Ryan Richards has seen it all. Bathroom pipes stopped up with baby wipes. Kitchen sinks used like trash cans and plugged with grease.

Oh, and then there’s the sewage. So. Much. Sewage.

Richards is a plumber with Able Power Rooter. He’s gained experience homeowners can learn from. Think old-fashioned plungers and acid-free zones. And, never take a good drain for granted.

Not willing to learn? Richards’ next call might be at your house.

Name: Ryan Richards

Age: 33

Town: Greene

Married/single/relationship: Married

How did you get involved in the drain-cleaning industry? My grandfather started (Able Power Rooter) 43 years ago. I decided to join the family business after I got out of the Marines.

What percentage of the job is dealing with sewage and what percent is just plain water? It’s about 50/50. If we are working on tubs, sinks and washing machine lines or foundation drains, that’s clean water to us.

How do you deal with sewage? We’re so used to it that we don’t even smell it anymore. It’s just one of those things you have to deal with . . . It’s just like dealing with your boss at the office.

Do you take an hour-long shower when you get home after a sewer day? It depends. Some days the wife makes me strip down on the porch before I can walk in the house, and a very long shower after.

Food, hair, tiny toys or something else — what clogs drains most often? Baby wipes. It says flush-able on the box; believe me, it’s not.

What’s the most challenging part of the job? Probably the weight of the equipment. It’s heavy stuff; hard on the body.

What’s the best part of the job? Always having a different surrounding. We work everywhere, in every kind of place. I could never be stuck in a cubicle all day.

What’s the worst thing people can do to their drains? Pour grease or baby wipes. Never use acid in your pipe, either. If it sits in the pipe, it’s going to eat away at your plumbing.

What’s the best thing they can do? Just be careful what goes down your drains. It’s not a trash can.

Rainy summer or freezing winter, which is harder on pipes? Wintertime. The frost levels and freeze-ups really beat up the pipes.

What’s the easiest way for someone to clear a clog in the bathroom sink (aside from calling you)? Good old-fashioned plunger with a rugged rubber base to it. The floppy ones or the ones that look like accordions are useless.

What should people know about their drains? Don’t take them for granted. It’s no fun having to go to 7-Eleven to use the bathroom.