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CINCINNATI — Roto-Rooter is calling on do-it-yourselfers to share their most catastrophic home plumbing disaster for The Do-It-Yourself Disaster Contest. The contest is a nationwide search for the most unfortunate and humorous do-it-yourself plumbing mishap.
Roto-Rooter discovered this growing trend after arriving on the scene of countless do-it-yourself jobs gone bad and commissioned Opinion Research to conduct a survey. It discovered that a significant number of homeowners are tackling large plumbing and drain projects on their own. Survey results found an increased involvement by homeowners in the everyday affairs of their homes’ maintenance, but this interest can sometimes escalate into disastrous and costly situations.
“Plumbers get called into some sticky situations when people break out their toolboxes,” said Dave Lohmann, master plumber and Roto-Rooter plumbing manager in Minneapolis. “This research substantiates people’s eagerness to handle problems themselves despite the negative consequences.”
The survey of married homeowners discovered that nearly two-thirds of the respondents fixed plumbing or drain cleaning repairs themselves the last time they encountered such a problem. Only one of five respondents called a professional from the start, while 6% attempted the repair themselves, and then called a professional.
With regards to the reasoning behind do-it-yourself work, 47% of the respondents said that their primary motivation was saving money, 27% said they enjoy fixing things and convenience played a role for 20% of the respondents.
The Roto-Rooter Do-It-Yourself Disaster Contest, which runs through Aug. 1, asks participants to submit a 150-word essay (and photo if possible) describing their funniest and most catastrophic do-it-yourself plumbing mishap. The entries will be judged based on the difficulty of the situation, creativity used in the solution and the magnitude of the disaster.
The grand prize winner will receive pit passes and pit crew membership of Steve Portenga’s Roto-Rooter-sponsored NASCAR Craftsman Series truck Nov. 8 during the race at the Phoenix International Speedway.