12 replies to this topic

[reelynyceguy]

I don't know if I've just awakened this year from a long snooze, or it's been happening all along, but because I used to raise pigs I never much noticed it...But there's not a day goes by that I have to waller on a filthy floor to fix someones dishwasher, or haul trash from behind a pulled out range. I mean, what gives? Talk about the "unwashed masses" doesn't just mean their hair and armpits and underwear: American homes are a mess! Or is it just Massachusetts, where we're taxed so badly people can't afford a mop? I now carry a moving blanket to spread on the floor to lay on so I don't have to vacuum myself off after every service call!

[stumpowitz]

It's getting downright disgusting! When I began working for my boss, he had me(and the other guys) carry an extra shirt in the van to look somewhat respectable on the next call after any such call. Recently I have begun carrying along an entire uniform. Now my house has some clutter (two boys under age 4) but the crap we run into these days is downright FILTH! Just today I had to change a water valve on a SxS and when I pulled it away from the wall, Pig ears, Dust mites, Dog hair several inches thick, Bug turds, the list goes on.

[Jedi Appliance Guy]

I always give them all the time they need (within reason) to clean. I always have paperwork to do or the truck can always use a little cleaning also.  I'll never clean for them unless maybe they are in a wheel chair or something.

[nickfixit]

http://applianceguru...orum9/9138.html

An example from this week

[Chat_in_FL]

[user=9767]stumpowitz[/user] wrote:

I have begun carrying along an entire uniform.

 Yep... Me too. I sometimes have to change my uniform just from sittin' in front of the refrigerator on someone's kitchen floor.

Once, I had to walk out of a house where there was blood on the kitchen floor. Didn't ask why, how, etc... Just said I needed to go to the van, and kept on going... Supervisor checked it out later, cancelled their service contract on the spot.

Now I carry surgical gloves and face mask (with Vicks to kill the smell) in some of the more offending homes...


And I ask myself, how do people live like this...

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

When I was first starting out, I went anywhere for anyone, never turned down a job. The worst one was this one.

But, that was then. Now, almost all my work is by referral. Me or my wife carefully screen new customers without a referral to make sure they're not trailer trash or inbreds. Still, once in a great while, a scumbucket slips through our screening system and I walk into a house that's one big latrine. I can usually just turn around and leave without explanation.

If someone chases me down as I'm backing out of their driveway, I simply tell them the facts: their house is a pig sty and I don't earn enough $$ doing service calls to put my health at risk. The only possibility for them to change is if they hear from other people that their house is a dung hole. I have no illusions that they will automatically improve, but if everyone is too damn polite to point out the obvious, then there's no hope at all that they'll ever change.

:pisser::flush:

[longtimer]

This is a true one!

The wave of oil soaked cockroaches blasted past me as I leaned the gas range forward. I was looking for the shut off on this old caloric range and tilted it forward when all of a sudden a tidel wave of oil and cockroaches blast out the front. I was only  saved by luck and a sense of my surroundings. The quanity of oil is unknown but I would have guessed about a quart, the cockroaches must have drowned. The oil landed on the Kitchen Indoor/outdoor Carpeting (was not fit for the outdoors though!), and to my amazement after a couple of minutes you could no longer tell where I had the spill. The carpet absorded all of it  and did not even change the color, thats how bad it was!

 

Second one-

 I was told to go pick up a television at this address and bring it back to the store for repair. I proceed to this appartment building to the upstairs appartment when this

familair oder hit like a ton of bricks, my gag reflex was in full throttle and I could not stop. I saw a window at the end of hallway and ran to open it to get breathable air.

I stayed there like a trapped rat unitil I got my composure back and proceeded to retrive the TV. Apparently the 108 cats all liked laying on top of the TV where it was warm andfound it was also a handy litter box. Cat Urine ran out of the TV as I picked it up. This is where being 16 years old is not much of a help and experience would have kicked in and most would not have gotten to the Tv much less than actually bringing it back as instructed.

[Keinokuorma]

OK this is not about a crummy American family, but just to tell you that the Finns can do things right too...

Well some three years ago I went to service a computer to a home in a not so rural place afterall... they have lots of power glitches etc. but it's still a somewhat town-like setting... and no, power glitches weren't the reason to their trouble, perhaps it's just that you can't harvest where it hasn't been sown.

The family had three dogs lounging around. Large dogs, ever so kind, and wouldn't harrass a burglar, but drooled a lot... and probably had serious digesting problems as they farted a lot too.... and the people had old newspapers around, the dogs actually pissed on them! I kept my composure and opened up the computer case when I verified that it would just power on and then go right off after a while, as I had been told when called. It was a midi tower PC in the leg space under the desk, that sat in front of a sofa.

I couldn't help noticing these people bare-footing around, and once sitting down, they would cross their legs and grab the other foot by hand... the father, the mom, the kids alike (kids also picked their noses, didn't even try to conceal it). Then just against all the oddities, one dog crapped on the papers. The master would grab the pissy paper, wrap it haphazardly and carry it out to the porch...

