What do plumbers and ghosts have in common?
No, the answer is not “Super Mario World” – it’s the SCI FI Channel original series “Ghost Hunters.”
The fourth season, which features the investigators of The Atlantic Paranormal Society, will premiere Wednesday at 9 p.m.
Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, founders of TAPS, have found great success in paranormal investigation, but they haven’t quit their day jobs; both men still work as plumbers.
According to SciFi.com, a decade has gone by since Hawes and Wilson first met.
During the 10 years, TAPS has grown in size and scope to become one of the most respected paranormal investigation groups in the country.
SCI FI started following the group in 2004 and has featured several paranormal phenomena on the show, including speaking entities, moving furniture and ghostly apparitions.
Hawes said the fourth season has some of the best locations and compelling evidence they have ever caught.
“People definitely want to watch this season and that’s not just pushing our show,” he said.
TAPS goes into every investigation with a skeptical mindset. Wilson said they go in trying to debunk paranormal activity. “If you go into a place believing that it’s haunted, you’re willing to accept any type of evidence,” he said.
“You have to come at it from a different angle in order to help the homeowner.”
TAPS uses high-tech equipment in its investigations, including thermal energy cameras and video.
The investigators said regardless of all the technology, common sense is the best tool.
Hawes said it’s about problem solving.
“It’s all learning ground for us. Ghost hunting is not really a defined scientific field,” he said.
People have deliberately tried to trick TAPS investigators, whom Wilson labels as crazy. “You know how many flipping towns tell us they’re the most haunted town in the country? I don’t even know who does that census,” he said. “Anybody can go into a house and say it’s haunted. Where’s the proof to solidify your claims?”
The group does not just work for crazies; TAPS has investigated state senators, police chiefs, lawyers and doctors.
Hawes said being able to help the people who need it most is amazing.
“Everybody in the group has had questions about the world around them and had no one to help them. We don’t want people living like that,” he said.
“Also, there’s the possibility that we may be able to catch that one piece of evidence – it could be the holy grail of ghost hunting.”