SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Buoy Labs today announced its partnership with Cross Country Home Services (CCHS), offering a nationwide, on-demand network of licensed plumbers to install the Buoy™ smart home device for water, and to make repairs or provide other plumbing services in response to Buoy insights. Beginning today, Buoy is rolling out nationwide access to these on-demand services for its customers through the Buoy app.

Leadership from Buoy Labs and CCHS will be available to discuss this partnership at the Consumer Electronics Show 2018 in Las Vegas from January 9-12 at Booth #51529 in Sands, Hall G (Eureka Park).

Buoy is a consumer IoT device that attaches to a home water line, provides real-time and segmented water usage data, alerts homeowners to costly leaks, and gives users the power to shut off water remotely. The Buoy/CCHS partnership is the latest step in Buoy Labs’ strategic plan to provide the highest quality smart home experience to their customers.

“Engaged, responsible homeowners are creating the need for smart homes,” explains Buoy Labs CEO and Co-Founder Keri Waters. “Buoy is a sophisticated platform for managing their home water needs, from controlling their bill to making sure they are using water only where they want it. We provide real insights into how homeowners can live well in their homes, and help them take control of potentially wasteful and damaging water situations.”

Every home leaks about 10 percent of its overall water use, costing homeowners money on their rapidly rising water bill, and costing the homeowners insurance industry nearly $9 billion per year for claims from water damage due to leaks. And, with U.S. homeowners spending a record $361 billion on home repairs, maintenance, and remodeling in 2016 (Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University)—and only one-third of that money spent on discretionary projects—it’s more important than ever for homeowners to have on-demand access to qualified repair professionals.

In line with its commitment to service delivery excellence, CCHS maintains service-level agreements (SLAs) throughout 48 states and Washington, DC, ensuring that every homeowner who needs a plumber receives high-quality service, and that the plumbers’ scope of work and availability is clearly stated and uniform across the network. The integration of the expansive CCHS network with the Buoy app brings a strong, stable presence to the world of smart home technology, and peace-of-mind for customers. In addition to the seamless digital experience offered, CCHS also provides live agents for support for those customers that prefer that option.

“We looked at the nationwide plumbing networks, and we selected Cross Country Home Services to ensure every link in our value chain is as strong as the Buoy itself,” Waters continued. “Buoy customers demand quality, and CCHS impressed us with their service commitment, the ability to meet aggressive service level agreements as well as assurance that service is provided by licensed professionals.”

With this partnership, CCHS continues to evolve as a data-driven and digital-forward company, building on the success and stability of its longtime presence in the home services sector.

“Cross Country Home Services has been an extremely reliable partner for homeowners’ installation, repair and maintenance needs for more than 40 years,” said Cross Country Home Services CEO, Steve Upshaw. “Partnerships with category leaders in the smart home space, like Buoy Labs, allow us to provide consumers with an even more robust suite of home services, from the initial alert through the successful completion of services by a licensed, qualified professional.”

About Cross Country Home Services
Cross Country Home Services, Inc. (CCHS) is dedicated to making home repairs and maintenance easier and more affordable with its repair, maintenance and connected home offerings. Since 1978, the company has built a reputation for excellence, and today, is one of the nation’s leading providers of these products and services. Offered direct-to-consumer or through select affinity groups, financial institutions, insurance, real estate and utility partners, CCHS products include some of the industry’s best-known brands, including TotalProtect Home Warranty and HMS Home Warranty. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., CCHS is a member of the Cross Country Group, one of the largest privately-held providers of customer service programs in the United States. To learn more about CCHS, visit www.cchs.com.

About Buoy
Buoy is a smart home device that attaches to the main water line and uses proprietary machine-learning algorithms to deliver water usage data segmented by usage type. Buoy’s detailed insights mean that homeowners can enjoy water without worrying about cost or other constraints. Buoy notifies homeowners of leaks via a mobile app so they can shut off water remotely. Buoy Labs won a gold medal at the 2017 Edison Design awards, and honorable mention for the 2017 Fast Company Design awards, and an Innovation Award for CES 2018. Buoy Labs also participated in the Highway 1 hardware accelerator program, and recently was awarded a grant from the Elemental Excelerator in Honolulu, Hawaii. Buoy Labs is based in Santa Cruz, California and its investors and advisors include Highway 1 Accelerator, Toby Corey, Mark Mitchell, Jay Adelson, Andy Smith, Wallace J. Nichols, and other corporate and angel investors. For more information visit www.buoy.ai/.