08-03-2025
Get a firsthand look at plumbing daily duties as first On the Clock airs
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — If you've ever wondered what goes into the dirty jobs that keep your home running, a new segment will take you through all the grimy ins and outs.
'On The Clock: With Natalie McCain' gives viewers a firsthand look at trade jobs and beyond around Texoma, and on March 7, I spent the morning with Brian's Plumbing to learn just what goes into their daily duties.
'They're never happy to see us, but they're generally a lot happier when we leave,' second-year apprentice Jesse Krum said. 'Today, we had a call from a customer that their sewer was backing up; they couldn't flush their toilets.'
'I'm kind of nervous seeing the toilet paper right there,' I said. 'I knew we'd be plumbing, but, like, this is plumbing. It's going to be an exciting one. I'm excited.'
We arrived at Brian's Plumbing at 7:45 a.m. and set out to the resident's house. I wasn't sure what to expect, but after gearing up in larger-than-life rubber boots and cowhide gloves, we got to work.
'He's having some backup issues with his toilet, so it'll definitely be a good feeling to get him back in working order with his pipes, get him, you know, cleared up from this mess of things,' I said. 'But we'll see how it goes.'
As I learned alongside plumbers Asa and Jesse, plumbing is no easy job.
'What the most complicated thing to learn is probably learning all the fittings and the coding,' Jesse said.
With no shortage of heavy lifting.
'The most physically demanding aspect of it is probably when we have to trench, especially up under a house, using hand shovels,' Jesse said. 'We ran about 85 foot or so of cable, K1500 through it, managed to break the clog.'
Even with an industrial drain snake, when it comes to older sewer lines, more problems can arise.
'We attempted to camera it and found multiple shifts where we couldn't really even get the camera in,' he said. 'Our suggestion for this customer moving forward is that they should contact their landlord, have a couple other camera crews that have smaller cameras come out, finish scouting that line, and then prepare to be dug up and replaced.'
But no matter the clog or what flows out, the pair told me it's all rewarding.
'Easily when we have a job like this; y'all saw how grateful he was,' Jesse said. 'He had a problem, and we solved it.'
And after a full morning of being on the clock…
'Based on my performance today, would y'all hire me—at least as an apprentice?' I asked.
'Yeah, oh yeah,' Asa said.
'You showed up, you weren't afraid to get in it, and you actually tried,' Jesse said. 'I'd hire you, yeah.'
…I think I'll leave my plumbing woes up to the pros.
'On The Clock' will run every other Friday at noon and 6 p.m.
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