Ever get sick from drain cleaning?

[Drain Medic]

Anyone ever get seriously ill or sick from drain cleaning?? I had gotten sick from openning a manhole acouple yrs ago. Was horrible on the stomache. Had a pain in my stomache, and back. Went to the drs and he said its just probably a stomache virus. Then 2 nights later i was throwing up a mixture of stomache acid and blood. So went to the hospital and they put me to sleep. I had to get a colonoscopy, and an endoscopy (top and bottom). I had a bacteria infection in my kidneys, and my stomache. They gave me antibiotics, and was ok after 2 days... Lets hear those drain cleaning stories

[westcoastplumber]

I have been sick a few times, mostly sinus infections, I responded to a emergency call one evening, approx 9pm, The customer used draino in the am, then his nanny came in during the day and dumped something else in,t hey left it for a few hours:eek:

Called me, said they vacated their house, the odor was to bad, I went in with a resporator, had to disconnect the trap and run cable to clear the stoppage, least to say, the porcelain was blistered and gone in places, a tile in sink:eek:

I had to stay very low the floor and leave every five minutes so I could breath, least to say, the job got done, the customer paid for the new cable I was going to need in a few days, and I was compensated for my troubles.

Of course, the stick orange boogers in my nose for a week or to were annoying!!;)

Other then that, chemicals are the worse, I have had burns and stuff, but nothing all that serious.

I recommend customers stay away from the chemicals like drano etc, very bad to clear the drain, once cleared, bad for the pipe;)

On the manhole thing, I always try not to take a wiff when the lid pops off, then I still don't take any deep breath around the pit of ****

[Drain Medic]

I have been sick a few times, mostly sinus infections, I responded to a emergency call one evening, approx 9pm, The customer used draino in the am, then his nanny came in during the day and dumped something else in,t hey left it for a few hours:eek:

Called me, said they vacated their house, the odor was to bad, I went in with a resporator, had to disconnect the trap and run cable to clear the stoppage, least to say, the porcelain was blistered and gone in places, a tile in sink:eek:

I had to stay very low the floor and leave every five minutes so I could breath, least to say, the job got done, the customer paid for the new cable I was going to need in a few days, and I was compensated for my troubles.

Of course, the stick orange boogers in my nose for a week or to were annoying!!;)

Other then that, chemicals are the worse, I have had burns and stuff, but nothing all that serious.

I recommend customers stay away from the chemicals like drano etc, very bad to clear the drain, once cleared, bad for the pipe;)

On the manhole thing, I always try not to take a wiff when the lid pops off, then I still don't take any deep breath around the pit of ****

Yes the burns are the worst...I told my burn story last week in the chat room, I had my legs burned from acid so bad that when i took my sock of, it took my skin with it...now to this day i have a huge scar, and it looks like im wearing a sock...ridges and all.

[gear junkie]

I get sicker dealing with evaporator coils than I do with sewage. Since I'm navy, I get shots all the time, some I don't even know what for. I did a job like Robert's that involved drano. After I got 2nd degree chemical burns on my legs I swore I won't knowingly do a job like that again. I don't care what the money is. Making $250 now might prevent me from making a $1000 tomorrow.

[PLUMBER RICK]

while jetting an overhead cleanout in a lobby ceiling, i got a taste of juice:eek: just a few drops in the mouth.

2 days later i was sick as a dog:cool:

lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks. and my good friend dr. gary now knows me a little more than i wanted him to:confused: gary's a g.i. /colin rectal surgeon.

some medicine and i was all fixed up in a week. minus the 20#.

rick.

once had a ne customer put some kind of drain opener into a sink drain. by the time i got there, there were black shoe prints all over the carpet.

appears the drain cleaner leaked out of the pipes and onto the carpet. as the owner walked around the house, they melted the rubber off the shoes and onto the carpet:eek:

even my gloves turned colors:eek:

rick.

[Drain Medic]

while jetting an overhead cleanout in a lobby ceiling, i got a taste of juice:eek: just a few drops in the mouth.

2 days later i was sick as a dog:cool:

lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks. and my good friend dr. gary now knows me a little more than i wanted him to:confused: gary's a g.i. /colin rectal surgeon.

some medicine and i was all fixed up in a week. minus the 20#.

rick.

once had a ne customer put some kind of drain opener into a sink drain. by the time i got there, there were black shoe prints all over the carpet.

appears the drain cleaner leaked out of the pipes and onto the carpet. as the owner walked around the house, they melted the rubber off the shoes and onto the carpet:eek:

even my gloves turned colors:eek:

rick.

