Thanksgiving Plumbing Tips

You may have heard that the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest plumbing day of the year–and it’s true that there is a spike of plumbing problems that occurs on Black Friday. Knowing what those plumbing problems are and where they come from will help you avoid plumbing issues in your home this coming Thanksgiving.

Common Thanksgiving Day Plumbing Issues

You can expect two parts of the house to exhibit plumbing problems on Thanksgiving day: the kitchen and the bathroom. The reasons behind this are probably obvious. With all those turkey scraps, potato peels and starchy foods disappearing down the garbage disposal, your kitchen plumbing takes a beating. Meanwhile, with young and old relatives chowing down at your dining room table, filling their bellies with pie and turkey, your bathroom quickly becomes one of the most popular rooms in the house. With all this waste filing your pipes, it’s no wonder that plumbing problems surface.

Methods for Avoiding Problems

Luckily you can avoid plumbing issues by taking a few precautions and using your plumbing wisely.

1. Take care of your plumbing problems before Turkey day. Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor will your pipes clog in one afternoon. Plumbing problems tend to build up over many days and weeks, only to become an issue at the most inconvenient moment possible (like 45 minutes before you plan to serve Thanksgiving dinner). To avoid having a problem on Thanksgiving day, call in the plumber early in November to take care of any minor clogs that may be brewing in your home.
2. Use your garbage disposal wisely. You’ve probably heard these rules before.
   • Don’t fill the garbage disposal completely before turning it on.
   • Don’t use the garbage disposal for grease, fat or oil.
   • Don’t grind up fatty, starchy or stringy foods. This includes celery, chicken or turkey skins and basically any part of the potato.
3. Use a sink strainer to prevent food from going down the drain. This prevents clogs and also stops little utensils from going down the drain.
4. Never flush anything down the toilet that isn’t human waste or toilet paper. You may need to keep an eye on any visiting toddlers who could potentially flush toys down the drain.

Don’t Pick Thanksgiving Day to Become a DIY Expert

If you’ve never repaired a garbage disposal before, Thanksgiving Day is not the day to learn. Know your limits. By taking apart your plumbing, you could instigate a major plumbing disaster, and potentially cause more damage than you repair.

Keep an Emergency Phone Number On Hand

With all your relatives in the house and a major meal being prepared, you’re going to need an emergency plumbing phone number on hand. Residents of the Pittsburgh area can call Terry’s Plumbing at (412) 364-9114. Our skilled professionals are available 24/7 to address your plumbing needs.