ARS Rescue RooterAir Conditioning, Heating, Indoor Air Quality, Plumbing, Drain Cleaning & Sewer Lines

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I started heating and air conditioning in the U.S. Army doing field repairs on refrigeration systems, after my service with the government I started doing work on commercial/residential equipment for business and home owners doing maintenance and repairs. I have worked my way up to a service manager position with ARS and it is a wonderful feeling to work with the technicians and share our skills on a daily basis and building customer satisfaction.

2. What is the nicest thing someone has said to you after you fixed their HVAC problem?

Can I adopt you?

3. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

Knowing that when I leave a job, the equipment is operating at the top efficiency level that it was designed for and the home owner is comfortable. That is definitely the most satisfying part of my job.

4. Do you have a personal anecdote you would like to share about your profession?

I was working on an A/C unit with no refrigerant in the system. I did a leak test and found a pin whole leak in the side of the condenser coil. I asked the customer how this might have happened because this is not a normal leak. They told me he had hung a dart board above the A/C unit for their kids to play darts. At the end I was able to repair the leak and everyone was happy – including the kids playing darts in a different (and safe) location!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your history as a plumber.

I am a second generation plumber, and I have been in this profession for 25 years – although it seems I’ve been doing this for as long as I can remember! If I could take a guess, I have probably visited well over 8,000 homes in my career. I am currently one of the license holders for ARS/Rescue of South Carolina. My hobbies include hanging out with family and my granddaughter and going on mission trips with my church.

2. What is the nicest thing someone has said to you after you fixed their plumbing problem?

That was not as bad as I expected!

3. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

Teaching my plumbers gives me the most satisfaction.

4. What is the most common plumbing problem you've encountered?

Toilet flappers by far. And they are one of the most expensive parts to repair, too.

1. Personal Background (tell us a little bit about yourself)

I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. My hobbies include golfing, participating in church activities and spending time with my wonderful family.

2. How long have you been a plumber?

I have spent most of my adult life - 27 years - working with Rescue Rooter and have been a Service Technician, Lead Trainer, Assistant Manager and now I am currently a General Manager.

3. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

I really enjoy working with our employees, training new plumbers and satisfying our customers.

4. What is the strangest thing you've ever seen damage someone's plumbing?

Once I was called to help rescue a dog out of a sewer line. It was televised nationally and the customer was so thankful she named the dog "Rescue."

5. Is there a particular tool you rely on more than others at work?

Common sense is the best tool to use when it comes to plumbing.

1. Personal backround (tell us a little about yourself):

I have been a San Diego resident for 50 years, and I am currently married with 3 children. I have completed 2 years of college and I have 3 years of experience in military intelligence. I also have 15 years of experience with the Local 230 Plumbers Union of San Diego. In my free time I enjoy golfing, watching Chargers football, spending time with my family, and watching my daughter play water polo for the USA Olympic team.

2. How long have you been a plumber?

I have been a plumber for a total of 30 years. I spent 15 of those years in commercial new construction in the Local 230 Plumbers Union, working on projects such as the Marriot Hotel in La Jolla, the Long Beach hospital, Anaheim Sports Area (also known as “The Pond”) , and several local schools. The other 15 years were spent in general plumbing service and repair.

3. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

The most satisfying part of my job is helping customers save money on their plumbing projects by finding more cost effective ways to solve their problems.

4. What is the strangest thing you've ever seen damage someone's plumbing?

There have been situations where we have excavated a customer’s sewer system only to find soda and other chemicals had worn away entire sections of piping.

5. Is there a particular tool you rely on more than others?

The trenchless technology that we have available to us, such as the equipment used in pipe bursting and pipe relining, has provided immense value to our customers. These trenchless plumbing technologies allow us to replace old broken pipes without digging up the entire plumbing system, thus saving our customers both time and money.

1. Personal Background (tell us a little bit about yourself)

Growing up in a family where my father had his own electronics company, and then a trophy and awards company, I learned the value of knowledge and a good work ethic. It was in the United States Marine Corps that I learned the value of teamwork, along with the basics of refrigeration. It was this training that pushed me to begin my career in the HVAC industry.

2. How long have you been an air conditioning & heating technician?

I have worked in the HVAC industry for 31 years - including seven years in wholesale supply where I worked part-time, running service and performing installations at the same time. I have also been a service manager and technical trainer at a major distributor/manufacturer. I have been with ARS/Rescue Rooter for 12 years now, working in several different roles such as Operations Manager, Retail Manager, Regional Training Manager and HVAC Service Manager. I am currently the General Manager in Gulf Breeze, Florida.

3. If you could take a guess, how many homes have you visited on air conditioning & heating calls in your career?

That is a tough question, but if I had to guess an actual figure, I would put it at 20,000 to 25,000.