OMG that had to have been nasty stuff

[BILLG]

I just thank god for my gravy hvac job. fighting with snakes swimming in acid & human waste more than I could take. My hat is off to anyone man enough to do it.

[Gene Bickford]

I've never got sick to the point of needing meds but I have noticed That I have a tendency to not be solid if you know what I mean.
They say DRs nurses and EMT' are on the front line in the event of a major virus outbreak but I'd say we are behind enemy lines doing covert operations. All joking aside we really are in a bad position in the event of some major illness.

I've almost lost my stomach a few times. It only happens when I open a line at the home of vegetarians. For some reason their waste is particularly odorous:(. Thank God I'm in Maine and not Calf.

[JERRYMAC]

Any Time I Start Drain Job, With Draino Type Products,
I Tell Custermer Up Front A Acid Charge In Addtion To What The I Get For Drain Job, I Have 3 Hrs. In Hosp. Emg. Rm. Because Of Acid Burns, And I've Lost Count Of How Many New Cables I Brought Over The Years, Because Of Acid In Drains,:(:(

Jerrymac Master Plumber

[DuckButter]

I don't do major drain cleaning, but whenever I'm clearing a closet or cutting a soil main I breath through my nose...period.
I once cut a 4" CI stack and it wouldn't stop dripping, I had gloves on, but they got saturated.
I rinsed my hands under the hottest water I could with soap as long as I could stand it.
A few days later a small scratch I had on one hand turned into a welt...then spread till it was swollen the size of a grape...the ER told me I had a rare variance of a staff infection and it would not have gone away on it's own.
When a customer tells me my price is high for a 15 minute toilet job I just remind myself of that incident and stand my ground.
If I lose the job and a competitor is willing to take it...good luck, hope you're still my competitor for time to come.

[Aaron91]

A few weeks ago I was snaking a drain, I was on the floor snaking it, and my open cuts, from previous jobs/accidents started to burn like crazy, I stopped ASAP and went outside to the hose bib and washed up. I then finished and cleaned up. When I got home to take a shower, and took off my pants, I had a whole area, maybe 3"-3" completely skinless, even the hair got burnt off.

I could feel a burning feeling, but I guess the water, and drain cleaner got mixed around on the floor and as I snaked it, it went through my long pants and did it's damage, my cuts also opened and got deepened greatly, the acid like literally ate the skin away, this took several hours to noitce.

I was toughing it out, and then a few days after it happened, it started feeling real funny, and I went to the emergency room, they just gave me some burn cream, and a antibiotic. They said if it got worse, to see a doctor and he would have to shave the top layer of skin off so it would heal properly. :eek:

[plumberscrack]

A few weeks ago I was snaking a drain, I was on the floor snaking it, and my open cuts, from previous jobs/accidents started to burn like crazy, I stopped ASAP and went outside to the hose bib and washed up. I then finished and cleaned up. When I got home to take a shower, and took off my pants, I had a whole area, maybe 3"-3" completely skinless, even the hair got burnt off.

I could feel a burning feeling, but I guess the water, and drain cleaner got mixed around on the floor and as I snaked it, it went through my long pants and did it's damage, my cuts also opened and got deepened greatly, the acid like literally ate the skin away, this took several hours to noitce.

I was toughing it out, and then a few days after it happened, it started feeling real funny, and I went to the emergency room, they just gave me some burn cream, and a antibiotic. They said if it got worse, to see a doctor and he would have to shave the top layer of skin off so it would heal properly. :eek:


EEEUUUWWW!!:eek::eek:

[JERRYMAC]

Yes That Happened To A Guy A Worked With Years Ago, He Had To Have Skin Grafts To Cover His Leg, Which They Peeled Off His Back
Jerrymac

[biscuit]

Now I know why my guys who do side work run like hell from residential drain stoppages!

[Bob D.]

:eek: Safety nut Bob on the soapbox again:

but whenever I'm clearing a closet or cutting a soil main I breath through my nose...period.
This will not save you. Your nose can perform the function of a respirator with the proper filter. It will only spare you the nasty taste in your mouth.