OK, I was slow enough to break the #2 butt-crack rule (discussed in tales from the butt crack) and I reached into where I hadn't had a good look. OTOH it didn't count as I had already figured out that I had dirtied my hands touching the keyboard. There was something liquid in the bottom of the case, and something sticky on the lowermost expansion cards, and the proc fan felt... umm, fluffy. To verify the feeling I grabbed and removed a tuft (which was tight), and as I was prepared to realize, it was some tangly, curly doggy hair.  PSU can't have been much different, should I have removed and opened it. Mental clarity suddenly rushed in and I igured out that one of the critters must have peed into it as well.

The master came back from disposing the radioactive waste in time to hear my revelations. I said that tere has been a liquid spillage, the fan bearings are shot, and core meltdown had taken place... the unit is beyond repair and they should get a new one. He said OK, how much does my time cost? I asked 50€ and he asked me to come with him to the kitchen. So he had kept money in a cupboard, good to know that is the first place to look if I decide to change profession. OTOH, you never know what you will see when illegally entering someone's home...

And DAMNIT, stepping in the kitchen I noticed that I had been a fool to remove my shoes as asked to when stepping in the house. The kitchen floor was encrusted by some sticky reddish stuff all over, as was the table which had a dirty plate per every chair, and the kitchen counter was piled with dirty dishes and food leftovers... the doggy bowls sat by the table too.

He gave me a 50€ bill and asked if I'm thirsty... I said no, but when I had pocketed the bill he had a glass of water in his hand... a greyish stainy glass that he was holding by the rim with his fingers... he said, "Have some anyway".

I suddenly felt a curious pressure in my esophagus, and rushed for the porch... to notice that the man hadn't actually taken the turd out, but laid the filthy newspaper next to my shoes. I grabbed my shoes, one of the dogs took advantage of me bending over and gave my face a loooong lick... I opened the door and managed to take three steps down the stairs in my socks before spewing violently. Then I just ran down to the driveway and hopped in my car... tossed my shoes to the passenger's foot space, grabbed some antiseptic hand wipes from the door pocket where I keep a stash... used three to wipe my hands, then three more to wipe my face, and when I was pulling out of the driveway, the master ran to me and opened the door, asking if I was all right, and hoping that I hadn't taken 50€ for infecting them with tummy sickness. I said "I'm fine, this is a congenital condition, you have nothing to fear", and sped away.

Coming home I tossed every item of my clothing to the laundry (except for socks that went into trash) and took a long shower... only in the evening emptying the dryer I realized that the 50€ bill had been to the laundry too, only torn into three pieces and lost some color. Luckily the bank accepted and exchanged it happily. Well, I bought a pair of new shoes with it, had some change left of it too. Bought beer with the rest, but for a couple months I glanced schizophrenically over my shoulders when in the public, in case if I saw Mr. Homeowner coming around a corner...

[azasadny]

I was raised with the "wear clean underwear in case you have to go the hospital" rule, so whenever we have to call for service, we pull the offending appliance out, clean it and the surrounding area and make room for the tech so they can work unencumbered... I thought everyone did this.

[RegUS_PatOff]

[user=69884]azasadny[/user] wrote:

... whenever we have to call for service, we pull the offending appliance out, clean it and the surrounding area and make room for the tech so they can work unencumbered... I thought everyone did this.

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[appl.tech.29501]

[user=3641]RegUS_PatOff[/user] wrote:

[user=69884]azasadny[/user] wrote:

... whenever we have to call for service, we pull the offending appliance out, clean it and the surrounding area and make room for the tech so they can work unencumbered... I thought everyone did this.

Surely you jest

50K + service calls and I think I have had 3 customers that did this.

[azasadny]

[user=27301]appl.tech.29501[/user] wrote:

[user=3641]RegUS_PatOff[/user] wrote:

[user=69884]azasadny[/user] wrote:

... whenever we have to call for service, we pull the offending appliance out, clean it and the surrounding area and make room for the tech so they can work unencumbered... I thought everyone did this.

Surely you jest

50K + service calls and I think I have had 3 customers that did this.

Maybe that's why we are almost always treated well by the tech!

[BrntToast]

Canadians are no better

i've walked out of a few houses over the years, the usuall reason i give is "i find the odor in your home offensive"  thats about the politest way i can find to say it

luckily up here in the cold north we dont have a huge cockroach problem, but we do have them.... and if i do see them i pack and leave as quick as possible.  i share a list with several shop owners i have gotten to know over the years, we always update each other whenever we encounter a building with roaches, last thing anyone wants is to sell something to a building and have a careless delivery driver bring the old roach infested unit back into your shop

as for ppl cleaning before i arrive, i've had that happen on occasion, but.... i've also had the customers who have a fridge die and they never even removed the rotting food