The guy who answers the phone is the guy who fixes the problem
Brian Gerken has been taking things apart since he was eight years old.
It started with cars. Not oil changes — whole cars, built from the frame up, in a driveway in Huntington. That's the kind of mind he has. He wants to know how a thing works, why it failed, and what it will take to make it right. Plumbing was a natural place for that curiosity to land, and it never really let go of him.
He started in 1986 with a local plumbing company, learning the trade the way it's supposed to be learned — on the job, under people who'd been doing it a long time. He worked his way up to supervisor at the largest plumbing company in New York City, running crews across multiple agencies and major projects, including work at the New York Aquarium in Coney Island.
After 9/11, he came back to Long Island, worked union jobs for several years, and then courageously went out on his own, opening Gerken Plumbing & Heating in 2017.
He grew up here. He still lives here.
Brian isn't a name on a truck that drives in from somewhere else. He grew up in this community, and he's spent his life in it — the neighbors, the local shops, the families he's known for years. When he pulls into your driveway, there's a decent chance he knows the house, or the block, or the person who lived there before you.
That matters more than people expect. A plumber who's part of your community has a reputation to protect that no advertising budget can buy back. Brian built his the slow way: one honest job at a time, for years, in front of people who would absolutely tell their neighbors if he'd cut a corner.
Forty years in, he could easily send someone else. He doesn't. He still shows up to a leaking water heater in a Huntington basement himself, because that's the work he actually likes — and because it's his name on the truck.
An educated consumer is my best buy
It's one of Brian's favorite lines, and it's not a slogan — it's how he runs the job.
He talks to every customer himself. Not a script, not a rushed rundown on the way out the door. He'll show you what failed, explain why it failed, and walk you through your options — including the cheaper ones, and including the ones where you wait. He'd rather you understand your own home than feel talked into something.
Customers tell him all the time that no one has ever explained it to them that way before. That's usually the moment they become customers for life.
Old tools, sharp hands
There's a real craft in this trade that's quietly disappearing. Brian knows his tools and techniques — approaches that solve a problem cleanly instead of just replacing everything in sight. He takes serious pride in that skill, and he doesn't hide it behind jargon.
Post 1244
Brian is a proud member of the American Legion Riders, Post 1244 Greenlawn. Gerken Plumbing & Heating offers a military discount to those who've served.
Brian and his team have come to our home many times since we moved into the neighborhood in 1998. Brian responds immediately and always finds time to quickly help his customers, new and old. The team he has is fantastic; knowledgeable, kind and respectful. You can always count on quality service from Brian. He will take great care of you!
Laura M.
Real stand up owner and company. Had them out to my house to deal with a heating issue a few months back - easily could have sold me on a more expensive course of action but solved the problem with a cheaper route. Recently was having an issue replacing a cartridge for my bathtub faucet. Brian (the owner) spent 20 minutes on the phone with me troubleshooting the leak and offering suggestions. Then called back the next day to follow up. Could have easily sent a guy to the house and made some money. Will not hesitate calling Gerken in the future.
Brian C.
What you can expect
A master plumber on the job — not a dispatcher's best guess
A straight explanation of what's wrong — and what your choices are
Honest recommendations — including when the answer is “this can wait”
Work done right the first time — by someone whose name is on the truck and whose reputation lives in this town
If you've been burned before by someone who didn't call back, didn't explain, or didn't finish — that's the whole reason Brian does it the way he does.
Schedule us for your work. You'll get a job done right--on Brian's honor.
Proudly serving Huntington, Huntington Station, Cold Spring Harbor, Centerport, Northport, Greenlawn, Melville, Dix Hills, and surrounding communities.