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The Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest time of the year for plumbers. More food than usual is put down drains, so plumbers brace for a busy day.
AUSTIN, Texas — While many of us know the Friday after Thanksgiving as “Black Friday,” plumbers prefer to call it “Brown Friday.”
On Thanksgiving, many of us have more guests and food in the kitchen than normal. All this extra movement could make for a disaster for the pipes in both the bathroom and kitchen.
“It comes down to two practices in the kitchen, doing things like putting materials like starches, fibers, materials, things like that in the garbage disposal,” said Vic Fredlund, service manager at Abacus Plumbing.
Poultry and potato skins, celery and other vegetables can lead to the sinks getting clogged up.
“You fill the garbage disposal up before you turn it on, and then you turn it on, and it doesn’t want to work,” said Fredlund. “There’s a possibility you overloaded it, and it’s just the motor is not able to overcome all the debris you put down in the garbage disposal.”
Pouring grease down the drain is also a call for disaster.
“Cooking oils and grease in the sink will turn your pipes very similar to clogged arteries,” he added. “That grease is going to want to stick to the inside of the pipes.”
Fredlund said if you need to get rid of grease on a pan, soak it up with a paper towel and place it in the trash. You can also wash your pan with cold water to solidify the oil before it makes it down the drain.