Like other industries, the drain cleaning industry has felt the pinch of the multi-year COVID-19 pandemic. As members of an essential industry, drain cleaning professionals have continued to show up every day and push forward despite unthinkable challenges. On the employment end, the Great Resignation affected all industries, leaving small businesses understaffed.
Topics: Business Series, The Drain Business
Many dream of owning a business. Being your own boss and in control of your time means you are in charge of your work/life balance. Though it does also mean you’ll need to oversee additional business aspects like marketing and accounting, the tradeoff can be significant. You’ll get to keep working directly with clients, and you’ll be able to invest in the tools you want.
Topics: Buyer's Guide, Jetter, Business Series, The Drain Business
Amazingly, we’re already speeding toward the end of quarter one of 2022. After a rollercoaster two years, 2022 may be the one where the pandemic ends, and we move into “what’s next.” Though drain cleaning professionals have generally avoided some of the major downturns in work that other industries have experienced, the stress of 24 months of uncertainty have certainly still been felt. When setting your 2022 business goals, you may have been apprehensive about writing down anything “too lofty;” or perhaps you were the exact opposite, and decided to lean into the unknown and go all in. Either way, the end of Q1 offers a good opportunity to check in: are you on track to your goals?
Topics: Resources, Business Series, The Drain Business, Marketing
The days of homeowners opening the phonebook and flipping through the yellow pages to find a plumber are long gone. The Covid-19 era proved that the drain professionals of today need to be active on social media to keep their businesses thriving as much of the world moved permanently online. While a plumber certainly can’t work from home, meeting potential customers where they are is more important than ever. Social media is a powerful form of word of mouth, and there is ample opportunity for today’s plumbers and drain cleaners to use social media marketing – without taking too much time or breaking the bank.
Topics: Resources, The Drain Business, Marketing
Freddy’s Ready rooter and sewer services opened its doors in 1948. Many things have changed since the company first went into business, but owner Reggie Crawford knows that unlike the pipes he works in and around, it only gets better with time. Headquartered in Minnesota, the Freddy’s Ready team has gained years of insight into the plumbing and drain cleaning needs of the region. While the company specializes in rooting, drain clearing and cross bore inspection services, Freddy’s Ready stands out in the industry by adding consulting services. Leveraging almost a lifetime of knowledge, Reggie’s team has found the offering unexpectedly rewarding.
Topics: Customer Spotlight
Plumbers and drain cleaners are no strangers to corrosion. In fact, they deal with corrosion and its effects on household and commercial plumbing day-in and day-out. Corrosion is one of the most costly sources of infrastructure and equipment damage in the world. In 2007, the Federal Highway Administration reported to Congress that corrosion cost the United States $442 billion annually. For the average homeowner though, corrosion is rarely the biggest maintenance concern, but it can make a big impact on the safety and livability of a house and its plumbing. As plumbers it is our responsibility to decipher the type of corrosion our clients are dealing with and help them combat any issues that it can cause before it becomes a visible problem.
Topics: Inspection System, Problem-solving
In December 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed, giving small businesses such as plumbing and drain cleaning operations access to some beneficial tax code changes. In print, the TCJA runs 274 pages—too long to outline in a blog. However, the essential changes include
Topics: Business Series, The Drain Business
Growing your plumbing business presents many challenges, but building a reliable, trustworthy and dedicated team is usually one of the biggest. Employees must be willing to do everything it takes to do the job, while still staying safe and protecting themselves and your company. For your budding plumbing or drain cleaning company to succeed, you need to have straightforward expectations in place for your employees. They should know what you require from them and what they can expect from you.
Topics: Business Series, The Drain Business
Check out our newer Jetter 101 blogs on maintenance and nozzles.
Jetters are an essential sewer and drain cleaning tool built to blast through soft obstructions like grease and sludge or melt through frozen lines. Each jetter consists of a motor, hose, pump and nozzle; and each attribute must be considered when purchasing a jetter. But none is more customizable than the jetter nozzle. Jetter nozzles are specialized to perform debris breaking and line clearing, and different designs all have individual advantages that impact price and use.
