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Catching Mice on the Roof.

9K views 45 replies 16 participants last post by  Herk 
#1 ·
Mainline stoppage in a poorly constructed home. No cleanout access anywhere, no basement. Toilet and bathtub full of sewage. Climbed on up on the roof with the K-60 and went out 150 feet from the main vent. Pulled back hordes of "tiny white mice." Nasty little buggers. I usually never go on roofs, expecially being used to rely on a drum machine for years. It was actually not bad at all. I think I'd much rather go on a roof rather than ever pull a nasty sewage-filled toilet ever again.:no:
 
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#3 ·
I hate roofs, you won't ever catch me up there. Kind of reminds me of the time I cut out a cast iron stack and as soon as I pulled the piece off an army of spider crickets came climbing out. There were hundreds of these things living in the 4" vent.

For those that might not have them in there area. Nasty things they can jump about 3" high and they get pretty big. I hate these things. I also hate roofs. You won't catch me climbing up there with a rooter.
 
#6 ·
I hate roofs, you won't ever catch me up there. Kind of reminds me of the time I cut out a cast iron stack and as soon as I pulled the piece off an army of spider crickets came climbing out. There were hundreds of these things living in the 4" vent.

For those that might not have them in there area. Nasty things they can jump about 3" high and they get pretty big. I hate these things. I also hate roofs. You won't catch me climbing up there with a rooter.
We have them in abundance here in VA. Wonder if they are good bass bait?
 
#7 ·
Those things are deffently a money maker:laughing:
We don't have that type of species over hear. The one we have are called pink mice. :laughing:

I seen one time years ago so many tangled up on a head of a cable that they looked like one huge sink weight.

In Christ,

Song Dog
 
#8 ·
I Use Same Tools And Hit It From The Roof About 95% Of The Time Unless C/o Is Exposed And Even Then Unless They Want To Pay Me For Trimming The Lawn I Hit It From The Roof. I Once Filled 2- 15' Sections To Look Like A Christmas Tree Light String Full Of These Mice. Recomend An Exterminater.
I Do Live In Florida Where The Vast Majority Of Homes Are Single Stories.
 
#9 ·
Mainline stoppage in a poorly constructed home. No cleanout access anywhere, no basement. Toilet and bathtub full of sewage. Climbed on up on the roof with the K-60 and went out 150 feet from the main vent. Pulled back hordes of "tiny white mice." Nasty little buggers. I usually never go on roofs, expecially being used to rely on a drum machine for years. It was actually not bad at all. I think I'd much rather go on a roof rather than ever pull a nasty sewage-filled toilet ever again.:no:
I agree with you bro... I only pull toliets if thats my last option. I would rather climb than pull a toliet filled with poo... That K-60 did a number on them:laughing:
 
#12 ·
I've actually got a piece of 2" pvc to put either a 45 or sweep on the end and reached out to stacks that I couldn't walk on the roof to get to. Snaked the drain and recommended they get a roofer. Also use it when the C/O is to deep to verify which direction my cable is running, and when running up or down mains from man holes.
 
#13 ·
man! snakin from a roof vent???u guys are adventurous. lol. it werks im sure...but theres always opportunity under every old toilet...$$$$$$. you could pick up alot of extra work replacing or repairing broken flanges or replacing old pvc or 3/8 copper supply lines.
 
#14 ·
Value

man! snakin from a roof vent???u guys are adventurous. lol. it werks im sure...but theres always opportunity under every old toilet...$$$$$$. you could pick up alot of extra work replacing or repairing broken flanges or replacing old pvc or 3/8 copper supply lines.
If the toilet is leaking and needs to be pulled for a new seal, then so be it.
I like to hit the blockage from the roof also because I believe that I'm actually cleaning more drain this way. When the sewer is backed up, (I've seen this on video) "stuff" gets stuck all over the pipe like stalagtites, and stalagmites. For the money I charge, they deserve the most drain cleaned for the money. Once the sewer is clear, I will turn on the machine and check for the location of the sewer. At this time I may sell a C/O installed, so that there is a point of relief should the sewer back up again.:thumbsup:
 
#17 ·
I've seen this happen quite a bit before. Often on grease stoppages where the grease collects in the vent and clings to the sidewall. After 1 or 2 stoppages, the vent is effectively closed off.

As far as not hitting the fixture branch, just shine a flashlight down the vent. See water? No clog in fixture branch. Pulling a toilet wouldn't be an advantage for me since I rarely see bad wax rings or flanges. How much could I feasibly charge for pulling and resetting a toilet? Going through the closet bend probably adds another 45 min to the job. Going through the roof is easier faster and I come out ahead price wise. I sell cleanouts by showing them how they're required by the ipc.
 
