History Roto-Rooter

sam blanc , roto-rooter sewer cleaning machine.

in late 1920s, samuel oscar blanc (1883–1964) motivated stubborn clogged drain in son s (milton l. blanc) des moines, iowa, apartment seek better solution.

by 1933, samuel blanc had fashioned sewer-cleaning machine washing machine motor, wheels child s little red wagon , 3/8 steel cable. cable rotated sharp blades cut tree roots out of sewer lines, eliminating tedious , expensive need dig pipes , clear obstructions hand. blanc s wife, lettie (née lettie jensen), called invention, heavy-duty plumber s snake, roto-rooter .

by mid-1930s, blanc selling patented roto-rooter machines $250 , incorporated business around called roto-rooter corporation. many eager work in midst of great depression started own roto-rooter businesses throughout upper midwest, great plains , northeast. sewer cleaners not required have plumbing license in 1930s man earn decent living minor training operating roto-rooter machine , willingness advertise local business. roto-rooter s sewer cleaning service allowed homeowners avoid digging lawns , landscaping reach underground sewer pipes. modern breakthrough such revolutionary concept in 1930s , 40s roto-rooter featured illustration of mound of dirt on excavated sewer pipe caption, why put grave in yard?

in 1980, blanc family sold roto-rooter corporation cincinnati-based chemed corporation. chemed began purchasing independent roto-rooter franchises , operating them company-owned service locations under newly formed roto-rooter services company, corporate headquarters in downtown cincinnati. chemed sold off of holdings in roto-rooter in both 1984 , 1985, bringing ownership stake below 60%, , launched bid in 1996 reacquire 42% of shares had earlier sold off.

in 1980s, roto-rooter franchises , company-owned locations began offer around-the-clock service , general full-service plumbing repair both residential , commercial customers. today, roto-rooter s plumbing services represent major part of company s business. company has more 600 service locations operating throughout north america serve more 90% of u.s. population , more 40% of canadian population. roto-rooter largest provider of plumbing repair , sewer & drain cleaning services in both countries.

in 2009, roto-rooter introduced book titled chilling tales porcelain seat featured true tales of strange & unexplained things happen , roto-rooter heroes can fix them. roto-rooter asked plumbers throughout north america submit true stories odd things have encountered on job such strange items recovered toilets , sewer pipes.

2015 marked company s 80th anniversary. roto-rooter service van shown jumping across open section of bridge in 2015 motion picture, wedding ringer , 1 of characters in film portrays roto-rooter service technician.

international franchise operations have been established in canada, japan, philippines, hong kong, indonesia, singapore, brazil , south africa.

today

roto-rooter remains largest provider of plumbing repair, sewer , drain cleaning services in both u.s. , canada. company little or no new construction plumbing work. primary work involves making plumbing repairs existing residential , commercial plumbing systems, unclogging , repairing sewers , drains. roto-rooter featured in syfy television show ghost hunters (2004–2015) 2 founders of taps work roto-rooter plumbers in company s providence, rhode island, branch. there segments featuring jason hawes , grant wilson working plumbing technicians in day jobs @ roto-rooter in between paranormal investigations on show. additionally, roto-rooter van shown in opening segment of each episode.

roto-rooter corporation, based in west des moines, iowa, maintains manufacturing plant, produces roto-rooter tools, machinery, drain cleaning cable , blades plumbing , drain-cleaning industry. company produces 2 lines of commercial drain-care products, 1 available through roto-rooter , other line of retail products sold in stores , via mail order.

employees of roto-rooter non-union. ceo of roto-rooter group spencer lee. ceo of chemed corporation, roto-rooter s parent company, kevin j. mcnamara. cfo of chemed corporation david p. williams. frank castillo president of roto-rooter corporation in west des moines. rick arquilla serves president , coo of roto-rooter services company, based in cincinnati, , appeared in april 2010 episode of cbs reality show undercover boss.