Southwest Medical Center in Lawton, Oklahoma, faced a serious problem. One of the facility’s kitchens experienced almost daily drainline stoppages. And the situation menaced operations and sanitation. Worse, a parade of plumbers couldn’t cure the chronic quandary. 

That’s when Linn’s Plumbing LLC of Chandler, Okla., rode to the rescue.

With a statewide reputation for superior service and outstanding professionalism, owner Larry Linn teamed a selection of his most trusted drain cleaning tools from General Pipe Cleaners to spot – and ultimately solve – the real trouble. 

Using one of his two Gen-Eye video inspection systems, he first pinpointed the problem. “It was a busted cast iron line, and we could clearly see all the metal parts causing clogs,” he recalls. “When snaking the pipe, six of our competitors just moved debris around – never fixing the underlying mess.” 

Then Linn swiftly cleared the line with a Speedrooter 92. 

“Teaming the two tools immediately confirmed our thoroughness and professionalism,” he says. “The construction supervisor was amazed at how quickly – and cleanly – we got that drain flowing.” 

Quick problem spotting 

But that didn’t solve the real problem. So Linn burned a DVD detailing the collapsed line with his built-in Gen-Eye DVD recorder. And that convinced Southwest Medical to replace – not repair – the kitchen drainline. 

“Best of all, thanks to our experience and General equipment efficiency, we offered a bid that was substantially lower than any of our competitors’ – about half, in one case,” he notes. “And when we got the job, we kept the line open until actual line replacement work began – free of charge.” 

General offers a range of Gen-Eye packages, providing plumbing and drain cleaning professionals everything necessary to troubleshoot 2- to 10-inch lines, including: 

• On-screen distance counter
• Date-and-time stamp
• Voice over unit
• Built-in Titler
• AC/DC power option
• Easy-to-use digital locator 

The self-leveling color camera automatically keeps pictures right side up, letting professionals and customers clearly follow the action as the camera glides through lines, while the Gel-Rod pushrod protects the wiring from damage if the rod gets cut or abraded. 

A variety of recording options are available: the Gen-Eye Vista includes both DVD recorder, SD card reader, and USB port in a padded carrying case; the compact Gen-Eye SD includes an SD card reader; and the lightweight Gen-Eye POD allows you to record on an external device of your own. 

The new Gen-Eye Hot-Spot Pipe Locator is easy to learn and offers quick and accurate camera location in a rugged package – the highest rated durability in the industry. 

Drain cleaning power completes equipment mix 

Linn truly trusts Speedrooter performance. With plenty of raw power for long, tough jobs, the field-proven Speedrooter blends rugged reliability with optimal control and ease of use. 

“We have six for our four crews – the first bought in 1983,” he says. “That machine made me a ‘General man’ ever since.” 

The current version, Speedrooter 92 can really take a beating. The durable design features a braced frame at key stress points, a drum supported front and rear for longer bearing wear, and Flexicore cable – the industry standard for toughness. 

With heavy-duty wire tightly coiled around 49-strand aircraft-type wire rope, General’s Flexicore cable blends superior kinking resistance and unequalled strength with the right amount of flexibility. It’s so tough that it carries the best warranty in the business – one-year protection against breakage. 

“It’s very strong, and plows through all kinds of stoppages,” Linn says. “I’ve never lost anything in a line from cable breakage.” 

In fact, in clearing the hospital drain, Linn’s Speedrooter retrieved a broken cable with cutter head from a competitor who irresponsibly left it there. “Needless to say, that made blockages even worse,” he says. 

Linn also likes General’s closed-drum design. “We maintain drainlines for lots of medical and dental facilities,” he says. “So cleanliness is critical to our customers – and to our professional reputation. We can’t permit wastewater splatters and smears.” 

Easy equipment operation matters, too. “It’s great for one-man use,” Linn says. “The Speedrooter is extremely versatile and reliable.” 

Permanent solution 

Linn pulls no punches when defending his professional perspective. “We stand behind our work – and demand the same from the tools we use.” 

His customers throughout Oklahoma appreciate that. That’s why Linn’s General arsenal also includes several Mini-Rooter and hand-held Power-Vee cable drain cleaners. They’re excellent for small jobs and tight, awkward spots, like sinks, showers and laundries. 

“Mini-Rooter also works great on roofs,” he says. “I can’t even guess how many lines we’ve done on roofs. We’ve even wrestled Speedrooter to the tops of large commercial buildings!” He also keeps General hand-cranked augers on each truck and uses them frequently. 

In the end, Linn teamed his whole General equipment mix to bring Southwest Medical Center’s kitchen drain job to a swift, successful conclusion. 

Linn’s Plumbing promised job completion in five days. But they beat their own schedule. 

“We started on Tuesday, worked round the clock, and they fired up the kitchen on Thursday – three days,” he says. 

That was three years ago. Linn’s Plumbing hasn’t returned to repair or maintain that kitchen drainline since – problem permanently solved. 

“That’s how we got the maintenance contract worth several thousand dollars a month from Southwest Medical,” he concludes. “And a big chunk of the credit goes to our General equipment.”

General Pipe Cleaners, a division of General Wire Spring Co., is a manufacturer of high-quality drain cleaning equipment since 1930. General serves drain cleaning professionals and plumbing contractors, as well as facilities managers, the rental industry and the hardware/home center market. The Toughest Tools Down The Line.

For more information, contact the Drain Brains at General at 800/245-6200 or visit www.drainbrain.com.