Seven Tips for the Season: Preventing Brown Friday Chaos this Holiday

It happens every year – the cast of characters you call family arrive to give thanks and take over your house. The aunt who thinks turkey bones magically disappear down the garbage disposal. The uncle for whom the 12-pack roll is never going to be enough.   All of a sudden, your excitement for Black Friday sales turns to dismay around Brown Friday disasters.

That’s right – Brown Friday, the day after Thanksgiving is also our biggest day of the year.

But by following a few of our simple tips you can help avoid these disasters.

And if not, we’ll be standing by.

Tip #1

Tis the Season to Compost

Place all food scraps in a compost bin to keep it from going down the drain. Not only is this easier on the environment but it will likely save you a service call! Turkey bones, potato peels, large food scraps,  grease, and cooking oils can wreak havoc on your garbage disposal.  Especially the potato peels!

Tip #2

Save the Grease!

Devote a bowl or container for catching all the grease. By the end of the night, fats, oils, and greases will have hardened and you can just scoop it out, toss it in the compost and voila! You won’t have to worry about a build up in your disposal or pipes. Crisis averted.

Tip #3

Drain catchers are your friend.

Whether it’s in the kitchen sink or the shower, use a drain catcher in each. From shower hair to food scraps, these little inexpensive gadgets can save you a call.

Tip #4

Supply the single-ply

Help guide your guests away from an embarrassing clog situation by supplying single ply toilet paper and leaving all “flushable” or “disposable” wipes behind. You probably already know this. But does your extended family who is visiting from out of town know? Maybe place a plunger in the guest bathroom to save Uncle Dan the embarrassment in case even the single ply can’t save the day.

Tip #5

if the disposal is chugging, then the dishwasher shouldn’t be running.

First, always make sure your water is running and then turn on your disposal. The disposal should also be running before you  start putting things down. More than anything, if your disposal starts acting up and chugging a bit – do not run your dishwasher. That can cause more issues for both. If the sounds start, give us a call.

Tip #6

Give the water a break.

You’ll probably have a full house, so try to space out those showers by at least 15 minutes.  And take some time between laundry loads as well. Hey, it is a holiday — give yourself a break.

Tip #7

Prime the Tank.

Does your home run on a septic tank? If so, consider getting that tank pumped prior to the festivities. After it’s been pumped try to give it a rest until the holiday arrives, staggering water use as much as possible. You might even want to consider renting a portable restroom for the big day, sure it’s not the most “chic” but it could save you loads of headache! Otherwise just leave a friendly note helping educate your guests on what or what not to flush (surprise, it’s nothing but single ply!).

Many of us have that pesky plumbing thing  we’ve been putting off fixing – but now’s the time to look into it. Give us a call and we’ll help you diagnose the problem and get you on your way to a happy, healthy, Brown Friday-free holiday!

Happy Holidays!

The Bob Oates Family