I once cut a 4" CI stack and it wouldn't stop dripping, I had gloves on, but they got saturated. Leather, cotton, or gloves made from similar materials will not protect your hands. Once saturated (as you found out), they are probably worse because they retain the irritant and hold it next to your skin so it can do further damage. They also block you from visually seeing the affect of the chemical on your skin. You won't see you skin reddening or bubbling up from the chemical burns either.


I rinsed my hands under the hottest water I could with soap as long as I could stand it. Not sure hot water was the best action here either. Hot water opens the skin pores making it easier for the chemical to be absorbed into thee body. Cool water and plenty of it (most MSDS sheets will say 10 to 15 minutes rinse at a high flow rate) would have been better I think.


Crazy as it might sound a pair of chemical splash goggles (NOT safety glasses) should be part of your PPE. After seeing what it can do to your skin in a couple minutes, you likely to be blind in a minute or two if a drain cleaner cocktail mixed up by the HO gets in your eye.

I don't do drain cleaning (and this is one reason why), I also don't like to work in the refineries for the same reasons, there's too much stuff in there to kill you. I have on occasion of the years done work in large chemical plants and refineries but there's enough work in our area that I can stay out of there most of the time. If you don't have that choice then you need to protect yourself as best you can.

You probably all do this but if it were me I would be asking the HO if they used any chemicals before you arrived to try to clear the drain. I'll bet many are not completely truthful at first but if you tell them the consequences they might change their mind. I'd then ask to see the containers and read the precautions if you are not familiar with the product. Also its good to have the container handy should something happen and you have to go to the hospital, your doctor, or call 911.


I know you all get tired of my rants about safety, but if it keeps only one of you from getting injured, I think it is time well spent on my part. In this area to work in a chemical plant or refinery you have to take an 8 hour course in Process Safety Management and pass a 100 Q test. You have to renew that cert every year. (http://www.palmnet.org/job_site.asp)There is probably something similar in your area. This is in addition to the OSHA 10 Hour cert. I know this is not drain cleaning, but sloshing through unknown chemicals spilled over the bathroom floor that soak through your clothes, burn your skin, and cause you to go to the hospital doesn't sound much different than some of the accidents I have seen in chemical plants or refineries.:(

Aaron, you action to rinse off was good, but doesn't sound like it was enough. Maybe should have rinsed longer from your jeans and skin. Might not hurt to carry a clean set of jeans or something you can change into. Keep them in a plastic bag in the truck. If you have to change out put the soiled clothes in the bag to keep from getting the chemical on other items in the truck.

If you think my obsession with safety is nothing but paranoia then all you have to do is not read my posts on the subject and go blindly about your business, hopefully that won't be in the literal sense. :eek:

[TomSV650]

Funny, i've been doing drain cleaning for over twenty years now and I don't think i've every gotten sick from it.

[Gene Bickford]

BOB D,
I for one have no problem with your safety reminders. I think we all have a tendency to become a bit complacent in whatever it is we do and, your "obsession" servers as a reminder that even though we never see it happen, it can and does happen.
Who knows, maybe someone will read your post tonight and realize that they have been slacking off in the safety goggles area and in the morning decide to take the extra couple of seconds to put them on and end up saving their eye sight.

[westcoastplumber]

I have had all my hep shots and tetanus shots, I used to do alot of work in a hospital, replacing cast iron drains in a 2 foot crawl space between floors, confined space.

Very dirty stuff, good latex and gloves over, I was once working in an area and we told the nurse not to use the sink, she had a patient in the room above, we had to shut her down for approx and hour, she didn't listen and we had the drain cut open.

she dumped some nasty stuff down, after many attempts to get her to stop, I put a bucket underneath, caught some of the nasty, went up to the next floor and threatend next time it happened I was going to dump it all over her floor and let her clean it up. Pissed me off to say the least;)

[Drain Medic]

I have had all my hep shots and tetanus shots, I used to do alot of work in a hospital, replacing cast iron drains in a 2 foot crawl space between floors, confined space.

Very dirty stuff, good latex and gloves over, I was once working in an area and we told the nurse not to use the sink, she had a patient in the room above, we had to shut her down for approx and hour, she didn't listen and we had the drain cut open.

she dumped some nasty stuff down, after many attempts to get her to stop, I put a bucket underneath, caught some of the nasty, went up to the next floor and threatend next time it happened I was going to dump it all over her floor and let her clean it up. Pissed me off to say the least;)

Thats horrible. Bet if it was her house, she wouldnt have been dumping anything...

