Have you ever been in awe of those everyday heroes who can turn a wrench and save your home from a watery disaster? Well, buckle up because this episode features the extraordinary John Booth of Your Neighborhood Plumber, a true maestro of the pipes, whose origin story is as heartwarming as it is inspiring. Together we navigate the winding pipes of plumbing myths and realities, debunking everything from the fairy tale of 'flushable' wipes to the gritty truth about liquid drain cleaners. John even serves up a zesty tip for keeping your garbage disposal in tip-top condition, proving that a plumber's toolkit can sometimes include a freezer full of citrus!
As we thread the needle between the technical and the personal, it's clear that the true conduit of success in any trade is robust communication. I share the thoughtful nuances of how a simple courtesy call, like the one to our beloved Ms. Lisa, can cement a lasting relationship between a business and its clientele. Wrapping up with heartfelt thanks to John for his valuable perspective, we extend an open invitation to our listeners: if there's a local business that's captured your heart, tell us about it. They could be the next celebrated guest in our Good Neighbor podcast family, where community and connection flow as freely as water through an expertly unclogged drain.
Have you ever been in awe of those everyday heroes who can turn a wrench and save your home from a watery disaster? Well, buckle up because this episode features the extraordinary John Booth of Your Neighborhood Plumber, a true maestro of the pipes, whose origin story is as heartwarming as it is inspiring. Together we navigate the winding pipes of plumbing myths and realities, debunking everything from the fairy tale of 'flushable' wipes to the gritty truth about liquid drain cleaners. John even serves up a zesty tip for keeping your garbage disposal in tip-top condition, proving that a plumber's toolkit can sometimes include a freezer full of citrus!
As we thread the needle between the technical and the personal, it's clear that the true conduit of success in any trade is robust communication. I share the thoughtful nuances of how a simple courtesy call, like the one to our beloved Ms. Lisa, can cement a lasting relationship between a business and its clientele. Wrapping up with heartfelt thanks to John for his valuable perspective, we extend an open invitation to our listeners: if there's a local business that's captured your heart, tell us about it. They could be the next celebrated guest in our Good Neighbor podcast family, where community and connection flow as freely as water through an expertly unclogged drain.
Speaker 1:
This is the Good Neighbor podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Lisa Swiftney.
Speaker 2:
Hi everyone and welcome to episode number 99 of our Good Neighbor podcast. Today we have with us Good Neighbor, your neighborhood plumber, with John Booth. How are you doing today, john?
Speaker 3:
Good morning Lisa. How are you doing Great?
Speaker 2:
Great Thank you for being a guest on our Good Neighbor podcast.
Speaker 3:
Well, thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 2:
So let's tell our listeners about your business. What do you do?
Speaker 3:
Your neighborhood plumber is a residential and commercial drain cleaning and plumbing service. We can clean your drain and we can provide a video inspection. We can do multiple things throughout your home, such as installing your toilets, your faucets, your sinks, your disposals, dishwashers, laundry tubs, sump pumps, backup pumps and drain and water line repairs. We offer senior and military discounts, and if you're a senior or a veteran even, and you need help with any plumbing or drain system repair that you may need and you can't afford, you can reach out to us and we can do the best we can to help you out.
Speaker 2:
That is great, so tell our listeners about your journey. Why and how did you get started?
Speaker 3:
I started in the trade over 25 years ago when I was 19. I actually started doing new construction, new builds, installing the plumbing in the walls and underneath the floor when the house didn't have any drywall or anything on it and called the rough plumbing, that kind of that. We're kind of dried up in the early 2000s and I kind of transitioned over from the new construction to service so I'd be going through your home and diagnosing and fixing the plumbing system that's already existing in the home. So about five years ago I was driving home from work and I was working for a company at the time and my phone rings and I'm like hello, and a lady on the other end is are you a plumber? I'm like kind of odd. I'm like, yeah, the older lady. Well, your mom said on Facebook that you could help me and she gave me your number. So I went over there and I gave this lady a hand and she left the review on Facebook. So people kept calling and leaving reviews saying call John, he lives in the neighborhood and that's where.
Speaker 3:
I came up with the name your neighborhood plumber.
Speaker 2:
That is a great name and, yes, you have many, many reviews on your Facebook. That is a very huge accomplishment for you.
Speaker 3:
I take a lot of pride in that. That's great.
Speaker 2:
So can you tell us about any myths or misconceptions that you hear about in your industry?
Speaker 3:
There's quite a few. Actually. One of the biggest myths is flushable wipes. The only thing that's actually flushable is toilet paper. To kind of just make it plain and simple. This didn't tell you what's not flushable, but the flushable wipes, paper, towel, feminine products, these are all things. When we come out in your drains backed up, that we're pulling out of the drain other than tree roots, but that this is typical across the state. Actually it's pretty basic you can't flush the wipes.
Speaker 3:
Another big, big myth is liquid plumber. If you actually used it and it looks like it worked for you, you could have fixed the problem with just plunging the drain if you know how to plunge it correctly. Because it's just hair and it's burning a hole through the hair. And if it's burning a hole through the hair, it's going to cause damage to your existing plumbing system, especially if it's an older system with the metal pipes. Another myth is your frost free hose bib won't freeze and bust.
Speaker 3:
Lisa, every spring I get a handful of calls that they have a leak coming on the side of the house and I go out there and it's a frost free hose bib that busts during the wintertime Every hose bib that you have where you hook your hose up to outside needs to be winterized.
