ARS/Rescue Rooter, or American Residential Services, is a home services provider that specializes in heating, air conditioning, pluming, and drain and sewer solutions. There are ARS locations all across the country with comprehensive services found in 24 states. All ARS branches service residential and commercial clients. All work is completed by trained and certified professionals that specialize in these types or repairs and projects.
Since ARS also provides emergency services, operations are open seven days a week including the plumbing division. There are same day service opportunities and online scheduling for clients that need fast assistance or want scheduled routine maintenance to take place. Prospective clients can quickly determine online whether or not there are ARS/Rescue Rooter technicians available in the area for help.
ARS, as it operates today, was "founded" in 2006 but the company origins stem back to 1975 when Rescue Rooter was launched. Separately, a group of business men formed ARS in 1980 and then an acquisition took place in 1999. Then in 2006, a full rebrand took place and a national footprint started to take shape. Today, the ARS/Rescue Rooter operation continues to provide quality services to homeowners all across the country.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Plumbing Services
- No "After Hours" Charges
- Response Time and Estimates
- Exceptional Service Guarantee
Plumbing Services
For residential clients, ARS/Rescue Rooter offers a wide range of services and addresses a number of plumbing-related issues that are common problems for homeowners. Services offered through the ARS/Rescue Rooter plumbing division include the following:
- Plumbing repair
- Plumbing installation
- Plumbing preventive maintenance
- Water heater services
- Tankless water heaters
- Drain services and repair
- Sewer and water line repair
- Garbage disposal service
- Sump pump service
- Gas line service
- Water leak detection
Essentially, if water runs through it or to it the ARS team can handle the issue. There are some plumbing providers that only service certain plumbing needs and are restricted in other service areas but that is not the case with ARS/Rescue Rooter.
No "After Hours" Charges
When plumbing disasters strike, it seems like they always occur at the worst times. These issues pop up at night or on the weekends and many plumbing services will not dispatch technicians at these times or charge astronomical rates to address these issues.
"After hours" charges, however, are not concerns for ARS clients as the company provides emergency services and is open seven days a week. This is not the "standard" within the industry so ARS goes above and beyond in this area to make sure those in need of plumbing services have access to reputable technicians.
Response Times and Estimates
Getting a response from home repair specialists and accurate estimates for a particular project is oftentimes half of the battle for homeowners. Waiting around for someone to provide a quote and then schedule when the work can be done can be a long, drawn out process even though it does not have to be.
ARS/Rescue Rooter has come up with a process that streamlines the work flow. This allows for above average response times with many prospective clients receiving a call back within a matter of minutes and having all questions answered before hanging up the phone.
Additionally, the estimates provided by ARS professionals are always accurate and fully agreed upon prior to any work being done. If an issue pops up during the course of the project, the technician will inform the client and go over additional work and costs if appropriate. Clients will not be blindsided by how much they are invoiced for after the work is complete.
Fast response times and accurate estimates are not commonly found within the plumbing industry so a provider like ARS that aspires to this standard of service stands out within the plumbing arena.
Exceptional Service Guarantee
The exceptional service guarantee is an assurance ARS/Rescue Rooter provides to all of its clients. When work is being done on a home or office, there is a standard that needs to be met and the exceptional service guarantee is designed to make sure the client is satisfied with all work completed.
The exceptional service guarantee also covers basic customer courtesy like calling before the technician arrives to offer a more accurate service time frame window. All shoes will be covered during the project and drop cloths will be placed as necessary. The guarantee also promises that all client will be satisfied with the work as laid out in a written estimate that is agreed upon by the client before work begins. If a client, for whatever reason, is not happy with the results of the work, ARS will make every effort possible to satisfy those expectations.
If a client is still unhappy with the work one year after project completion and additional efforts made, 100 percent of the cost of the work will be refunded. There are not many plumbing companies out there that offer this standard for service.
The Bad
- Limited Commercial Plumbing Work
- Third Party Financing
Limited Commercial Plumbing Work
While ARS handles a wide range of residential plumbing work, the plumbing projects the company can take on in the commercial realm are far more limited. There are a number of reasons for this, but currently ARS can take on the following plumbing needs:
- Toilet issues: water back flow, continuous running, odors, and pipe issues
- Sinks: water back flow, low water pressure, odors, leaky or dripping faucets
- Water Heaters: noise issues, power disruptions, temperature control problems
Since commercial buildings are generally bigger and service far more people than a traditional residential property, there can be larger issues that face the building from a plumbing standpoint. ARS/Rescue Rooter will handle the issues relating to the toilets, sinks, and water heaters. Outside of these common issues, ARS will not be able to take on the project. Other providers within the plumbing space may be better equipped to handle the large-scale commercial issues.
Third Party Financing
Many home improvement and repair providers offer some sort of financing option as there are repairs and maintenance projects that are unexpected. These unexpected or emergency type repairs can be a financial set back for some homeowners. To combat this, many plumbing providers will offer some sort of flexible financing to meet budget restraints.
While ARS/Rescue Rooter does offer financing that requires no down payment at the time of service, there is some involvement that clients should be aware of. The financing solutions are solely offered through third party providers so ARS itself does not offer these financing programs. This can cause some additional red tape and issues as previous clients have stated that these third party providers were not as flexible as originally promised. Other plumbing providers will offer in-house financing which eliminates the third party headache.
The Bottom Line
ARS/Rescue Rooter provides a number of home and commercial repair and replacement services with a specialty in plumbing. The plumbing services that are available through ARS include: plumbing repair, plumbing installation, plumbing preventive maintenance, water heater services, tankless water heaters, drain services and repairs, sewer and water line repair, garbage disposal service, sump pump service, gas line service, and water leak detection. Many plumbing providers will charge additional fees for working "after hours" but this is not the case with ARS. The response time from inquiring clients is fast and the estimates are accurate and agreed upon. All work completed by ARS is backed by an exceptional service guarantee.
While there are a number of reasons to consider ARS/Rescue Rooter for plumbing projects, there are limitations to be aware of as well. Not all commercial plumbing needs can be handled by ARS and all financing available through ARS involves a third party provider.
Taking into consideration all the services offered through ARS and the quality of the company's work, prospective clients in need of plumbing services should consider using ARS/Rescue Rooter.