[All Clear Sewer]

Nope not me "YET"
I use latex gloves inside my work gloves and so on. So far so good ;) and I get in to some nasty $hit if you know what I mean ;)
Might be the 32oz Wellers/Coke shots I take from time to time :D

[gear junkie]

Bob, I think your "safety nut Bob" comments are great. I get complacent from time to time as I'm sure we all do. Your reminders keep safety on my mind. Thanks.

[Drain Medic]

Bob, I think your "safety nut Bob" comments are great. I get complacent from time to time as I'm sure we all do. Your reminders keep safety on my mind. Thanks.

Can never not be enough safety talk...

[PlumbBob]

No, I never have, but then again, I am a bit anal about the whole thing.

Next time you take a crap, think about this:

There are 301,139,947 people in the US. if each of them takes one crap per day, that is a HUGE amount of crap. A good percentage of those folks are sick, maybe bleeding internally or from hemmorhoids, certainly hacking up a lugie or two into the toilet. Yes, that is what is in the pipes, lining the pipes and backed up in the pipes.

Make you sick, yeah, just thinking about it makes you sick.

[Aussie Plumber Greg]

Guys
What shots do you recommend to prevent all of the above happening as I have a nasty habit some tmes of biting my nails(hahahahaha)
Cheers
Greg

[All Clear Sewer]

never bite your nails ;) or pick your nose :eek:

[lonestardrain]

..i know this drain-guy who is approx 55 years old and he NEVER uses gloves while operating his electric sewer machines!!!..you guess it, his hands are as rough as 10 year old tires!!..he says gloves prevent him from "feeling" the stoppage on the cable....says hes been doing it like that for over 30 years......oh well, i buy new glove probally every 3 weeks.

...also one got bitten by about 15 mosquitoes while unstopping a k/sink drain with a manual cable when i was about 13 years old working with my father...i was trying to "tough-it-out" and show my father that i was TOUGH!!!..lol...my mother had to soak me in water and alcohol when i got home and she cursed out daddy(~:....talk about west nile!!!!...he said i was a VIKING!!!!!!!

[westcoastplumber]

Yeah, I use latex for everything, it is a habit, I get out of my van, go to the back, grab latex and a flashlight, walk to the customers door.

I use latex and either ugly gloves or the home depot 2.00 gloves when I run cable.

Gotta be safe and stay clean;)

[proplumb]

there are too many wierd things around these days. i wont get out of my truck without my mechanics gloves on. not at a house or wholesaler.

[All Clear Sewer]

Well I got sick from drain cleaning :(
I have gastro-enteritis and it sucks big time. :mad: I`m doing better now but that last 7 days have been hell!

What are the symptoms of viral gastro-enteritis?

The main symptoms of viral gastroenteritis are watery diarrhea and vomiting. The affected person may also have headache, fever, and abdominal cramps ("stomach ache"). In general, the symptoms begin 1 to 2 days following infection with a virus that causes gastroenteritis and may last for 1 to 10 days, depending on which virus causes the illness.

Exposure to sewage or its products may result in a number of illnesses. These include:

Gastroenteritis, Weil's disease, Hepatitis, The most common way that harmful bacteria enters the body is by hand-to-mouth contact during eating, drinking and smoking, or by wiping the face with contaminated hands or gloves, or by licking splashes from the skin, by skin contact, through cuts, scratches, or penetrating wounds, i.e. from discarded hypodermic needles. Certain organisms can enter the body through the surfaces of the eyes, nose and mouth.

[drtyhands]

Can't say I've ever gotten sick from drain cleaning.