Speaker 3:
I say come Halloween time because usually we're not using that faucet after that time and there's a shutoff valve inside the home to that faucet that should be turned off and that short system needs to be drained so it won't freeze and bust on you. And the last one I'll leave you with is the garbage disposal. The correct way in how to use the garbage disposal is if, let's say, you just finished your dinner, you need to go to the garbage, and whatever you can't get off the plate is the only thing that should go down the disposal. And when whatever you're do putting down there should be used with hot water and not cold water. And once you've turned the disposal off, allow that hot water to continue to run for at least 15 to 30 seconds afterwards to wash and need to breathe away.
Speaker 2:
I have another one. I can tell me if it's a myth or not. I was always told to sharpen your blades and the garbage disposal to put ice cubes down it.
Speaker 3:
You know, lisa, that is a great. Yes, it will sharpen the blades, but you could actually go a step further with that. Okay, take some lemons, oranges and limes, cut them in small pieces, put a sandwich bag, put them in a sandwich bag and put them in the freezer and freeze them like ice and then throw them in the disposal. Chop it up, sharpen the blades and you'll have a nice smell. Oh, that's good. You should also avoid allowing anything to sit into the disposal. If you throw anything in there, you want to chop it up and get it gone, because if any smell develops, you'll have to change out the disposal. The smell won't go away.
Speaker 2:
Wow, that is a very good tip. Thank you for sharing with us. So, when you're not working on your business, what do you like to do for fun?
Speaker 3:
Well, when I do have time, the most important thing to me is my family and a lot of these things I do.
Speaker 3:
I do with them. The big thing I like to do, I guess I shoot sporting plays and your neighborhood plumber has actually done a lot of the community shoots for the Michigan development of youth outdoors. For you got cancer Charity shoots, the Shriners charity shoot. We've actually I put a team together of team of four and we've taken first place at three different events, so that's nice to be able to donate and give back and have fun. At the same time. I enjoy fly fishing. We have a small piece of property up in Grayling near the Isabel River, so being able to get up there and fly fishing, canoe and enjoy the river is a good time.
Speaker 3:
And I enjoyed to play the guitar.
Speaker 2:
Those are some fun things to do and I know spending time with family is always important. Can you describe one hardship or life challenge that you rose above and can now say, because of that challenge, that you're better for it and are stronger?
Speaker 3:
I had a few challenges and uh, that took place. Uh, I had surgery On my knee and I was out of work for close to eight weeks and after healing and being able to go back to work, it was mid-December, so work was kind of slow and uh, no one, the Boston had any work and Uh still was slow, no work. So the side work was still. It was still good Uh. So I took a loan and bought my van still working on my pickup truck and uh, the rest is history. I already had all the tools and I had all the equipment. I already owned Uh for 20 years.
Speaker 3:
Uh, so that was uh, that was something good to come out and uh be able to do that on your own. Uh. But more importantly, uh, I was a single dad for a long time Raising uh my boy. Before uh, I met my wife. So that was tough. So he's actually now he's 21 and in uh college on academic athletic scholarship. He's just finished his first semester, his junior year. He's been on dean's list for five semesters and National Honor Society and he's also the captain of his track team.
Speaker 2:
So oh, amazing. That is great. That's a good accomplishment for you too.
Speaker 3:
So very proud.
Speaker 2:
So what's one thing that you want our listeners to know about your business?
Speaker 3:
Well, I was raised to always look someone in the eye, give them a firm handshake and be honest. So I want you to know that I'm gonna come out there and not take advantage of you. I'm gonna look you in the eye and tell you the way it is, even if you don't wanna hear it. I'm gonna tell you the truth.
Speaker 2:
That is great, and honesty and integrity are very important, especially in your job, in your career, you know.
Speaker 3:
Absolutely, but you gotta fix the problem too.
Speaker 2:
Miss Lisa, yes, you do have to do that. Something else you mentioned earlier was about the one thing. Another thing that you want your listeners to know about is the water turnoffs.
Speaker 3:
Yes, it's very important and I'd say, when you go Halloween time to winterize your outside host pickets, which we spoke about winterizing those, even if they're frost free.
Speaker 3:
After you turn those off and winterize them, it would be a good time to just remember to go to where your water meter is and at your water meter there's gonna be a couple shutoff valves there. You need to simply turn them off and turn them back on. The reason we wanna do this is because these are emergency valves that we never use, because there's never an emergency until there is and this valve never gotten used and now it's frozen because we didn't use it. So it's simply turning it off once a year and turning it back on will help keep that valve in motion so it doesn't get frozen. Also, you should also turn the water shutoff valve above the hot water heater off and on, and then underneath your sinks and toilets, such as your bathroom sink, kitchen sink and toilets. They should all have shutoff valves. Simply turn them off and turn them on so they don't freeze on you and if there's an emergency occurs you can use it.
Speaker 2:
That is a great tip. Thank you for sharing. So now our listeners are intrigued. They wanna learn more, so how can they contact you?
Speaker 3:
The best way to reach me would be on Facebook, and you can look up our Facebook page and you can read our reviews and see our pictures on there. Or, if you have questions, you can simply give me a call at 586-277-5582.
Speaker 2:
If I don't answer.
Speaker 3:
Leave a message and I will get right back to you as soon as I get to the phone.
Speaker 2:
And that's true, cause I left the message and you did call right back, so I can attestify to that for you.
Speaker 3:
Communication is very important when running a business. You have to communicate with the customers. For example, if we had an appointment, Ms Lisa, and our appointment is 830, I'd give you a courtesy call at eight o'clock to let you know I'm on the way. So to confirm that I'm coming and we go from there. So just to have that communication is very important.
Speaker 2:
Thank you Well, John, thank you for your time today and thank you for being a guest on our Good Neighbor podcast.
Speaker 3:
I appreciate you having me. You have a great day.
Speaker 1:
Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast Rochester. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, Go to GNPRochestercom. That's GNPRochestercom, or call 248-988-9640.