#19 ·
I'll still sell cleanouts without pulling nasty toilets, thank you.
whoa whoa whoa! lol jk. things gettin heated! so im starting to see that this is deff a " whatever works for you" type deal. lol. things tend to be different in my area i guess! almost every toilet i pull lately has issues! lol.
 
#20 ·
whoa whoa whoa! lol jk. things gettin heated! so im starting to see that this is deff a " whatever works for you" type deal. lol. things tend to be different in my area i guess! almost every toilet i pull lately has issues! lol.
3:00 am, main sewer stopped up, no clean outs. I am pounding the roof. To many variables in pulling a toilet that early in the morning. Supply house closed etc. Go to set the toilet back and you hear the porcelain crack. You just ate a toilet on a one hour sewer call.
 
#24 ·
Invest in a small shop vac. I have a Dewalt on my truck that runs with either a 18v battery or cord. I suck the loaded toilet dry before pulling it. Suck up poo and all if I have to.Keeps things clean and neat, but of course this is only when I HAVE to pull the crapper
 
#29 ·
I'm gonna have to look into one of those 18v dewalt jobbies. I usually don't have to pull toilets to snake but rarely and would be nice to be able to drain down before pulling or rebuilding a tank. I usually use the lid of the toilet to regut the tank but even then you still get some clean water on the floor.:rolleyes:
 
#33 ·
mas·och·ism
/ˈmæs
əm, ˈmæz-/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[mas-uh-kiz-uh
m, maz-] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 2.gratification gained from pain, deprivation, degradation, etc., inflicted or imposed on oneself, either as a result of one's own actions or the actions of others, esp. the tendency to seek this form of gratification.
:laughing:
 
#35 ·
The definition didn't say anything about sexual gratification...

It did say...
gratification gained from pain, deprivation, degradation, etc., inflicted or imposed on oneself, either as a result of one's own actions or the actions of others, esp. the tendency to seek this form of gratification.
:laughing:
 
#38 ·
They can be a great source of amusement as well.

Wise-acre electrician hanging from a Hole Hawg that has his finger pinned to the trigger and his head pinned to the top plate flailing his legs and screaming for someone to unplug the extension cord still brings tears to my eyes.

Ah Groundrod, we tried to warn you, but yours was bigger and more viral than ours and no wimpy plumber's power tool could ever pierce your breast of steel. But it did crack your coconut.
 
#41 ·
They can be a great source of amusement as well.

Wise-acre electrician hanging from a Hole Hawg that has his finger pinned to the trigger and his head pinned to the top plate flailing his legs and screaming for someone to unplug the extension cord still brings tears to my eyes.

Ah Groundrod, we tried to warn you, but yours was bigger and more viral than ours and no wimpy plumber's power tool could ever pierce your breast of steel. But it did crack your coconut.
I had a first yr app. get wedged in between two studs because he was holding it wrong, I showed him the correct way and warned him about how powerful it was. He still didn't listen, he does now:laughing:
 
#42 ·
I had a skinny lil apprentice using a rotary hammer one day :cry:whining:cry: hard... He kept letting go of it when it bound up cause he was pushing on it drilling crooked holes.

I tried teilling him ya gotta hold it firm, so it doesn't come around and get ya, but let it drill without too much pressure so the hole is straight and it doesn't bind...

He got whacked across the knees so many times I couldn't stand listening to him :cry:whine:cry: anymore and I did it myself.

I don't drill crooked holes so it doesn't bind for me but even when I was straightening out his crooked holes when it did bind I could hold it and the clutch would slip without getting my knees whacked.

The kid was just too much of a "Girrrrly man" I had to tell the boss to pass him onto some other lucky sucker... It was so bad that I might just as well be working by myself... At least then I didn't have any illusion that I had help... I guess he got passed around a bit before he was gone so it wasn't just me.
 
#44 ·
lol. well in twenty and i ABSOLUTELY remember the days of drilling thru 13 inches or foundation wall and gettin thrown around like a rag doll! hahaha.(actually i still hate the damn things! hahahah) but yea... it was just something i enjoyed doing(plumbing that is) and i can see myself continuing in the trade for many years. :)
 
#46 ·
It doesn't take much, while standing on a ladder, to get smacked in the had by a right-angle drill. You should learn quickly which way to hold it but there are people vying for a Darwin Award who have a hard time getting tools to fit their hands properly.
 
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