CAUSE I"VE NEVER DONE IT.
AHHH HA HAAAA!!!!!!!:p

[All Clear Sewer]

Wish I could say that...lol.. hell I`ve been doing it while I am sick :eek: :D
You just cant keep a good man down ;)

[plumberscrack]

Exposure to sewage or its products may result in a number of illnesses. These include:

Gastroenteritis, Weil's disease, Hepatitis, The most common way that harmful bacteria enters the body is by hand-to-mouth contact during eating, drinking and smoking, or by wiping the face with contaminated hands or gloves, orby licking splashes from the skin, by skin contact, through cuts, scratches, or penetrating wounds, i.e. from discarded hypodermic needles. Certain organisms can enter the body through the surfaces of the eyes, nose and mouth.


um......Eeeeeuuuuuwwww!!!:eek:

I'm trying to eat dinner here :rolleyes:

[All Clear Sewer]

I was thinking the same thing when I read that part.....rotflmao :D

[PLUMBER RICK]

all clear, if it's any bonus, i lost 20 pounds before i got better. might be time for me to take another drink;)

make sure you have the 5 gallon bucket with you:confused:

you know, the porta potty:eek:

rick.

[All Clear Sewer]

I hear ya rick,
I got the watery diarrhea, bad headache, fever, and bad abdominal cramps but never got the vomiting part of it. I`m on Day 11 so maybe my time is about up???? I can only hope :D

[Woussko]

All Clear

Be sure to keep slowly drinking Gaterade unless your doctor prescribed something else. You don't want to become dehydrated from this if you can help it.

[plumberscrack]

I hear ya rick,
I got the watery diarrhea, bad headache, fever, and bad abdominal cramps but never got the vomiting part of it. I`m on Day 11 so maybe my time is about up???? I can only hope :D


ACS,

11 days of this? Yikes! shouldn't you be in a hospital?

What did the doctor give you? and why hasn't it helped?

[All Clear Sewer]

There's nothing you can take for this other then time it`s self and a porta potty with ya every where ya go ;). It has to run it`s course.

What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?
The main symptom of gastroenteritis is diarrhea. When the colon (large intestine) becomes infected during gastroenteritis, it loses its ability to retain fluids, which causes the person’s feces to become watery. Other symptoms include:

Abdominal pain or cramping
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Poor feeding (in infants)
Unintentional weight loss (may be a sign of dehydration)
Excessive sweating
Clammy skin
Muscle pain or joint stiffness
Incontinence (loss of stool control)
Because of the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, people who have gastroenteritis can become dehydrated very quickly. It is very important to watch for signs of dehydration, which include:

Extreme thirst
Urine that is darker in color
Dry skin
Dry mouth
Sunken cheeks or eyes
In infants, dry diapers (for more than 4-6 hours)

Viral gastroenteritis affects people in all parts of the world. Each virus has its own seasonal activity. For example, in the United States, rotavirus and astrovirus infections occur during the cooler months of the year (October to April)

How is viral gastroenteritis treated?

The most important of treating viral gastroenteritis in children and adults is to prevent severe loss of fluids (dehydration). This treatment should begin at home. Your physician may give you specific instructions about what kinds of fluid to give. CDC recommends that families with infants and young children keep a supply of oral rehydration solution (ORS) at home at all times and use the solution when diarrhea first occurs in the child. ORS is available at pharmacies without a prescription. Follow the written directions on the ORS package, and use clean or boiled water. Medications, including antibiotics (which have no effect on viruses) and other treatments, should be avoided unless specifically recommended by a physician.

[gear junkie]

All Clear

Be sure to keep slowly drinking Gaterade unless your doctor prescribed something else. You don't want to become dehydrated from this if you can help it.
Something that works even better is pediolyte, the same stuff for kids.

[franklie]

:eek: Safety nut Bob on the soapbox again:

but whenever I'm clearing a closet or cutting a soil main I breath through my nose...period.
This will not save you. Your nose can perform the function of a respirator with the proper filter. It will only spare you the nasty taste in your mouth.

I once cut a 4" CI stack and it wouldn't stop dripping, I had gloves on, but they got saturated. Leather, cotton, or gloves made from similar materials will not protect your hands. Once saturated (as you found out), they are probably worse because they retain the irritant and hold it next to your skin so it can do further damage. They also block you from visually seeing the affect of the chemical on your skin. You won't see you skin reddening or bubbling up from the chemical burns either.


I rinsed my hands under the hottest water I could with soap as long as I could stand it. Not sure hot water was the best action here either. Hot water opens the skin pores making it easier for the chemical to be absorbed into thee body. Cool water and plenty of it (most MSDS sheets will say 10 to 15 minutes rinse at a high flow rate) would have been better I think.


Crazy as it might sound a pair of chemical splash goggles (NOT safety glasses) should be part of your PPE. After seeing what it can do to your skin in a couple minutes, you likely to be blind in a minute or two if a drain cleaner cocktail mixed up by the HO gets in your eye.

