When you’ve spent more than 30 years building plumbing service departments, running successful companies, and solving drain problems day after day, you’ve learned one important lesson: the equipment you choose matters.

Few people understand that better than Jerry Kendall, Director of Plumbing Service for Gold Mechanical in Springfield, Missouri.

Today, Gold Mechanical is one of the largest mechanical contractors in southwest Missouri, employing approximately 220 people across commercial HVAC, plumbing, pipe fitting, fabrication, and mechanical construction. But Kendall’s relationship with General Pipe Cleaners stretches back long before Gold Mechanical’s plumbing service division even existed.

“I’ve been using General Pipe Cleaners for over three decades,” Kendall says. “I owned two plumbing companies before joining Gold Mechanical, and I used General equipment in both of those companies. Before that, I worked for two other plumbing contractors that also used General equipment. It’s been a success story for more than thirty years.”

That kind of longevity doesn’t happen by accident.

Building a Service Department on Proven Equipment

Gold Mechanical recently expanded by merging with Kendall’s former company, Masters Plumbing, creating the company’s dedicated plumbing service department. Although one of the company’s smaller divisions, with five technicians today, the department is growing steadily, requiring additional service vehicles and equipment. As the team expanded, adding another General Pipe Cleaners Mini-Rooter Pro was an easy decision.

“We needed to outfit another vehicle,” Kendall explains. “We already had several Mini-Rooters along with our Speedrooter machines. Adding another one just made sense.”

For Kendall, drain cleaning isn’t just another service offering.

“Drain cleaning is foundational to any plumbing service department,” he says. “Most customers aren’t going to call a company if they can’t handle drain cleaning along with everything else.”

That philosophy makes dependable equipment an essential investment rather than an optional purchase.

Why General Pipe Cleaners Continues to Earn the Job

Over the years, Kendall has worked with nearly every major drain cleaning equipment manufacturer.

“We’ve had all the competitive brands,” he says. “We’ve also used loaner equipment over the years. But we always wind up migrating back to General.”

The reasons go well beyond brand familiarity. For Kendall, versatility ranks near the top of the list.

“The modular design is one of the biggest advantages. Being able to remove one drum and install another, switch cables, or remove the power feed when you don’t need it makes the machine incredibly versatile.”

That flexibility allows technicians to quickly adapt to different drain sizes and jobsite conditions without needing multiple specialized machines. The Mini-Rooter Pro’s lightweight design is another major advantage, and he especially appreciates the wheeled frame and folding handle.

“It’s lighter than many comparable machines,” Kendall says. “One technician can manage it easily. When General started putting those smaller machines on a wheeled frame with the folding handle, it was a no-brainer. Instead of carrying the machine everywhere, you simply roll it from the van into the jobsite.”

That seemingly simple feature makes a noticeable difference throughout a busy workday.

“This is hard work,” Kendall says. “Anything that saves your back and makes life easier for the technician is a big plus.”

Designed for the Realities of Daily Service Work

While convenience matters, Kendall says reliability ultimately determines what stays in his service fleet. The Mini-Rooter Pro has earned its place because it stands up to constant use. One feature that consistently impresses him is the quality of General Pipe Cleaners’ cables.

“We’ve tried cables from other manufacturers,” he says. “They simply don’t hold up like General cables do.”

The interchangeable power feed also provides technicians with additional flexibility.

“There are times when you want the power feed and times when you don’t. Being able to remove it easily makes the machine much more versatile.”

Safety features are equally important. Kendall appreciates the GFCI protection built into the power cord, finding it reliable and designed for the wet environments they are constantly working in.  

Compact Equipment That Solves Big Problems

Gold Mechanical services a large number of restaurants throughout southwest Missouri, where clogged floor drains and kitchen lines present unique challenges. Those jobs often require more than simply clearing a blockage. Using General Pipe Cleaners’ retrieval tools, technicians regularly recover foreign objects, including silverware, from restaurant drains.

“Commercial kitchens are full of debris that shouldn’t be in the drains,” Kendall says. “Pulling silverware out of drains is actually very common.”

The Mini-Rooter Pro’s compact size makes those jobs significantly easier. The smaller footprint allows technicians to work efficiently in confined spaces without sacrificing performance.

“In a busy commercial kitchen, you’re trying to stay out of everyone’s way. Larger machines simply aren’t practical,” Kendall says. “We use these machines on a weekly basis. They’re constantly solving problems for us. They’re part of our everyday work.”

An Investment That Pays for Itself

For many contractors, new equipment purchases come down to return on investment.

Kendall doesn’t hesitate when discussing the Mini-Rooter Pro, “I would say it’s not unreasonable for the machine to pay for itself in 15 to 20 jobs. With regular use, it only takes a few months to get your money back.”

Service That Stands Behind the Product

Even durable equipment occasionally needs support. Kendall recalls one period when replacement wheels on older Speedrooter models weren’t lasting as expected. After discussing the issue with their local distributor, the concern quickly reached General Pipe Cleaners’ representatives, and they corrected the issue.

“We haven’t had those problems in quite some time.”

Kendall also appreciates the widespread availability of replacement parts through local distributors.

“We’ve purchased equipment through several different supply houses over the years. General equipment is popular enough in our area that the machines, cables, and repair parts are usually sitting on the shelf.”

When service companies depend on equipment every day, minimizing downtime matters.

Equipment That Becomes Part of the Team

After decades of experience, Kendall sees General Pipe Cleaners’ equipment as more than simply another tool.

“It’s foundational,” he says. “That machine is a staple in the service van.”

Perhaps the strongest endorsement comes from the technicians themselves.

“I can’t imagine my guys wanting to use anything else,” he says. “It’s almost an unspoken thing. Even when we’ve acquired other equipment through acquisitions, we eventually migrate back to General.” Why? “Because the General equipment just keeps on going.”

For Gold Mechanical, that’s exactly the kind of reliability a growing plumbing service department depends on and exactly why General Pipe Cleaners has remained their trusted choice for more than thirty years.