Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Murrysville and greater Pittsburgh homeowners who need a single contractor to handle the plumbing failure and the water damage cleanup in one visit, especially overnight or on weekends.
Best for
- Homeowners in Murrysville, Pittsburgh, and surrounding Allegheny and Westmoreland County communities dealing with active water damage from a plumbing failure
- Anyone who needs after-hours or weekend emergency service — they answer calls and dispatch technicians around the clock
- Situations where a pipe leak or sewer backup caused mold growth, since one crew handles both the plumbing fix and the mold work
- Property owners who want insurance claim documentation handled by the same company doing the restoration
About this company
Roto-Rooter in Murrysville is a franchise location of the national plumbing and water cleanup chain, headquartered at 3731 William Penn Highway. Unlike standalone mold remediation companies, this is a plumbing-first operation that added water damage restoration and mold remediation as extensions of its core drain and pipe work. The local office is managed by Bob Morgan and covers a wide swath of southwestern Pennsylvania, from Pittsburgh proper out through Westmoreland, Washington, Fayette, and Greene counties.
The main differentiator here is that the same company that fixes the burst pipe or backed-up sewer also handles water extraction, structural drying, and mold removal — no need to coordinate between a plumber and a separate restoration crew. Their website references IICRC-certified water restoration technicians and containment and removal practices for mold. They run 24/7/365 with trucks stocked for same-visit repairs, and they offer insurance documentation support through the restoration process.
Roto-Rooter has operated nationally since 1935. This Murrysville location holds Pennsylvania plumbing licenses (MP: HP 03706, HIC: PA14631) and carries a BBB A+ rating. They are a member of the Apartment Association of Metro Pittsburgh, signaling commercial and multi-unit capability alongside residential work.
With a 4.8-star average across 1,153 Google reviews, this location performs well above the national franchise average. That volume and rating together suggest consistent execution across a high number of service calls, though the negative reviews that do exist cluster around pricing.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Murrysville, PA, serving the greater Pittsburgh region across Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, Fayette, and Greene counties. Named service areas include Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg, Munhall, McKees Rocks, Penn Hills, North Versailles, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Fox Chapel, Upper St. Clair, Sewickley, Canonsburg, Bridgeville, Carnegie, Coraopolis, Tarentum, Natrona Heights, Apollo, Lower Burrell, Verona, Delmont, Jeannette, Charleroi, Waynesburg, Trafford, Elizabeth, and Mc Donald. This is a broad geographic claim for a single franchise location.
Review consensus
Troy is the most frequently praised technician, with reviewers highlighting his speed on water heater replacements, friendly demeanor, and ability to explain problems clearly. John and JT also draw repeat mentions for drain work. A reviewer named several team members by name — Doug for project coordination, Sean for excavation estimates, and Rob, Ian, and Nick for execution — describing a well-organized multi-person job. Reviewers consistently mention fast response times, same-day service, and technicians who explain the problem before starting work. Weekend and holiday availability comes up repeatedly as a deciding factor.
3 found across 1153 total reviews at 4.8★. Pricing dominates the complaints. Joella Reed paid $450 for a repair that took about an hour. Chris S. warns to get everything in writing because the company is not required to follow through on verbal promises, reports waiting three days without water despite calling for emergency service, and notes that Roto-Rooter did not call 811 before digging. Veronica V. Qureshi paid $652 for 10 to 20 minutes of drain work and describes a technician who spent time on personal phone calls and pressured her into jetting service with scare tactics. Emily Adisey reports that the technician's work caused a water leak that resulted in her ceiling caving in — the owner response to her complaint was a mismatched copy-paste thanking her for a 5-star review.
The pricing complaints share a structural cause: Roto-Rooter's national franchise model means pricing is set at the corporate level, and individual technicians have limited flexibility to adjust. Reviewers who compare prices to local plumbers consistently find Roto-Rooter more expensive. The owner response pattern reinforces this — every negative review gets the same template reply from Pat Swanson directing the customer to email corporate, with no local manager engagement. One response was a 5-star thank-you pasted onto a 1-star complaint about property damage, which suggests automated or careless reputation management.
Troy (plumber/technician — praised repeatedly for speed, friendliness, water heater replacements). John (plumber — praised multiple times for drain work and efficiency). JT (plumber — praised for drain clearing). Christian (technician — praised for diagnostics and clear explanations). Doug (coordinator — praised for project management and camera work). Sean (estimator — praised for excavation estimate). Rob, Ian, Nick (crew — praised for execution on excavation job). Chad (technician — praised for speed and professionalism). Brian (technician — praised for thorough work). Don Shock (technician — praised for step-by-step explanations). Ozie (technician — praised for jetting work). Andrew Andros (technician — praised for drain work and follow-up advice). Bill (technician — praised for persistence and after-care advice). Leo (plumber — praised for friendliness). Loren (technician — praised for leak identification, Tech #3021). Rico Leon (restoration team leader — praised for identifying and removing water damage). Domenique (technician — praised). Dave (technician — praised). Ed Schwartz (technician — praised for honesty). Matt (technician — praised for expertise). Ray Clark (technician — praised multiple times for patience and clear explanations). Les (technician — praised for respectfulness). Seth (technician — praised for speed). Vince (camera technician — praised for explanations and options). Scott (crew — praised for immediate work). Corey (plumber — praised). Pat Swanson (Customer Satisfaction Manager — template responses to negatives only).
This Roto-Rooter location delivers fast, capable plumbing and water damage work with a deep bench of well-reviewed technicians. Ask for Troy, John, or JT by name if you can. Get a written, itemized estimate before any work begins — pricing is the consistent weak spot, and verbal commitments do not bind the company.
Keep in mind
- Roto-Rooter does both mold testing and mold remediation. That is a conflict of interest — the company assessing whether you have a mold problem is the same one that profits from fixing it. Consider getting an independent mold assessment before agreeing to remediation work.
- Pricing is the most common complaint. Multiple reviewers report bills of $450 to $652 for work taking under an hour. Get a written estimate with a breakdown before authorizing any work, and get at least one competing quote for non-emergency jobs.
- This is a national franchise, not a locally owned mold specialist. The mold remediation work runs through the water damage restoration division. Ask specifically about the mold experience level of the technician they plan to send.
- Owner responses to negative reviews follow a template — every reply directs the customer to email Pat Swanson with a copy of the review. One response to a 1-star complaint was a copy-paste thank-you intended for a 5-star review. This suggests reputation management is handled at the corporate level, not locally.
- One reviewer reported that Roto-Rooter's work caused a water leak resulting in a collapsed ceiling. Another reported the technician could not identify the source of a water leak that the homeowner later found themselves.