I don't do drain cleaning (and this is one reason why), I also don't like to work in the refineries for the same reasons, there's too much stuff in there to kill you. I have on occasion of the years done work in large chemical plants and refineries but there's enough work in our area that I can stay out of there most of the time. If you don't have that choice then you need to protect yourself as best you can.

You probably all do this but if it were me I would be asking the HO if they used any chemicals before you arrived to try to clear the drain. I'll bet many are not completely truthful at first but if you tell them the consequences they might change their mind. I'd then ask to see the containers and read the precautions if you are not familiar with the product. Also its good to have the container handy should something happen and you have to go to the hospital, your doctor, or call 911.


I know you all get tired of my rants about safety, but if it keeps only one of you from getting injured, I think it is time well spent on my part. In this area to work in a chemical plant or refinery you have to take an 8 hour course in Process Safety Management and pass a 100 Q test. You have to renew that cert every year. (http://www.palmnet.org/job_site.asp)There is probably something similar in your area. This is in addition to the OSHA 10 Hour cert. I know this is not drain cleaning, but sloshing through unknown chemicals spilled over the bathroom floor that soak through your clothes, burn your skin, and cause you to go to the hospital doesn't sound much different than some of the accidents I have seen in chemical plants or refineries.:(

Aaron, you action to rinse off was good, but doesn't sound like it was enough. Maybe should have rinsed longer from your jeans and skin. Might not hurt to carry a clean set of jeans or something you can change into. Keep them in a plastic bag in the truck. If you have to change out put the soiled clothes in the bag to keep from getting the chemical on other items in the truck.

If you think my obsession with safety is nothing but paranoia then all you have to do is not read my posts on the subject and go blindly about your business, hopefully that won't be in the literal sense. :eek:

NOT using Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) if you are doing any type of drain cleaning is just NUTS!! IMHO.

It's like a sparky not flipping the breaker off before working on an electrical system...

[lonestardrain]

oh well my friends i thought i was a gone er'.....Sunday evening i was trying to unstop a commode(upstairs) with my toilet auger. The customer(woman) said she poured a little bleach in it to see what it would do. I arrive there thinking im about to make this 'quick money' and just run the auger through the commode and be outta there in 10 minutes. Come to find out as soon as i opened the door(it was sealed closed with a towell at the bottom preventing fumes from escaping) all of the fumes hit me!!..being the super-drain cleaner that i am, i put my shirt over my nose and tried to unstop it. First of all i did not unstop it and told her the commode would have to be pulled off the floor to remove the object..anyway while still attempting to push the auger through, my NOSE AND EYES BEGAN TO BURN!!...THEN IT FELT LIKE I HAD A SEVERE CASE OF ASTHMA AND I'VE NEVER HAD IT....on top of that i allmost FELL down the stairs from running out of that house trying to get AIR!!!....fellas, come to find out, the lady put a GALLON OF BLEACH,A GALLON OF MURITIC ACID(from HomeDepot), AND a quart of BREAK CLEANER(wht the f___!) into the commode!!!!!...the bathroom was NOT vented so as soon as i opened the door i inhaled EVERYTHING!!...her *** had put a gallon of BLEACH, a gallon of MURITIC ACID and a quart of BREAK CLEANER(whta the f___?) into the drain!!!...my lungs and eyes didnt clear up untill about 3 hours!!!!...and i allmost FELL DOWN THE STAIRS from the dizzyness.....so be careful out there fellas!!!!..these d.i.y.'s are sometin else!!

[wizzy]

I used to work in a lab so I know how bad acid and caustic can be and then to mix them makes it really worse. It is a danger to your skin ,eyes etc. and the fumes are bad for your lungs. It's a surprise most home owners won't tell you what they have dumped down the drain or toilet. I always ask so I can plan the safe way of fixing the problem. One call I had was a simple plugged kitchen drain she said. When I got their I found a cheap had snake stuck in the drain from the top and 3 inches of Draino in the sink. I was very careful but still a few drops landed on her kitchen throw rug from my snake head which of course bleached the spots.

