2022 Thanksgiving Plumbing Tips

By Tibu S.
Master Plumber, Brazos Home Services

In our Kingwood plumbing repair business, we have seen and heard countless stories about Thanksgiving day plumbing emergencies. Kitchen Clogs, broken disposals, complete sewer clogs, and everything else in between. You and the people in your home are the first responders, and we are the backup. Are you ready?

Here is a quick list of top tips to help save you from a Thanksgiving Day Plumbing call.

Scrape it, Trash it, Cool it

My favorite story I like to tell is when one of our neighbors calls us the weekend after Thanksgiving and tells us, “I know you told me not to do this, but I don’t know what got over me. I poured a box of dry mashed potatoes down the kitchen sink. It’s backed up now. “

It’s simple really, you and your family are in total control of what goes down the drain. It comes down to knowing what you can and cannot put down the drain.

Have an extra trash can ready Thanksgiving weekend and throw all your scraps into it. Lastly, before putting the dishes into the washing machine spray them down with cold water to solidify the fats and grease before they cause trouble in your drain.

WHAT SHOULD/SHOULDN’T GO DOWN THE KITCHEN DRAIN

To our grandkid’s surprise, the disposal is not a black hole to another dimension to send all the bad things away. That would be nice, but life is not that easy. That is simple to understand, but even as adults we sometimes treat the garbage disposal the same way. It is for the small scraps on your plate and grinding them into smaller bits so they can smoothly flow down the drain and into the sewer system. Send enough of these bad items down the drain, and you will have a clog, and a funny smell will start coming into your home. None of us want that so here is our Draft board with the top prospects that cause trouble. 

• Grease and Oils

• Coffee Grounds

• Fruit Pits

• Any Starches: Pasta & Rice, Potatoes

• Bones

Under the radar pick: 

• WAX

Believe it or not but we find wax stuck in p-traps often. How does this happen? Many of us lean over the sink whenever we do not want to make a mess on the countertop. As a result, folks like to send that melted pool of wax down the drain. Remember folks; it is not a black hole. Trust me, I have been there and back. 

We recommend using a strainer over your disposal to prevent unintended objects from going down into the abyss. 

These are only a few items, but they are the culprits of many of the issues we see on a daily basis. Following these simple tips can help keep your system clean and family safe. 

Join the conversation

Have experience of your own? Let us know what has worked for you and your family. We are always learning and getting better from our customer's feedback and experience out in the field. Comment below and share some of your tips.

Here at Brazos Home Services, we work with the best quality materials available for our clients in Kingwood, Humble, & Atascocita. Although we are sure you love having us over to fix these issues, we understand that not every plumbing issue requires a call. Of course, you can still give us a call, but following our consumer guides can help minimize the chances of an expensive plumbing repair. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email.  

281.409.9799 or WeFixit@BrazosPlumbing.com