How To Prevent Plumbing Problems this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Therefore, now is the time to get your plumbing ready for the holidays and to learn how to prevent plumbing problems this Thanksgiving. As weird as it sounds, the day after Thanksgiving (dubbed “Brown Friday”) is the busiest day of the year for most plumbing companies. Why is that, you ask? Well, while we enjoy the extra food and guests during the holidays, our plumbing systems get a serious workout. Generally, Thanksgiving wreaks havoc on your drains, toilets, and garbage disposals. However, don’t fret! Just follow these Thanksgiving plumbing tips and tricks to help prevent your own “Brown Friday” plumbing disaster!

Broken Garbage Disposals and Clogged Sewer Lines – The Two Most Common Thanksgiving Plumbing Disasters

Before we get into preventing plumbing problems, let’s talk a little bit about the two most common Thanksgiving-related plumbing problems.

Broken or Clogged Garbage Disposal
Since Thanksgiving is almost entirely focused on food, it’s understandable that garbage disposal clogs and malfunctions are frequent.

Clogged or Backed-Up Sewer Lines
Just like garbage disposals, sewer lines see an uptick in use before, during, and directly after Thanksgiving. When used more, sewer lines are far more likely to clog. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that Thanksgiving gives your sewer line quite a workout. Remember, every drain in your house is attached to the main sewer line. So, even if your guests manage to refrain from overusing the toilet, you can still wind up with a nasty sewer clog.

Tip One – How to Prevent a Clogged or Broken Garbage Disposal this Thanksgiving

Unfortunately, unless you have an industrial-strength garbage disposal, clogs are likely to occur while cleaning up after your massive Thanksgiving feast. Overuse can cause a clog. Still, the real culprits behind broken and clogged disposals are types of food waste that your disposal wasn’t designed to handle. While you can’t necessarily prevent the extra use during the holidays, you can make sure to keep the following things out of the disposal:

• Potato peels
• Bones
• Eggshells
• Tough vegetables like raw celery and raw carrots
• Fruit pie fillings or crust. That’s right, no disposing of your pumpkin pie remains in the disposal. You’ll have to throw it away or live with letting everyone know you ate that third slice!
• Coffee grounds
• Grease, gravy, or fat

Tip Two – Stop Using the Toilet as a Garbage Disposal

As absurd as it sounds, for some odd reason, people tend to start using their toilet as a garbage can during Thanksgiving parties. Whether it’s due to some form of shame for disliking a relative’s specialty dish, or just plain old-fashioned laziness, something causes people to put food and other waste down the toilet like it’s some extra-fancy porcelain garbage disposal. Well, it’s not. It is a plumbing fixture designed to remove human waste from a home and nothing else.

Needless to say, putting anything down the toilet that isn’t human waste or toilet tissue is a no-go. Just don’t do it. We promise that the shame you feel from disliking Grandma’s cranberry sauce is a far more comfortable feeling than knowing you caused a main sewer clog just to avoid a potentially awkward conversation.

Tip Three – Prevent Plumbing Problems This Thanksgiving – Don’t Put Grease, Fat, or Food Waste Down the Drain

One of the most common causes behind clogged sewer lines the day after Thanksgiving is putting things down the drain that just don’t belong there. People put everything from bacon grease to cranberry sauce down the drains on Thanksgiving. Yet, they’re always somehow surprised to discover a clogged line the following morning. To prevent clogging your sewer line this Thanksgiving, just avoid putting anything down the drain that doesn’t belong there. For a little guidance, here is a list of things you should never, ever, under any circumstances, put down the drain.

• Food waste like fat, grease, bones, or trimmings
• Garbage
• Paper towels and napkins (yes, people actually try to put those down the drain)
• Eggshells
• Produce stickers
• Oil, used or otherwise

Experiencing a Thanksgiving Plumbing Problem? Contact Scott English Plumbing, Inc. for Assistance

Even if you were as diligent as possible in keeping things out of the drain, toilet, and garbage disposal as possible, sometimes guests get away with doing unspeakable things to your plumbing during Thanksgiving parties. If you wind up with your very own “Brown Friday” plumbing emergency, then don’t worry; the expert plumbers here at Scott English Plumbing, Inc. are always standing by to help. Contact us at the first sign of plumbing trouble!