[Gene Bickford]

You should have charged her a $100 fee for not being honest and put it right on the bill for her to see. That way she'll know exactly what her lies cost her.
Or better yet, you should have called the fire dept. to bring in the HAZMAT team $$$$$$

[All Clear Sewer]

you should have called the fire dept. to bring in the HAZMAT team $$$$$$
And there you have it right there :D

[DUNBAR]

"Did liquid drain cleaners work any?"

"Did you try anything else?"

"How much did you use?"


They don't know the "real" reason why you're asking those questions.

I charge more if they answer yes. A flat fee tacked on, usually $60-$100 to cover the eventual replacement of cables someday.

Cables usually will turn white after being exposed to chemicals. Any time steel is bent or rolled it creates microscopic cracks in the surface of the steel.

That chemical gets inside those cracks and breaks down the strength of the cable.

You find out the hard way when the cable snaps under strain while doing another drain cleaning call, months/years later.


I turned one down tonight because the woman got mad at me for asking numerous questions.

I had to know how many fixtures were affected before I loaded the machine up. In essence the reality of her situation was going to be pulling one toilet heading towards a second one, in a white-carpeted home on the second floor.

No thank you. I suddenly got memory loss, told her the name of someone else better suited for these applications. :cool:

[stxrus]

had a strange event happen today. i was called to a house with a blockage between the cleanout and the septic tank. about an 18 foot run. because of the large amount of rain we've had, i suspected a full tank or saturated drain field. opened the concrete hatch to the tanks and i would guess hundreds if NOT thousands of mosquitoes roiled out. i did have a good coating of DEET (also called Caribbean Cologne) but still sustained about a half dozen bites.

i guess i'll just have to monitor myself for anything weird. anyone experienced any problems with sewer mosquitoes? this has me sort of freaked out.

steve

[All Clear Sewer]

sounds like you could be the next one to get the shits ;) Those bites cant be good knowing where they came from :outtahere:

[stxrus]

approaching 30 hours and nothing so far except an alergy reaction to Sahran Dust that's in the air today

steve

[Glasshousebltr]

I was in the bar one time and the pretty little bar maid said "my sinks clogged" .....no sweat .....I pulled the P ......nothing .....so all she had was bleach .....WTF .....I poured her down.

About 5 minutes later she pops up with some kinda nuclear drain cleaner ......I figured WTF ......I poured that down ......the combination ran everyone from the joint screaming except my fella's and I.......we enjoyed the savings on draft beer .....and it was a better high ......there was a green cloud that left a film on everything.

[DUNBAR]

For the first time in my career today I felt what it feels like to have drain cleaner spritz into the eye.

It was such a fluke in how it happened but it did; crouched down under a laundry tub reaching for the cable to pull it back. Happened so fast there wasn't any reaction time whatsoever.

Intense burning for over an hour in the eye. Finally cleared up with some murine from the customer and proceeded to clear a main sewer line from the septic tank inward.

Dropped a chunk of mud into the tank, splashed right up on my face.

Yep, I'm gonna live forever.

[stxrus]

get and keep at least 1 eye irrigation kit for just situations. it is designed to fkush out the ocular orbit and eyeball with fresh sterile saline water.

steve

[Tyman]

Getting sick from drain cleaning concerns me greatly. I try to be as careful as I can but it never seems like I covered all the bases. How many times have you sprayed the good stuff all over your shirt, pants, & face. I even wear nitrol gloves when working on anyones toilet or urinal.

I have not been sick yet, but I have had skin burns. What I have found is customers do not tell the truth when it comes to putting chemicals down the drain.

Drain cleaning is nasty, but rewarding. Every time I get done with a job I just want to change all my clothes.

[stxrus]

Every time I get done with a job I just want to change all my clothes.

a lot of the time i do. i carry extra shirts and at least 1 pair of shorts in the van. i sweat pretty bad and have had to change before i could go another client.

steve

[All Clear Sewer]

I even wear nitrol gloves when working on anyones toilet or urinal.
Me too! Those seem to be the best gloves to line my work gloves with.

[westcoastplumber]

I get out of my van, go to the back, get my flashlight and latex. I never go empty handed up to the door:D

Latex is such a major importance many of the old timers disregard

[Ace Sewer]

been farting liquid list 5 days.. thought it flu, then started burping nasty yeasty burps. started eating amoxicillin last night, fine now. don't even know if it was the work but I think it has to be... obviously bacterial of some sort not viral. only time in 6 years 24/7 on call nothing but drains.

