supply hot water to any fixture. Optional wireless remote control units allow the user turn on the system from any faucet or fixture in the house.
Another step in the green direction for Hi-Tech Plumbing is going paperless in 2015. Their technicians will have iPads and will receive payments by credit card onsite with electronic swipers.
AW: You go by “Your Plumber in a Skirt” – how does it feel to be a woman in a male-dominated industry? What are the advantages?
JG: It’s great actually. The best part about my job is when I get to see the look on someone’s face, typically men, that think ‘a woman cannot understand or know this,’ and then I get to prove them wrong.
Garcia feels this way because not only are these fields dominated by men, but women can improve things with the combination of business know-how and their nurturing feminine considerations. “Only by those who have no idea what I am capable of – most times that works to my advantage. This business is interesting and every day is different in the plumbing world, but I have never viewed myself as being a woman in a man’s profession – rather a partner in a business which needs capable and talented professionals.”
AW: What do you offer in terms of A/C? What are all of the services/products you offer related to air-conditioning?
JG: We are proud that in March of 2014, we opened our A/C division. Our clients would often ask us, ‘don’t you know a good a/c company to refer?’ Now we say, ‘yes, it’s us!
We provide…
- A/C Tune Ups & Repairs
- Complete A/C installations & Upgrades
- Duct Cleaning & Sanitation
- Ductwork repairs & installs
- Thermostats replacement
- Coil cleaning
- Indoor quality systems- like air purification systems & ventilation systems
We handle Commercial units too – even Refrigeration coolers and freezers for restaurants, for example.
AW: Tell us about your special program you do every October.
JG: Breast cancer month is a special month for us, especially since I’m a recent survivor. So we try to raise awareness and funds throughout the month. We have our techs where pink shoe coverings, pink name tags, even our trucks have pink ribbons, and we give all our customers pink breast cancer pens during that month. In the past years, we have given back 5% of all our proceeds in October to a non profit organization. This year we even participated in Making Strides West Palm Beach, and I was featured as their Survivor story. See the video! It was an awesome event, and we were so glad to participate as a company!
Hi-Tech Plumbing also had a Bathroom Makeover contest in October for survivors and family members of breast cancer. The winner, Susan Patrick, was announced on November 15th. Hi-Tech will be showing “before” and “after” photos on their website and Facebook page, after the makeover has been completed. The contest was a great success, and Hi-Tech Plumbing is already making plans for another exciting contest!
AW: Tell us about your own struggle with breast cancer. How did the group Your Bosom Buddies II in Wellington help you?
JG: I feel lucky to have met all of these beautiful, inspiring women – like my friend from Your Bosom Buddies Lorna Johnson. When you go through breast cancer, you have all these unanswered questions. It’s so helpful to get that one-on-one time with another woman who has been through it and to know more about what to expect. Your Bosom Buddies is such an awesome group – they offer both financial and emotional support to women who need it.
AW: What do your Hi-Tech clients appreciate most about you and your team?
JG: They LOVE us! The good thing is you don’t have to take my word for it – just visit our website and on our home page, we have a button that says ‘Read clients’ reviews.’ We are proud of our immaculate 5-star rating, and it’s all thanks to our loyal customers who make us what we are.
Here are a couple of sample reviews.
“I asked around about plumbers and kept hearing your name. I went with their recommendation and I’m glad I did! You were everything just as hoped and expected!” – Cheryl M. in Highland Beach, FL.
“I’ve used you for years but just wanted to drop you a line to say how much I appreciate your caring, professional concern. It is a real pleasure to have a service pro you can trust! I tell all my friends about you too. Thanks Again.” –Barbara G. in Lantana, FL.
AW: Tell us about the history of Hi-Tech. When was it founded? How has it grown?
JG: We started in January of 2000. Just my hubby and me. He already had a good 10 years of plumbing foreman experience, running crews, supervising and even helping customers and providing service work. We decided shortly after to build a business with the ingenuity of a woman. That’s where I come in, combining with the work ethic and knowledge of a skilled master plumber. Together we have been the best team EVER. I mean how many of us get to say that they work with their best friend and sleep with their boss…legitimately? LOL! We have grown from having one service van to five service vans. On the new A/C side of things, we have two highly-skilled service people.
AW: You are also one of our two “Living Green” writers for AroundWellington.com. What’s the key to green plumbing?
JG: We’ve seen this whole wave of green living. People eating organic and trying to leave a better footprint for our future generations. So we are more conscious now of waste – clean water is not a luxury, it’s a resource and so is energy. So I’m always trying innovative new products that help our homes to be more resourceful. And even though the initial cost is more- like buying organic food that we know is more expensive, but in the end it is better for our health. It’s the same with these green products – in the long run the savings are evident and they make up for the initial cost. We can provide you with a 1.28 gallon toilet instead of the old 8 gallon toilet. And it has a better flushing mechanism. Meanwhile, there are solar hot water heaters and solar panels and many other green improvements.
AW: Your family was featured on the news because you are one of the few in S. Florida with solar panels on your roof at home. Are you glad you did it?
JG: Yes, we were so lucky to have been picked out of just 15 people in Florida to receive the rebate from FPL. We were featured on the Channel 5 news a while back and yes, I had Steven Wiegel on the roof of my home broadcasting live, showing off our solar panels. The system is amazing; shortly after we also purchased the solar system for our water heater, so now our home is completely solar. Yes, the saving are there, my bills normally were in the $300’s – now I don’t ever pay more than $140 in the hot months. In the winter, it’s between $90 to $110 per month. If you plan on living and staying in your home for more than 3 years, it is worth the investment and you get a nice write-off on your taxes.
AW: Is there anything that you wish the average person understood better about plumbing services?
JG: We all know the saying ‘time is money.’ It is always better to prevent a disaster than to be in one. So even if it’s not us, get a professional, licensed plumber and A/C specialist to go to your home once a year and just do a complete overview of all your appliances and fixtures. It could end up saving you thousands in emergency costs and save you from having to deal with your insurance carrier. We see it all the time, a small little part that went bad that could have been prevented or caught on a home inspection. We are glad to provide peace of mind to the hundreds of customers that join our HTP maintenance plans. It’s low and cost effective. Best yet, it provides you with priority service and discounted pricing all year round. Always think prevention!
AW: When someone calls with a plumbing request, what’s the turnaround time? What are your most frequent service calls?
JG: We usually respond within 30 minutes to one hour. Our most frequent calls are for ‘leaks, leaks and more leaks.’
AW: Tell us about your family.
JG: We are native Floridians. We have been in Royal Palm Beach for twelve years. We really enjoy family time with our son Andy – boating and fishing. We love and enjoy the parks here in Royal Palm Beach and Wellington. As a family, we enjoy biking 10 to 15 miles about once or twice a week.
AW: Anything else you’d like to mention?
JG: Don’t fret… just call Hi-Tech!
And now we can say Don’t Sweat…Just call Hi-tech for A/C too!
Hi-Tech Plumbing
561-232-3288
1000 Stinson Way, Suite 111
West Palm Beach, FL, 33411
Licensed & Insured