#preventbrownfriday

While throngs of shoppers descend on stores everywhere in pursuit of the best sales this Black Friday, hordes of plumbers will be dispatched across the nation to deal with the ugly aftermath of those gut-busting Thanksgiving feasts: clogged disposals, pipes, and toilets.

 Welcome to Brown Friday, the busiest day of the year for plumbers.

 All the cooking and clean up that accompanies a traditional Thanksgiving meal frequently creates or exacerbates problems for residential plumbing systems.  One of the biggest issues is that people often try to put too much or the wrong things down garbage disposals. Another trouble area? Bathrooms. Extra guests using toilets and showers can lead to clog drains and drain lines. Thus, leading professional plumbers to dub the day after Thanksgiving as “Brown Friday”.

 Here are some helpful tips to avoid a visit from the plumbers the day after Thanksgiving:

 Use the garbage can, or compost, instead of the garbage disposal. 

Fats, bones, peels and fibrous foods can clog drains and damage the disposal. Scrape leftover food from plates, pots, and pans into the trash instead of the kitchen disposal. It's key to keep turkey bones and other trash out of the kitchen disposals so they don't clog up them up.

 Never pour grease, oils and/or fats down drains. 

These could solidify and block up the line.  Once fats and grease cool, pour everything into a container and toss it in the trash.

 Running Water is a Good Thing. 

Run the water from your kitchen sink before using the disposal and again after using the disposal to help flush the line. Run the water more than just a few seconds.

 Have Guests? Space out the showers.

For homes hosting weekend guests, it’s a good idea to wait ten minutes between showers so slow drains have time to do their job.

 Don’t flush that!

Never flush cotton balls, swabs, hair or wet wipes down a toilet. They don’t dissolve and will cause clogs. Place a waste basket in the bathroom so these items won’t be flushed.

 Preventative Maintenance