Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Lima and Allen County homeowners dealing with water damage that has led to mold growth, where having plumbing repair and remediation handled by one team under the Roto-Rooter franchise saves coordination time.
Best for
- Lima and Allen County homeowners who need water damage cleanup and mold remediation handled by the same company that fixes the plumbing problem that caused it
- Homeowners facing emergency water or sewage situations after hours, on weekends, or on holidays, where Roto-Rooter's 24/7 availability matters
- Property owners who want insurance claim documentation handled by the restoration company rather than managing it separately
- Commercial property managers in the Lima area who need a single vendor for plumbing, water damage, and mold work
About this company
Roto-Rooter in Lima is the local branch of the national Roto-Rooter franchise, headquartered at 311 E Market St in downtown Lima and managed by Alan Sheplak. The branch operates under the national brand's model: plumbing, drain cleaning, water damage restoration, and mold remediation all handled by one company. They staff IICRC-trained water restoration technicians alongside their plumbing crew, and they run 24/7 year-round with no overtime charges for nights, weekends, or holidays.
The mold remediation side follows a standard scope: containment barriers, negative air pressure, removal of contaminated materials, antimicrobial surface treatment, and post-remediation air quality checks. Because Roto-Rooter also does the plumbing and water damage work that often precedes mold discovery, they can address the moisture source, dry the structure, and remediate mold without bringing in separate contractors. The website also lists mold inspection and moisture source identification as services, meaning they do both testing and remediation.
Roto-Rooter has operated nationally since 1935. The Lima branch covers Allen County and claims service across 19 counties stretching from the Lima area south through the Dayton metro, including Greene, Montgomery, Clark, and Miami counties. They hold Ohio plumbing license #28958 and carry a BBB A+ rating.
4.8 stars across 1,598 Google reviews is a strong rating at that volume. Most plumbing and restoration companies in smaller Ohio markets carry fewer than 500 reviews, so the review base here gives a more statistically reliable picture than most competitors.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Lima, Ohio (Allen County). The website claims coverage across 19 counties including Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Darke, Fayette, Greene, Hardin, Highland, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Putnam, Shelby, Van Wert, and Wyandot. This territory extends south through the Dayton metro area. At least one reviewer outside Lima was told after three missed appointments that no plumber was available in his area, so actual coverage in outlying counties may be inconsistent.
Review consensus
Cole is the most frequently named technician across recent reviews, praised by at least ten customers for being thorough, explaining his work, and making sure drains were fully cleared before leaving. Greg and Gregory (likely the same person) draw similar praise for speed and politeness, with multiple reviewers noting he finished jobs in under an hour. Ethan earned praise for a water heater replacement. Nathanael was called out for walking a customer through a minor issue step by step. Cody was praised for politeness. Positive reviewers consistently mention same-day service, willingness to educate the homeowner, and clean work areas. Sonja B, a Local Guide with 136 reviews, specifically noted Cole P's diligence on a multi-hour main waterline job.
15 found across 1598 total reviews at 4.8★. Scheduling and no-shows dominate. Jessica Hall waited from 9 AM to 7:42 PM with no technician; the app falsely showed active service at her address. Read Truth waited over seven hours, missed his daughter's birthday party, and received only automated texts. Daniel Boone had three consecutive missed appointments before being told no plumber was available in his area. Jared Caprella waited from 12:30 PM to 5:53 PM, calling dispatch twice, before being told no techs remained. Anime Ichigo had two consecutive no-shows. Pricing is the second pattern: Bryan Bucher was quoted $500 for a bathtub drain snake, then immediately offered $300 when he declined. Shelby paid $805 to auger one toilet line, then was charged an extra $50 without prior notice. Rick Jennings was charged $150 for an unsuccessful visit and quoted $6,500 for a drain replacement. Ruth Fought paid $450 for work that did not fix the problem and discovered a pipe had been knocked loose. Chris Walter, a Local Guide with 66 reviews, reported a technician used his personal shop vac without permission, left sewage on floors and walls, and spilled paint on the floor on the way out.
The scheduling failures and the pricing complaints both point to the franchise model. The Lima branch covers a territory far larger than its technician count can reliably serve, which explains the cascading delays and eventual no-shows in outlying areas. Pricing follows a flat-rate structure that is set nationally, not locally, so technicians have limited flexibility to match local market rates. The uniform template responses from Pat Swanson, Customer Satisfaction Manager, reinforce this: complaint handling is centralized at the corporate level, and the local branch does not appear to engage directly with dissatisfied customers online. The gap between field technicians (who earn strong reviews) and the office/dispatch side (which generates most complaints) is the defining tension in this location's reviews.
Cole / Cole P (technician — consistently positive, named in 10+ reviews for thoroughness and clear communication). Greg / Gregory (technician — positive, praised for speed and friendliness). Ethan (technician — positive, praised for water heater replacement). Nathanael (technician — positive, praised for patient explanations). Cody (technician — positive, praised for politeness). Colton (technician — positive, praised for detail and professionalism). Gary (technician — positive, praised for fast work). Jeff (technician — positive, praised in older reviews for courtesy and no-upsell approach). Nathan (technician — positive, praised for sump pump replacement). Will (technician — positive, praised for diagnosis and going above expectations). Derrick (technician — neutral, named in a complaint about delayed service but not directly criticized for his work). Michelle (dispatch — neutral, named as the person who provided unhelpful scheduling updates). Pat Swanson (Customer Satisfaction Manager — sends template responses to all negative reviews).
Ask for Cole or Greg by name when you book. The field technicians at this branch earn strong reviews for hands-on work and clear communication. The risk is on the scheduling and pricing side: confirm your appointment window the morning of, get a written estimate before authorizing any work, and compare that estimate with at least one local competitor. If you are outside Lima proper, confirm that a technician actually serves your area before committing to a time slot.
Keep in mind
- Roto-Rooter does both mold testing and mold remediation. A company that finds mold also profits from removing it. Ask whether they use a third-party environmental consultant for testing, or get your own independent test before authorizing remediation work.
- Pricing is the most frequent complaint in reviews. Multiple customers report being quoted $300-$800+ for drain cleaning and simple plumbing tasks, with some noting competitors quoted half the price for the same work. One reviewer was quoted $500, then immediately offered $300 when he declined. Get a written estimate and compare it before authorizing work.
- Scheduling reliability is inconsistent. Six recent one-star reviews describe missed appointments, all-day waits with no technician showing up, and in one case three consecutive no-shows before being told no plumber was available in the area. If your job is not an emergency, confirm the appointment window the morning of service.
- Every owner response to negative reviews follows the same template: an apology and a redirect to email Pat Swanson, the Customer Satisfaction Manager. None of the responses engage with the specific complaint or explain what happened. This is reputation management, not problem resolution.
- The claimed service area spans 19 counties from Lima to south of Dayton, covering roughly 150 miles. One reviewer outside Lima waited three days before being told no plumber was available in his area. Confirm technician availability at your specific location before scheduling.