COCONUT GROVE, FLA. – October 10, 2018 – Watsco, Inc. announced that it has completed the acquisition of Alert Labs Inc., a technology company founded in 2015 and based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Alert Labs develops, designs and builds IoT hardware and software, including cloud-based and mobile solutions aimed at protecting homes and businesses from damage and unnecessary expenses. Alert Labs will continue to develop and sell its current product portfolio led by its founders. More information about the team and solutions can be found at www.alertlabs.com.
Develops Sentree HVAC Monitor
Alert Labs has also furthered the development and commercialization of Sentree, an IoT device invented by Watsco Ventures, a technology team based in Watsco’s Coconut Grove, Fla. headquarters.
“This partnership brings together Alert Labs' technical experts in commercial IoT technology with Watsco's channel of HVAC contractors. Our easy-to-install technology expands Watsco’s product offerings and establishes a strong position in the smart-home space," said George Tsintzouras, co-founder and chief executive officer of Alert Labs. "Our vision has always been to help homeowners reduce wasted costs and avoid property damage by giving them valuable, real-time information about what is costing them money in their homes. This partnership with Watsco advances our vision intoreality.”
A.J. Nahmad, president of Watsco, said: “Alert Labs is an exceptional team of innovators, with an entrepreneurial culture that is consistent and complementary to ours. This acquisition represents the next phase of investing in ground-breaking technologies intended to deliver unique solutions and opportunities to our customers. We look forward to partnering with their talented team.”
Sentree attaches to an existing HVAC system and, through a proprietary cloud-based software platform, remotely measures, collects and analyzes vital performance analytics. Contractors are notified when an operating anomaly is detected or when maintenance may be required to alleviate risk of critical failure. In addition to providing data about the health of a system, this connectivity and datastream offer longevity and value to a contractor’s relationship with homeowners.
Sentree can be installed in less than 10 minutes by a trained service technician. Additionally, the intuitive alerts about temperature, compressor and refrigerant leaks, liquid and vapor line blockage provide time-savings and enable efficient services calls for technicians since they know about the problem before they arrive onsite. Alerts are sent to assigned technicians and homeowners through email, SMS, and in-app notifications.
“The Sentree A/C monitoring system gives HVAC technicians the information they need before visiting the home to fix a problem,” said Tsintzouras. “This makes it easier to provide great service to customers, as well as increasing revenue through maintenance programs.”
Other Smart Sensor Products Available
Sentree joins a growing suite of smart sensors that include the Flowie smart water flow sensor and Floodie companion flood sensor. These water sensors provide real time water use monitoring, and leak and flood protection. Customers who have installed Flowie and Floodie have reduced water use by an average of 18% - 23% and prevented thousands of dollars in water damage. This fall, Alert Labs will also launch, Sumpie, the world’s first predictive sump pump sensor.