[All Clear Sewer]

It only takes one bad sewer ;)

[Drain Medic]

been farting liquid list 5 days.. thought it flu, then started burping nasty yeasty burps. started eating amoxicillin last night, fine now. don't even know if it was the work but I think it has to be... obviously bacterial of some sort not viral. only time in 6 years 24/7 on call nothing but drains.


You certainly have a unique way of discribing your illness :barf:

[nanson]

yeh…….. every one can get ill. I do avoid cleaning drain becoz I know drains and garbage are the most important transmission route for all types of infections. Not only drains but also Doorknobs, bathroom faucets and toilet flush handles are key sources of germ transmission in the home.
I love my plumber but I am getting sick and tired of paying him to unclog my drains. Do all household drain lines clog? Do plungers really work that well? Are there things I can do to prevent clogs?
Calling a plumber or a drain cleaning company each time you get a clog can indeed be expensive. But keep in mind that some plumbers and drain cleaning companies offer a limited warranty on their work. If a drain stops up again within a specific time period, you do not have to pay to have them come back out. Get this warranty in writing if you do find that you need professional help in the future. I got help of [REMOVED LINK - potential spam] before couple of week.:eek:

[DUNBAR]

I'm on to ya nanon in numerous plumbing forums.


You and your partner post about 5 to 6 posts, chime in on threads and drop a link to get hits on your websites.

Great thing is I'm coming behind ya and jerking the url's right back out. Keep it up on my sites and your banned, whether I grab you by IP or proxy.

[All Clear Sewer]

http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/3633Spam-med.JPG

[drtyhands]

Dunbar,I feel compelled to ask to see more.Got any links? Something like what Mrs.Westcoast shared with us when you boarded;)

[DUNBAR]

Dunbar,I feel compelled to ask to see more.Got any links? Something like what Mrs.Westcoast shared with us when you boarded;)


Ahh, proof of the spammer or something else? You'll see my dated edits on MP.com, won't see it on FP.com though. SHF I believe doesn't either.

Elaborate on the last statement with Mrs. Westcoast....I don't remember that. :eek:

[drtyhands]

I'm not sure of the forum.But when you first started with us she gave us a link to the forum you were currently with.It was harmless.

You like us better anyway...............right Dunny:canoodle::eek::duck:

[stxrus]

http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/3633Spam-med.JPG

save the kittens and shoot a troll

steve

[DUNBAR]

I'm not sure of the forum.But when you first started with us she gave us a link to the forum you were currently with.It was harmless.

You like us better anyway...............right Dunny:canoodle::eek::duck:


There's a few, I'll have to ask her to drudge the thread up in question.

I do a whole lot of behind the scenes on those forums...never post lately.

I hunt for spam like it's points in an arcade game.

These guys just take a little more time, post 5-10 posts and bolt, making sure they outlink the company that's wanting exposure to a well known site like this one.

Just one big search engine game, everybody looking for hits/page views.

[Ace Sewer]

a random swerve back on topic....

I have been battling a mystery ailment; nausea, diarhea, shakes and chills, weak spells, gut aches, for 6 weeks now. Various theories were put forth, corresponding treatments taken, but now (finally) the lab has spoken. Giardia. About the only way you get this is from eating poop, or drinking water with poop in it. I think it must have come from the job. I have a nice $4 wal mart prescription to take and am told will be better in a couple days. LORD, PLEASE let that be true. This has been truley awful.

-Alex

[stxrus]

Giardia, as i understand it can be transmitted by oral contact, nasal contact, and/or occular contact with waste water.

today on a job i wiped my right cheek with the back of a very old dirty glove. forgot it wasn't the new pair and relatively clean. working in a very hot bathroom and the sweat was just too much. a totally involuntary reaction. but i quit what i was doing, removed both the work gloves and the latex undergloves, grabbed a CLEAN paper towel and tried to carefully wipe my face clean and away from my eye, nose, or mouth. just another job hazard.

the good news is Giardia is easily curable and you seem on the right path.

good luck

steve

[DUNBAR]

Wow,


So many times I've been spritz'd by the cable of the nasties, sweating profusely at the time it has happened. I'm just lucky it sounds like and playing by a dangerous rule.


I have those full frontal pull-down face shields but I never get the luxury of remembering to use it. If there isn't enough light in front of you.....you can't see because of the back glare on the plastic you're trying to see through.