5 Questions with a Pipe Cleaning PRO – Jake Tamburro
Name: Jake Tamburro
Employer: Roto-Rooter (Greenville, S.C.)
Years in the Industry: 4 (with Roto-Rooter)
1. How did you get your start in the industry?
A close friend of mine was looking for plumbers to add to the team at Roto-Rooter. He asked, “Hey, you know anyone who would be interested in plumbing?” I asked him how much money they made. After he told me, I said, “Let’s do it.” I applied, was hired and here I am four years later.
2. What does your typical day look like?
During COVID or before COVID? Now, we are dispatched from our house. I check in with the office in the morning to let them know I am ready for a call, and they send it over. Every day is different. A new customer with a new problem. I typically do five drain cleaning service calls a day. We clean everything from sink and tub drains to sewers and industrial drains.
3. What is the No. 1 challenge facing our industry?
On the drain cleaning side, every house is not plumbed the same way. What worked at the last house may not work on the one I’m going to now. In the plumbing industry, finding good help. Our job is tough, demanding and can be dirty so it isn’t as appealing to everyone in my generation (millennials) as other career choices. But, we make great money, get to work with our hands and get instant gratification after our job is complete.
4. What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with your fellow PROs?
Always investigate the plumbing before you begin a drain cleaning job. Determine the way the drains are run in the home. How many drains are backed up? Where is the vent? Is there a manhole out front? Can we call the local municipality to get a sewer tap location? Doing your homework on the front end will make the job go much smoother and save you a lot of time and headache.
5. When you are not at work, what is one thing you enjoy as much as being a Pipe Cleaning PRO?
Serving the people of South Carolina as a member of the United States National Guard. I’ve been able to assist the people of our state during natural disasters, evacuations and COVID-related responses. Serving the community is something I am passionate about and take pride in. My career and my company allow me to do both.