Plumbers see surge on 'Brown Friday' following Thanksgiving feasts
HOUSTON - While Black Friday is usually known for shopping sprees, it’s also a time when plumbers get a surge in calls. The day after Thanksgiving, or Brown Friday, is the busiest day of the year for plumbers.
"If you want to enjoy your Friday after Thanksgiving, definitely focus on Black Friday and not Brown Friday," said Michael Hanson, a homeowner.
From clogged kitchen drains to overflowing dishwashers, the aftermath of the Thanksgiving feast can take a toll on household plumbing systems.
"I know that we’re always busy. As soon as we get a call, we send someone out there as soon as we have someone available," said Tanner Johnson, a drain technician for Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Service.
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On Friday morning, Roto-Rooter drain technicians already had multiple calls for plumbing problems. Michael Hanson’s house was one of the stops.
"Opened the baptist bar door, saw that a bunch of gifts that my parents had brought were all wet and all the stuff that we have on the sink was just soaked," said Hanson.
Hanson believes a homemade pumpkin made by his wife was part of the plumbing problem.
"I think this morning she was cleaning some of that equipment that she used to make the pie out and some of that pumpkin purée got down in there, and it caused a backup," said Hanson.
Plumbing experts urge homeowners to keep turkey scraps, potato skins, and pie crusts out of the drain.
"If you put anything in a good amount, but especially any like vegetable or fruit peels, those will especially clog it up," said Johnson.
After calling Roto-Rooter and getting the pipes flowing again, Hanson said next year he’ll save himself the hassle.
"You know, it was a very expensive pumpkin pie. I think we just need to go with the $7 version from the grocery store next year," said Hanson.
As Christmas dinner creeps around the corner, Roto-Rooter is sharing some reminders to keep your pipes clog-free.
"Scrap it off before you clean your dishes. That way you’re not getting all of that stuff that shouldn’t be in there, in there," said Johnson.