Plumbers across the country are bracing themselves for “Brown Friday,” a four-day sewage fest that takes place coast to coast when people start dumping their Thanksgiving leftovers down the disposal — in both the kitchen and the bathroom — leading to massive backups.
Brown Friday is easily the busiest time of year for plumbers, with Roto-Rooter estimating a 50% spike in calls on Friday. Plumbers see a 21% jump on the four-day weekend as a whole.
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In Virginia, Rhonda Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Richmond Department of Public Utilities, has been encouraging people to “get rid of fats, oils, and greases in a trash can” and warning them “not use your toilet as a trash can.”
Turkey fat, dressing, icing, shortening, and other dairy products turn into a toxic combo, clinging to pipe walls and causing blockages when they cool. They can bring the household plumbing — sinks, toilets, and dishwashers — to a standstill. Other clog-causing culprits include celery, fruit, turkey skin, and potato peels. Add in a bunch of people using the bathroom a few times each and it becomes a recipe for disaster.
“The drain is like a tree,” Clay Saliva, general manager of George’s Plumbing in San Antonio, told KSAT. “You have the main trunk line, and then you have all the branches that go to the different fixtures, so whether it’s the kitchen or the toilet, when you start to overuse it, you overload the system.”
He warns that when people start to see overflowing water or hear an all-too-familiar gurgle, it’s time to shut off the water and call a plumber. Saying a prayer or two can’t hurt either.
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A Yelp search found the top five cities with the most clog calls on Brown Friday were Portland, Oregon; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Jacksonville, Florida.
The data was compiled using 2022’s highest Yelp searches on plumbing services, such as clogged toilets, backed-up pipes, and overflowing dishwashers.
