Did you know that the day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbing problems? While you may know the day after Thanksgiving as Black Friday and the start of the holiday shopping season, to us it’s known as Brown Friday – the day when our plumbers field more service calls than any other day of the year.

With folks preparing for the day cooking and cleaning, friends and family members coming to town, and the general chaos of the holidays, a home’s plumbing problems system can become strained, leading to a struggling water heater, slow moving drains, and clogged toilets. And while we love seeing our customers and making their plumbing problems disappear, we’d much rather you avoid a Brown Friday disaster in your home.

Follow these tips for a worry-free holiday.

Garbage Disposal

Many would agree that a garbage disposal is a necessary convenience in today’s busy kitchen. But most people put things in them they shouldn’t.

• Scrape food remnants off plates into the trash before placing them in the sink.
• Never put coffee grounds, potato skins, pasta, rice, bones, corn cobs, celery, onion peels, lettuce, or other fibrous or starchy foods at your disposal. They are too hard for the disposal to handle and can create a blockage.
• Don’t dump F.O.G (fats, oils, grease) down the drain. F.O.G can solidify and stick to the sides of a pipe, creating a clog.
• Use your disposal properly; run the cold water tap before turning on the disposal, then put small amounts of food in at a time. Run cool water for 60 seconds after all the food seems to be gone to flush out the disposal.

Dishwasher

If your garbage disposal is on the fritz, do not run the dishwasher. In most kitchens, the dishwasher and disposal share the same drain so if the disposal is clogged the dishwasher is likely to get plugged up, too.

Kitchen Sink

Invest in and use a sink strainer to make it easy to clean starchy and fibrous foods out of the sink and prevent clogs. Don’t let the sink fill up with water and food waste; as soon as water begins to drain slowly, clear as much debris out as possible.

Toilets

The holidays are a time to gather with family and friends. And all those extra people will eventually need to use the bathroom. Remind guests to flush only toilet paper, especially if you have a septic system. Consider putting up a small sign for a friendly, tactful reminder. Do not flush the following:

• Sanitary napkins
• Flushable wipes
• Cleaning wipes
• Facial Cleansing Pads
• Cotton Balls & Swabs
• Paper towels
• Dental floss

Showers and Bathtubs

Those hosting guests overnight should wait at least 20 minutes between each shower to give drain pipes a chance to clear and the water heater a chance to replenish. And use hair catchers on all shower and tub drains to prevent excess hair from wrapping around and clogging up drains.

Call P.C. Plumbing, Heating, AC & Remodeling

The best way to keep your plumbing in top working order this holiday season is with an annual whole-house plumbing inspection…one performed by a well-trained and experienced P.C. plumber. And should you experience a Brown Friday problem of your own, we can help you with that, too. With 24/7 emergency service and guaranteed upfront price quotes, you can count of P.C. Plumbing to get the job done and to your complete satisfaction.