4. What is the hottest temperature in an attic that you’ve had to work in?

145 degrees, but it is about working smart, not hard, in those temperatures.

1. Tell us about yourself.

I started with ARS/Rescue Rooter in April of 1995 as a drain cleaning service technician. I worked my way up, going from a Trainer to Supervisor, then Assistant Manager. I transferred to Indianapolis to manage the Rescue Rooter service center. I attended and graduated a four year apprentice program, and I'm now a licensed plumber in both Indiana and Ohio.

2. What is the nicest thing someone has said to you after you fixed his or her plumbing problem?

I had a customer who was having their sewer cleaned every six months. Our company was called and offered a free inspection camera with the service. The sewer had heavy root infiltration so we offered to replace it. The homeowner did have the sewer replaced and called me back after two years and thanked me for taking care of the problem and not just putting a band aid on it.

3. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

Solving plumbing problems for business and homeowners.

4. What is the most common plumbing problem you've encountered?

Water leaks from older plumbing systems.

5. Is there a particular tool you rely on more than others at work?

The inspection camera has become the best tool for accurate diagnosis.

6. If you could take a guess, how many homes have you visited on plumbing calls in your career?

I personally would guess that I have been in about 10,000 homes.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I enjoy hunting, fishing, and really any type of outdoor activity. I graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Business Management and Economics. I started working in the HVAC business in 1981. I worked as an installer in my early years and developed my career path towards management. Currently I am a General Manger for ARS/Rescue Rooter in Durham, NC.

2. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

A more than satisfied customer.

3. What is the most common air conditioning & heating problem you've encountered?

The lack of maintaining the equipment. This usually results in inefficient or inoperative equipment.

4. Is there a particular tool you rely on more than others at work?

Listen to what the customer has to say. The information a customer gives you is very important.

5. What is the hottest temperature in an attic that you’ve had to work in?

I would estimate 130 – 140 degrees. The key to working in these conditions is to drink plenty of fluids.

1. Personal Background (tell us a little bit about yourself)

I like to hunt, fish and spend time outdoors. I also enjoy antique and classic performance automobiles and motorcycles, and love to travel. I have always been an animal lover and have raised many different breeds of animals in my lifetime. I currently raise flying performance roller pigeons and participate in competitions worldwide.

2. How long have you been a plumber?

I have worked in the plumbing trade for over 20 years. I am a General Manager for ARS/Rescue Rooter and have been an employee for over 18 years. I have been involved in the licensed trade professions most of my life. I am State President of Associated Plumbing Heating and Cooling Contractors of Texas (APHCC) and have served on the Executive Board of that association for over four years.

3. Have you ever encountered any wild animals when working on someone's plumbing?

Back when I was a service technician, I was called to a job to clear the main building drain at a residential home. There happened to be a holiday party going on that evening and the eggnog was flowing freely. The men were quite interested in watching me and several had entered the bathroom to talk and ask questions while I worked. I quickly cleared the blockage and began retrieving my cable. When the cable popped out of the pipe under the toilet, there was a full-grown squirrel completely intact on the other end, and it started to sling through the air. All these “macho” men who were offering suggestions a few minutes earlier were actually falling down and crawling over each other to get out of the bathroom before they were attacked by this creature. It was hilarious and I will never forget it!

4. What is the nicest thing someone has said to you after you fixed their plumbing problem?

Will you marry me?

1. Personal Background (tell us a little bit about yourself)

I enjoy sports, swimming, fishing, hunting and anything that involves working outside or with old cars.

2. How long have you been an air conditioning & heating technician?

I have been working in the HVAC business for 16 years. I began my career as a helper in the installation department. I am currently employed with ARS/Rescue Rooter in Indianapolis, as the Assistant General Manager of HVAC Operations. I have been employed with ARS/Rescue Rooter for 11 and a half years.

3. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

It means a lot to me to know that I am able to help someone or solve their problem.

4. What is the most common air conditioning & heating problem you've encountered?

The most common problem I have come across is lack of maintenance. In this "on the go" society we live in today, people just do not take the time to, or even think about, keeping their HVAC equipment maintained. I think almost every technician would agree that over half the service calls we answer are due to lack of maintenance.

5. What is the biggest or messiest air conditioning & heating problem you've ever had to face?

The biggest mess I have encountered happened when a customer's home filled with carbon monoxide due to their chimney being blocked. It was early fall, and the customer had just turned on the furnace for the first time that season. After determining what was causing the blockage and talking to the customer, they informed me that they recently had a new roof installed. What I found next, I could not believe! When the roofer removed the wooden shingles from the old roof, he did not dispose of them properly - instead he put them down the chimney. To make a long story short, we removed five, 50-gallon trash bags of wooden shingles from the customer's home that day.