Thanksgiving Plumbing Tips

The day after Thanksgiving is the single busiest of the year for Roto-Rooter’s residential plumbers. Big holiday meal preparation and cleanup can lead to a lot of unwanted waste in the kitchen drain and garbage disposal. Also, holiday house guests who require additional laundry loads, showers and toilet flushes put a strain on household plumbing.

“Often, the case is that a house already has partially clogged drains that go unnoticed, until holiday guests arrive and overwhelm the system,” said Paul Abrams, spokesman for Roto-Rooter. Hectic houses full of people and frantic hosts quickly and easily lead to plumbing problems throughout the holiday season. “Even more problematic is that virtually every traditional Thanksgiving dish is a drain clogging culprit,” Abrams continued.

Incoming calls to Roto-Rooter for service will jump 50% above the average Friday. The four-day Thanksgiving weekend averages a 21% increase over any other Thursday through Sunday period during the year. Roto-Rooter is prepared with additional staff to address the expected increase in calls and jobs, saving customers from long waits and outrageous holiday service charges.

Thanksgiving hosts can avoid a visit from their plumber over the holiday weekend by following these clog-preventing tips:

• Never pour fats or cooking oils down drains. They solidify in pipes. Instead, wipe grease from pots with paper towels and throw in trash.
• Avoid putting stringy, fibrous or starchy waste in the garbage disposal. Poultry skins, celery, fruit & potato peels, for example, cannot be sufficiently broken down.
• Make sure the disposal is running when you put food into it. Don’t wait until it’s full to turn it on.
• For homes hosting weekend guests, it’s a good idea to wait ten minutes between showers so slow drains have time to do their job.
• Never flush cotton balls, swabs, hair or wet wipes down a toilet. They don’t dissolve and will cause clogs. Place a waste basket in the bathroom so these items won’t be flushed.
• Try to address any plumbing problems before the holiday and before guests arrive. However, in the case of holiday plumbing emergencies, don’t hesitate to ask a plumber, up front, about extra holiday service fees. As always, know your DIY limits. Often, minor plumbing problems turn into plumbing catastrophes if not handled properly.

Reporters who are interested in covering this information as a news story should contact Roto-Rooter’s public relations director, Paul Abrams at 513-762-6434 or on cell at 513-702-5631.