15 yrs in residential, and still encounter challenges never seen before.
Lucky to have escaped with my life so far. A local HVAC guy lost his boss to a disturbed family member that killed their parents & all contractors with shot gun. No one had a chance.
Except for hoarders, domestic disputes, and squaller living preferred by some ethnic groups, you can't see people's trouble. The hardest lesson learned was how the dog loved my greeting, but tucked tail between legs with anxious client.
When anxiety escalated to refusing payment, the vision of that dog looking back at me while escaping client really stuck with me.
My first month crawling in attics with nails stuck in my head, also got some exotic bacteria that ate small holes half way down my face, and took several years to completely eradicate.
After getting ill more than once, I learned to wear a good respirator, maintain P100 or N95 filters, with knee pads, gloves & head lamp in all crawl spaces. Pathogens from bath vent moisture can make healthy peaple sick for several days.
Occupant diseases, vermin feces, asbestos, & black mold can propagate in moist crawl spaces all year long. Never bean bit or stung by vermin yet, but as my eyesight & cautious respect gets worse, it becomes more likely.
If I survive, my retirement may resemble the panel flippers, who don't touch anything inside the house, and take lunch to use the bathroom somewhere else.
