Plumbers rarely get to eat Thanksgiving dinner with their families – Most plumbers plan for the emergencies that foul the day for so many holiday family celebrations. Plumbers report that their emergency calls soar by upwards of 50% on this day. It is, for most plumbers, the Black Friday of the year. With family gathered at the table, a family member is all but certain to say “the drains are clogged,” or “the dishwasher is making funny noises.” This is almost always bad news – and it is going to cost significantly and bring on a disruption. Some couples have been known to lose the sweet harmony of the day discussing who put the turkey bones, gravy, grease in the dishwasher or garbage  disposal. However you carve it – a plumber is the guest you don’t want to have to invite for Thanksgiving.

While family finds the dining room the center of the day, your plumber is going to be needed in two other rooms of vital interest. The kitchen is where the food waste goes while the bathroom is where..er.. the people go. In both cases overuse and misuse can quickly mar the family special time, and while it may not make the family album, the disruption will likely be a family story for decades to come.

A bit of planning and structure can ensure that the family stories can center on Uncle Fred who fell asleep during the last quarter of the big football game instead of the day the plumber was the man who came to dinner.

Here are some tips to make Turkey Day plumber free:

  • Take a home survey well before the big day – Most plumbing problems provide warning signs and sounds. Check your drains to make sure they’re free of any signs of clogs. If you find a slow draining drain, plan a daytime and non-holiday visit from your plumber.
  • Your garbage disposal can turn on you in a moment if you mistreat it. Holidays such as Thanksgiving tend to create a lot of pressure on the garbage disposal. Make sure kitchen helpers know to not overfill the disposal before turning it on, not to use it to dispose of oil, grease or fat, or to dispose of stringy or fatty foods. Each of these can result in a clogged drain that may take some of the joy from the holiday. It needs to be mentioned that Thanksgiving and garbage disposal issues may tempt some well-intentioned do-it-yourselfer to intervene. Very little that is good can come from this. If your garbage disposal fails to operate, call your plumber!
  • Start the disposal before adding food, and keep warm water running. Turn the disposal off and then turn off the water, not the other way round.
  • A simple step to avoid problems is to make sure the sink strainer is in place at all times. This single step can avoid expensive repairs and inconvenience. With the influx of family, it’s easy for someone to remove the strainer, allowing utensils to challenge the cutting power of your disposal unit.
  • Bathrooms are the single source of emergency calls to plumbers on this holiday. For toddlers, toilets offer a way to explore making things disappear. Ask visitors to ensure that children are properly supervised. Use single ply toilet paper, and leave a plunger where people can see it and be spared the embarrassment of having to ask.
  • A line of guests for the shower can overwhelm slow drains. It’s a good idea to ask people to wait 15 minutes between showers to allow time for slow moving drains to clear.

When the unplanned happens, it’s good to know that SoCal Plumbers 911 provide 24/7 emergency service. Don’t let problems ruin Turkey day for your family. Keep the number handy – 877-758-6237.