Roto Rooter Inventor
By Mitch Clemmons Roto Rooter 0 Comments

Rooter vs Rooter

From Baseball Rooter to Roto Rooter… here’s the story

OR just contact us now for Rooter Service in Fullerton, Anaheim, & La Habra 562-242-3218:

The Baseball Rooter

Let me root, root, root for the Dodgers, if they don’t win it’s a shame! This is from one of the more iconic verses from a song we all know—Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Fans young and old have rooted for their favorite ball club using this anthem to cheer them on since 1908.
 
Now at one time, “rooter” was the term for one who roots for their team. It also was probably the name a few mascots like a Rudy Rooter, Rooter Robby or Scooter the Rooter. Fans or fanatic is the more modern label for such a die-hard follower.

The Animal Rooter

Then there are animals often labeled as “rooters”. Not because they are screaming a fight song but because they’re really good at digging up roots. Some root up plants that are deep within the soil. These animals can find roots and use either their snout, tusks, or even mouth to excavate the tuber. Very similar to a truffle hog or truffle that has a keen sense for the aroma of rare fungus. Some animals, like gophers, do this to roots we don’t want destroyed.  Remember Caddy Shack? <grin>

Roots in your Plumbing Pipes?

Then there’s roots that have their own destructive tendencies. How many times have you seen sidewalks, driveways, even walls cracked and broken due to the slow, methodical, brutish force of ever-sprouting roots. Some of their most notorious damage done to your home will be to its plumbing.
 
Trees, shrubs and large outdoor plants often have roots that can over time make their way into the foundation and damage the internal structure of your home. Once these roots run into an obstacle, they either go around it or through it. If that obstacle is one of the pipes running water through your home you certainly hope it goes around it. But, what if it doesn’t?
 

The Cure for Roots in Your Plumbing Pipes – Roto Rooter

Well fortunately for all of us, in 1933 Samuel Oscar Blanc combined a washing machine motor, wagon wheels, and a steel rope to create the first “rooter”. Motivated by a clogged drain at his son’s home, Samuel designed the machine that his wife would name the “Roto-rooter.” It was designed to remove roots that had invaded the sewer pipes. This invention would go on to be a huge commercial success. It’s creation removed the costly need of digging up pipes and clearing the obstructions by hand. Known also as a drain auger, roto rooter, or plumber’s snake there isn’t a credible plumber around who hasn’t used one of these instruments that clear roots in your plumbing pipes.
 
With improvements in construction and new technologies in materials roots are not the nuisance they were back in the 30’s. Yet, many houses and buildings still standing today are without these modern advancements. Therefore, the need for a rooter hasn’t lessened all that much. But the new wave of tools like hydro-jetting and chemical cleaners have made the good ole roto-rooter seem a bit obsolete—well, it isn’t. 

There are several benefits of using roto-rooter, here are a few:

  • Cost: When your kitchen sink or toilet backs up it could be a simple fix and a roto rooter could help fix the issue quickly. Some might suggest hydro-jetting which too could fix the problem but a substantial cost. So rooter offers an alternative that’s affordable and at times as equally effective as the much more expensive hydro jet.
  • Pipes: Older homes usually have older pipes. If they are the original existing pipes, they may be brittle in some sections. So using a high pressure spray like a hydro jet might be too powerful and cause more damage than the clog you’re trying to remove. That is why we would use a roto rooter type of device.
  • Non-hazardous: Chemical cleaners can be very effective in dissolving clogs caused by oils, foods, or even hair. Unfortunately, their effectiveness is often due to some highly toxic ingredients. This isn’t the case with a mechanical snake otherwise known as a roto rooter. While it may be a bit more laborious it’s far safer.
If you’ve taken a couple unsuccessful swings at a clog with a chemical cleaner, put us at Mitch Clemmons Plumbing in the game. We’ll knock that clog out of the park; well at least out of your pipes. Call today 562-242-3218.
 
Other helpful links:
The Hydrojet vs The Hydroplane
 
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