You’ve heard of Black Friday, the day when hoards of bargain hunters hit the stores. But for plumbers, the day after Thanksgiving is better known as Brown Friday.
Brown Friday is named after the murky water in the drains that plumbers often encounter when called for emergencies the day after Thanksgiving. It occurs when overworked plumbing systems break down. It’s one of the busiest days of the year for plumbing professionals, and there are several ways you can avoid taking part in the day.
Here are some steps to avoid calling a plumber the day after Thanksgiving.
Watch What You Put Down the Garbage Disposal
Blockages in your garbage disposal are on the biggest calls for service around the holidays.
Knowing what you can and cannot put down your garbage disposal can help you avoid a disposal backup. Do not put the following down your garbage disposal:
- Pasta
- Rice
- Nuts
- Fibrous vegetables
- Potato Peels
- Grease
- Oil
- Fat
- Coffee Grounds
When using the disposal, start it and run water before introducing items to be ground. Compost what you can before relying on your disposal to do the rest.
Keep Your Toilets From Clogging
Besides the kitchen, your bathroom is the other busiest room in the house during the holidays.
- Before the holidays hit, check your toilets for leaks and worn components. Preventative maintenance can help them handle the holiday workload.
- Provide trash cans in each bathroom so guests aren’t tempted to flush anything but toilet paper.
- Don’t provide wet wipes, as so-called flushable wipes can create clogs in your sewer system.
- Ensure you provide a plunger in each bathroom so guests can resolve any minor clogs discretely.
Schedule Plumbing Preventative Maintenance
Preventing plumbing problems before they happen is ideal. That’s why it’s a good idea to enroll in a preventative plumbing maintenance program, complete some simple plumbing maintenance and avoid added stress on the system.
- Check for faucet fixture leaks.
- Clean showerheads that may be clogged with mineral deposits or replace leaking ones.
- Install mesh drain covers in your showers and baths to catch chips of soap, hair and other debris.
- Service your water heater so it is functioning efficiently.
Choose Us for Plumbing Services in the Greater Orlando Area
The holiday season is full of fun days of celebration. Brown Friday is not one of them. Taking a few preventative steps can help ensure you don’t have a Thanksgiving holiday plumbing emergency. At American Air, Plumbing, and Electrical, our family-owned company has your Florida home covered for all your heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical needs.
Contact us online now to schedule plumbing services.
