Being a plumber is more than just a way to make a living for longtime Cambridge friends Dylan Medeiros and Marcus Melanson.
It's developed into a passion and a unique way to help people.
The pair recently developed a water tracker designed to aid in leak detection and understanding water consumption.
SenseCore tracks water usage using a device called a Kraken. It's a non-invasive ultrasonic flow meter designed for accurate water consumption tracking in industrial, commercial and residential settings.
The idea started when Medeiros and Melanson would talk at the end of each week and share stories about the work they'd done.
"We started seeing a consistent flow of leaks and water damage issues," Melanson said.
"That's when SenseCore was born."
Once a Kraken device and sensors are installed on the water line coming into the house, a dashboard is set up to monitor flow that can be accessed on a computer or phone. If an issue is detected, a text message and email is sent to the user with a number for a plumber on call.
To keep costs down and constantly monitor water flow rates for customers, a large decentralized wireless network called Helium is used. This allows sensors to communicate on the network and provide real time alerts.
In the case of an emergency, the plumber will be deployed right away and if it can wait, someone will contact the owner within 24 hours to figure out the solution to the problem.
Medeiros said too many times he's come across a house or a place of business where water leaks are happening without anyone knowing, costing people thousands of dollars.
One of the worst cases he's seen was a landlord who budgeted $36,000 for the year and spent half of it in a couple of months because a tenant had a toilet running and left the residence.
Even something as simple as a faulty toilet flapper can cost people hundreds of dollars per month on a water bill. People don't usually realize the pricey bills aren't normal until they start to understand the issues, Medeiros said.
"A lot of people aren't in tune," he said.
"How I see it, nobody needs a plumber until you really need one. No one wants to pay a plumber to do a job because it's expensive. This is for those who want to prevent things from happening."
SenseCore has also placed a focus on environmental sustainability as part of their business model.
Medeiros admits, like many, he used to flush the toilet and not think twice. Once he got into the plumbing trade over 10 years ago, he was shocked how much water can be used and wasted throughout the day.
"It’s hard to believe but it's everyday somebody has a flood or high water bill and then they're in a fight with the city," he said.
"If you've gone 10 years without a leak, you're lucky."
For more information on SenseCore visit sense-core.ca.
