Pipelines, Inc. is a residential plumbing and heating company that has served Roslindale and the surrounding towns since 1993. Plumbing, at its essence, is how the water, fire and human waste we’ve invited into our homes is made to behave. Our job is to keep your house warm, comfortable, convenient, clean and safe.
Pipelines, Inc. was formed in the mid-1980s by Maura Russell, a pioneer in a strictly male industry. In 1993, Chris Ernst and Maura Russell restarted the company, which had closed briefly, and in 1999 Chris became the sole owner.
Our company began with a secret ingredient: the women who worked here chose this profession and did their work under great scrutiny and a large measure of scorn. At a time when society was turning its back on skilled labor, they made it their own, honoring their craft and defending their right to ply it.
Pipelines has continued with the same spirit: operate with integrity, be educated in what you do, treat people with respect and take pride in a day’s work.
Because, in truth, the world rests on the shoulders of people who work with their hands.
These are the principles that shape Pipelines, Inc., and have made it a truly unique plumbing and heating company. At Pipelines, you’ll find plumbers who believe that the work they do is important. They are educated, involved, and treated well by the company; they are the professional plumbers you want in your home.
A small company can hold itself to a standard a big one can’t. Here’s what that looks like when a plumber from Pipelines comes to your house.
The plumbers at Pipelines keep learning. Factory training from Viessmann, Bosch, Buderus and Lochinvar means we know the equipment we install; a seminar called The Lost Art of Steam Heating tells you something about the systems we get called to fix.
No two older houses are the same inside, even on the same street. One builder may have used better materials than the one next door, and someone along the way may have made changes of their own. So the plumber looks at what’s actually there first.
Pipelines likes to educate its customers. The plumber explains what’s wrong, what your options are and why one makes more sense than another, before any work starts. A homeowner who understands the system takes better care of it.
Larger jobs get a written quote before anything begins, and you can ask for one on a small job too. Repairs carry a 1-year workmanship warranty; parts carry the manufacturer’s warranty.
Respect is one of the principles this company was built on. It covers the people who do the work and the people whose homes they do it in. That’s why the plumbers here are treated well, and why they treat your house with care.
Emergency service is for existing Pipelines customers. We say so plainly, because it’s how a small shop keeps its promises to the people who already count on it. Everyone else is welcome to call the office for an estimate.
Pipelines is a small company on purpose. These are the people you’ll talk to on the phone and see in your basement.
Owner · Master Plumber & Master Pipefitter
Master Plumber 11747-PL-M · Master Pipefitter [INSERT: Chris master pipefitter license number]
Christine Ernst has been a plumber for 45 years, starting as the first woman apprentice in Plumbers and Steamfitters local 349 in 1981. She has been an owner of Pipelines since 1993. Chris holds a master plumber and master pipefitter licenses in Massachusetts. She has a skill which none of the other members of Pipelines' staff possess: she is small and can fit in places where no one else can.
Journeyman Plumber
Journeyman Plumber [INSERT: Bob Dias journeyman license number]
Bob has been working in the plumbing trade for nearly 43 years. He is a Journeyman Plumber and is currently working toward obtaining his Master Plumber license. Bob has also completed OSHA 10-hour training and is EPA 608 certified to handle refrigerants. Bob joined the Pipelines team in March 2020, following 26 years of experience in commercial plumbing.
Born in Taunton, Bob grew up in West Bridgewater before moving to Boston in 2008. Between maintaining a 115-year-old house and keeping up with a teenage son, Bob doesn’t have much free time. When he does get a chance to relax, he enjoys watching Marvel movies and shows with his wife and son.
Plumber
[INSERT: Michael Fitzpatrick license type and number]
Michael Fitzpatrick has been plumbing in and around the Greater Boston area and New England for over 20 years. Starting in residential service and installation, he later expanded into commercial plumbing and pipefitting before returning to residential plumbing and heating. Working in historic Boston has made Mike exceptionally versatile in handling the unique piping systems found throughout New England's oldest towns.
Boston-born and bred, Mike enjoys dining on local seafood and fishing for Striped Bass in his free time.
Journeyman Plumber
Journeyman Plumber [INSERT: Tonia Carter journeyman license number]
With 10 years of experience in the plumbing trade, Tonia is a licensed Journeyman Plumber who takes pride in solving problems that others have walked away from—and she’s never afraid of a challenging repair!
Tonia’s approach is straightforward: find the source of the issue, address the root cause rather than simply treating the symptoms, and make sure the job is done right the first time. In addition to plumbing, she has experience with gas fitting and heating maintenance and troubleshooting.
For Tonia, great plumbing is about more than fixing pipes. It’s about providing excellent customer service, educating homeowners on good plumbing and heating practices, and leaving every customer confident in the work that was completed. When the customer is happy with her work, Tonia is happy too.
When Tonia isn’t playing blindfolded pipe Tetris, you can find her adding to her massive duck collection, fishing, or participating in competitive sleeping competitions.
Office Administrator
Tracy Remick, Office Administrator, is the newest member of the Pipelines team. Tracy brings years of experience in administrative roles, with a strong focus on customer service. After spending many years working for large corporations, she enjoys the atmosphere of a smaller company, where she can get to know customers personally while learning the terminology of the plumbing industry.
In her free time, Tracy enjoys pet walking and sitting, reading, spending time at the beach, and watching Jaws and Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.
Being educated in what you do is one of the principles this company runs on. It’s why the plumbers here keep going back to school long after the apprenticeship is over. Here’s the paperwork behind it.
Plumbers who take off their shoes before coming in and who leave the place cleaner than when they arrived.
I have no reservations about recommending Pipelines for any job, large or small, routine or emergency.
Call the office Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, or send us a note. We’ll set up a time to come see the job, and the estimate is free.
